The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (O33821) Flying Officer Ian Rew Cranston, No. 77 Squadron, RAAF, Korean War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (O33821) Flying Officer Ian Rew Cranston, No. 77 Squadron, RAAF, Korean War.

O33821 Flying Officer Ian Rew Cranston, No. 77 Squadron, RAAF
KIA 9 March 1953
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 26 March 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flying Officer Ian Rew Cranston.

Ian Cranston was born on 3 October 1927 in Sydney to Scottish First World War veteran Robert Cranston and his wife, Janet. He was their only child.

Cranston grew up in the inner suburbs of Sydney and was a popular boy. He attended Sydney Technical High School, where he did well both with his study and on the rugby field. On leaving school, Cranston became an apprentice machinist and fitter for the New South Wales Government Railways Department. He qualified in March 1949, having attained both his lower and higher trade certificates. He joined W. Watt and Son as a fitter and machinist the same month. A fine athlete, standing six feet tall, Cranston played Rugby League for St George’s third-grade side and water polo for the Brighton Life Saving Club.

Cranston applied to join the RAAF in November 1949 as a pilot. He was offered a signallers course instead, but Cranston only wanted to fly. In late January 1951 he was accepted into pilot/navigator training and enlisted on 27 February. He was sent to Point Cook in Victoria for training. During this time Cranston’s father died of a heart attack and he was granted a one week leave to return home.

In August 1951 Cranston qualified as a pilot and was promoted to sergeant, having ranked fifth out of the 23 graduates on his course. He also won the course prize for “best sportsman”, having competed in a number of events at the inter-service sports meeting. He represented the united services team against the All Blacks at North Sydney Oval in June, and was noted in The Age as having played a distinguished game.

Cranston’s first posting was to No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown, and three months later he joined No. 75 Squadron on the same airbase. He was allotted for service in Korea and flew out of Australia only days later. After a brief stop in Japan, he joined No. 77 Squadron in January 1952, and it wasn’t long until he was flying against enemy ground targets. He quickly built up a reputation as a fearless and determined pilot.

At 10 am on the morning of 9 March Cranston took off as part of a mission attacking enemy targets near Kaesong. During his second run, Cranston’s aircraft was hit by ground fire. The fire punctured his ventral tank, which began streaming fuel. Before anything could be done the aircraft burst into flames, turned over and crashed into a nearby hill. Cranston was initially listed as “missing, believed killed” but it took until late September for his death to be made official.

This loss was a sore blow to the squadron, as Cranston had become a popular figure among all ranks during his short tenure. He had applied for a commission in February, and in the weeks following his death he was retroactively promoted to pilot officer. He was also posthumously awarded an American Air Medal for his courage and flying skill.

Cranston’s remains were handed over by the North Koreans after the war, but it was not until late 1955 that a positive identification was made. He was laid to rest in the United Nations Military Cemetery at Pusan.

Ian Cranston’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among 399 others from the Korean War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flying Officer Ian
Rew Cranston, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section