GB Cadet 1305 E.M. Lance 1943/44 Term.

Date of birth 29th April 1928.

Initially served at sea with Clan Line.

Trained as a Pilot in the South African Air Force and subsequently served with No. 2 Squadron SAAF (Flying Cheetahs) in the Korean conflict. Received the USA's Distinguished Flying Cross. Unconfirmed reports have it that he was also awarded a further USA decoration, the Air Medal. After leaving the SAAF he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was serving with the Royal Australian Air Force flying helicopters, when he was shot down and killed during operations in Vietnam.

'Lofty" features prominently in the book "South African Flying Cheetahs in Korea" by Dermott Moore and Peter Bagshaw, published by Ashanti Publishing.

On 8th June 1971 Cape Times reported:

"South African pilot Everitt "Lofty" Lance who left with the Royal Australian Air Force last November to fly helicopters against the Vietcong has been killed in Vietnam.

Flight Lieutenant Lance, 43, who was born in Aliwal North and educated at the General Botha, had a distinguished combat flying career. At the time of his death he was serving with his fourth air force.

At 18, after two years service with the Merchant Navy, he joined the South African Air Force in which he gained his pilot's wings.

After five years he joined the Royal Air Force in England, and later flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a member of the Flying Cheetahs Squadron in Korea he took part in 75 sorties. He was awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross for leading a successful bombing attack in his Mustang fighter-bomber on a communist mortar position."

The exact date of his death was not given in the report.

B. Aliwal North, Cape, 29 April 1928, son of Thomas Fuller Lance; ed. Aliwal North High School; SATS General Botha Cadet No. 1305 [1943-1944 term] [Red Hill].

Everitt Murray Lance joined the Clan Line in the ship Perthshire in 1945.

He later joined the South African Air Force [SAAF] and subsequently served with No. 2 Squadron, "The Flying Cheetahs" in the Korean conflict. He was awarded the United States of America’s Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Cluster for his actions in the Korean War.

After leaving the South African Air Force "Lofty" Lance joined the Royal Canadian Air Force [RCAF] then the British Royal Air Force [RAF] and in 1968, the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF]. He was serving with the Royal Australian Air Force’s No 9 Squadron as a Flight Lieutenant, flying Bell UH-1 ["Huey"] helicopters when he was shot down and crashed during a combat resupply operation for Australian troops in Vietnam on 07 June 1971. He died of injuries received in the crash.

Died (killed in action) on 7 June 1971 aged 40 years. He is buried in Woden Cemetery. Flight Lieutenant Lance had previously served in the South African Air Force, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. He joined the RAAF in 1961 and spent eight years as an instructor. He and a crewman died on 7 June 1971 when his Iroquois UH1 (Huey) helicopter crashed.

They were providing gunship, ammunition resupply and casualty evacuation support for Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and Centurion tanks of the 1st Armoured Regiment, who were involved in an attack on an enemy bunker system in Long Khanh province as part of Operation Overlord. During an ammunition resupply, Lance's helicopter was hit by enemy fire and crashed into trees killing him, the gunner and injuring two others.

Commemoration: Canberra (Woden) Public Cemetery, ACT, Australia.

Grave reference: ANZ/R/8 CHS L/C 11/2/72 Lawn RSL