F/Lt Joseph Lynch (2328) was born at Newcastle NSW on January 17, 1915 and enlisted as Aircrew 1 at 2RC Sydney on June21, 1937, after a number of Posting and instructing duties arrived at Mildura 2OTU on April 16, 1944.

F/Lt Lynch aged 29, and F/O Reginald Spencer (416035) the Staff Flying Instructor, the two were both aboard Wirraway A20-396 carrying out cross-country exercises on May 1st, 1944, where F/Lt Lynch was taking instruction as part on No.31 Fighter Operational Training Course.

The pair were conducting a low-level leg of the cross-country component of the exercise 40km west of the 2OTU aerodrome, when the Wirraway flew into trees at speed and hit the ground bursting into flames, being destroyed by the resulting fire killing both F/Lt J.R. Lynch and F/O R.A. Spencer instantly.

Biography – Mildura 2OTU Heritage Inc