John Alexander COLPUS [5601]

  General Notes:

1920 WA Birth Index Colpus John A Male Perth 3233

COLPUS Jack Funeral notice 19OCT2015 Funeral late of Shawford Lodge, formerly of Parkland Villas The West Australian 14OCT2015

Australia, WW11 Military Services Record s,1939-1945
Name: John Alexander Colpus
Birth Date: 11 Nov 1920
Birth Place: Subiaco Western Australia
Year Range:1939 - 1948
Enlistment Place: Perth Western Australia
Service number:415306
Next of Kin: Lorraine Colpus
Series Description: A9300: RAAF, Officers

The West Australian on Oct. 12, 2015
Death Notice:
COLPUS (John): Jack peacefully passed away on 10.10.15 at Hollywood Hospital, aged 94. Much loved father of Janet, Margot and Lynne. Dear father-in-law to Trevor and Don. Wonderful Pa to Scott, Bruce, Phillip, Anthea, Russell, Allan and Keith. Loving great Pa to Ella, Ava, Noah, Tamara, Joshua, Beau, Jared, James, Sam and Joshua. Now at peace with his beloved wife Hope. He was greatly loved and will be forever in our hearts. ( http://www.westannouncements.com.au/obituaries/thewest-au/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=176078874 )

The West Australian Monday 21 Dec 2015
Obituary:
Skill, Courage and Luck
John Alexander Colpus Bomber pilot
Born: Subiaco, 1920 Died: Nedlands, aged 95
Decorated: Jack Colpus left a meticulous account of his war experiences.
John Colpus, one of the most distinguished Australian bomber pilots of World War II, was about to be promoted to squadron leader when he was transferred to a new post, and a year later returned to civilian life - as an apprentice carpenter.
As a veteran of Bomber Command, he had gained his pilot's licence before his driver's licence, when he trained in WA. He was one of the lucky ones. Nearly half the airmen who flew over Europe were lost, a casualty rate which rivalled the worst bloodshed of World War I.
The average survival rate of Allied aircrew was five missions. Jack (as he was known throughout his life) flew 31.
A combination of skill and courage carried him through some remarkable escapes. The most memorable was when his Lancaster bomber collided with another bomber over a German city.
With damage to one wing, he wrestled his aircraft on a course to England and after four hours of tension, crash landed at his base at Waddington.
He had to make his approach at high speed and at a steep angle but the Lancaster survived, as did all of the crew. The other aircraft in the collision also landed safely.
Jack Colpus' Lancaster, "S" for Sugar, had lost nearly 2m of its wing. It was repaired and went on to complete 137 sorties and is now in an RAF museum, one of the oldest surviving Lancasters. Jack's name is engraved on one of its engines.
Another narrow escape occurred when one of his crew collapsed, the victim of a lack of oxygen, as a bombing run was about to commence. If this had not warned of a potentially fatal problem, the whole crew could have lost consciousness. Emergency oxygen supplies were quickly employed.
On another occasion he flew back to England in poor weather conditions, finally landed on an unfamiliar airstrip and discovered that, in the fog, he had used the wrong airfield. The missions took seven hours or longer, in great discomfort most of the time, and always dangerous. On one raid he came within metres of a head-on collision with a German fighter.
Jack Colpus left a meticulous account of his wartime experiences, recording the losses on each mission, the empty rooms of men who did not come back.
He recalls that he always left his shoes outside his room after a raid - not to have them cleaned but to let the ground staff know he was safe.
Temperatures at an altitude of 20,000ft were colder than would be experienced at ground level in the Arctic, and the bombers had very rudimentary heating. Crews were warned not to be too active before they took off - their sweat could freeze.
Colpus remembers his longest flight, more than nine hours, which took them over Italy and then into southern Germany. They were so short of fuel they had to land at an airstrip in England closer than their own. His determination to save fuel caused consternation at his base.
He slowed his aircraft down so much on one return trip that it was assumed the plane was lost and he was officially described as "missing".
He also recalls his misgivings at the death and destruction among civilian populations but concluded that it was a necessary part of the war.
Some historians now argue - in line with Colpus' misgivings - that these raids had little effect on the war's outcome.
Jack Colpus was finally recognised by his superiors as someone who had pushed his luck and he was transferred to a training role for his last year of the war. He and Hope Raston were married in May 1945.
On his return to Perth he completed his apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner and later passed the examinations to become a registered builder. He went on to be a building inspector with the Perth City Council for 31 years.
One of his busiest times in that role was supervising work on venues for the 1962 Commonwealth Games at Perry Lakes, Beatty Park and the Leederville Velodrome.
There was a strong reminder of his war years when, in January 1947, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his achievements over Europe.
A Bar was added to the award for flying more than 30 missions - the usual term for crews in Bomber Command - and a commendation was placed in his logbook by Lord Elworthy, equerry to Queen Elizabeth.
Hope died in 2008. Jack is survived by three daughters, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In 2002 Jack was presented with a print from a painting of "S" for Sugar, the Lancaster he had nursed back to England with part of a wing missing. (http://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-west-australian/20151221/281767038181366 )

My Name is John Alexander Colpus
Autobiography of John Colpus.
He mentions flying training schools in W.A., 467 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, Lancaster bombers and bombing raids over Germany 1943-1944. He returned to Perth and worked for the Perth City Council.

  Other Records

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: joiner, 1949, 76 Kimberley st., Leederville, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: joiner, 1958, 96 Pangbourne st., Wembley, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: joiner, 1963, 96 Pangbourne st., Wembley, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: joiner, 1968, 96 Pangbourne st., Wembley, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: bldg inspr, 1972, 22 Delafield Way, Balcatta, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: bldg inspr, 1977, 22 Delafield Way, Balcatta, Perth, West Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: bldg inspr, 1980, 22 Delafield Way, Balcatta, Perth, West Australia.

Jack married Lorraine Hope RASTON [4481] [MRIN: 1889], daughter of Walter Alfred RASTON [1641] and Madeline PADMAN [946], on 26 May 1945 in Claremont Methodist Church, Perth, West Australia. (Lorraine Hope RASTON [4481] was born on 18 Apr 1923 in Tammin, Western Australia, died on 7 Dec 2008 in Woodlands, Western Australia and was buried in Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, Western Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

The West Australian Tuesday 21 July 1942
Engagement Notice:
Lorraine Hope, youngest daughter of Mrs M. and the late W. A. Raston of Tammin and Claremont, to (Pilot Officer) John Alexander, only son of Mr and Mrs H. C. Colpus, of Claremont.