Claude Murray ROSS

Claude Ross was from Victoria where he competed for the Malvern Harriers, and was trained as an engineer. His career was as a traveling engineer but in August 1914 Ross enlisted in the Australian Field Artillery and served in Gallipoli in 1915. He later settled in France where he received a commission with the 45 Squadron British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in January 1917. Serving as a second lieutenant, Ross was flying a Sopwith Strutter A8298 in August 1917 near Zandvoorde, France, alongside his observer, second lieutenant J. O. Fowler. Their craft was seen to break up and crash, although the reasons were never known, killing both men. Ross’s remains were never recovered but he was honored on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg d’Amiens British Cemetery.