McCrory, John

Flight Lieutenant

No. 65481, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Died of disease on Saturday 21 August 1943 (aged 35)

Buried:

Portrush (Ballywillan) Cemetery, Co. Antrim (Section C Grave 302)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Lisburn and District War Memorial

Brother of First Radio Officer William James McCrory

BIOGRAPHY

John McCrory was born on 11 August 1908 at 28 Main Street, Portrush and he was a son of James and Katherine (Catherine) McCrory (nee Boyd) who later lived in Hopefield Avenue, Portrush.  James McCrory was a barber and he and Katherine Boyd were married on 12 April 1898 in Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.  They had five children:

William James (born 11 January 1899 in Church Pass, Portrush; died of tetanus neonatorum 19 January 1899)

Matilda (born 2 June 1900 at 28 Main Street, Portrush; died in infancy)

William James (born 28 March 1902 at 28 Main Street, Portrush)

John (born 11 August 1908 at 28 Main Street, Portrush)

Kathleen Marcella (born 4 March 1911 at 28 Main Street, Portrush)

After their mother Katherine died on 24 June 1938 (aged 64) their father James lived at 63 Bryansburn Road, Bangor.

John McCrory was the second of the two brothers to die in war.

Prior to joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, John McCrory was a seaman, and he held the rank of Second Mate.  He was 5 feet 9½ inches tall and had grey eyes, brown hair, a fair complexion, and a scar at the base of the second finger on his left hand.  At one time he served aboard the SS Kenbane Head.

Flight Lieutenant John McCrory was the younger son of James and Katherine McCrory and he was the husband of Elizabeth (Betty) McCrory (nee Boomer) of The Grove, Knockmore, Lisburn.   John McCrory and Elizabeth Christian (Betty) Boomer were married on 23 April 1940 in Derriaghy Parish Church of Ireland Church.  Elizabeth Christian (Betty) McCrory was the younger daughter of Mr and Mrs William Boomer, The Grove, Knockmore, Lisburn.

John and Betty McCrory (nee Boomer) had at least three children:

Twin sons born on 28 February 1941 in Lisburn District Hospital

Son born on 22 September 1943 at The Grove, Knockmore, Lisburn, one month after his father died

During the Second World War Flight Lieutenant John McCrory served with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was based at RAF Bishops Court.  He died of septicaemia in Bangor Military Hospital on 21 August 1943 and his funeral was at 12 noon the following Tuesday from Lisburn to Ballywillan Cemetery, Portrush.  Flight Lieutenant John McCrory was 35 when he died, and he is commemorated on Lisburn and District War Memorial.

Flight Lieutenant John McCrory’s widow, Elizabeth, died on 4 February 1991.