Jeffrey Graham CORNFOOT

Year of Birth: 1920

Place of Birth: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Date of Enlistment: 19 July 1938 Point Cook, Victoria, Australia

Australian Defence Force: Royal Australian Air Force

Rank: Sergeant

Unit(s) No. 75 Squadron

Service Number: 205780

Died: 26 November 1942

Age: 22 years

Buried: Cairns War Cemetery – Plot A – Row A – Grave 5

Jeffrey Cornfoot was born 13 February 1920, parents were David Graham and Margrethe Evelyn (Holdenson) Cornfoot. He had one brother Ronald Graham Cornfoot who also enlisted in the R.A.A.F. in January 1940 and attained the rank of Squadron Leader.

Jeffrey attended Geelong Grammar School and was an air cadet for 2 years, until he was discharged upon leaving school.

He enlisted at the age of 18 years and 5 months and had been working for the last six months prior to enlisting, at Sun News Pictorial as a general office worker.  He was 6 feet tall.

Jeffrey Cornfoot undertook much training at the beginning in Moth and Wapiti airplanes, both biplanes, also other single engine planes before graduating and becoming an Airman Pilot of single engine planes.

Virtual War Memorial Sergeant Jeffrey Graham Cornfoot 205780 was killed in the loss of RAAF 75SQN Kittyhawk A29-156 P-40E (#41-5598). The aircraft went out of control while flying at 1200 feet above Cairns and crashed into an unoccupied house in Pease Street in the suburb of Edge Hill – the house was totally destroyed by the ensuing fire. His parents were David Graham CORNFOOT & Evelyn Margretha (Margaret) HOLDENSON who married in Victoria in 1917.”

NAA - Application for Cadetship
NAA - Flying Record
NAA - Education Details
NAA - Acceptance Letter
NAA Details of Training p1
NAA Details of Training p2

Jeffrey Graham Cornfoot’s name is located at panel 103 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.

Online Resources

NAA: A9301, (CORNFOOT J. G.) National Archives of Australia

Australian War Memorial

National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers

Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages

Victorian Births Deaths & Marriages Index

Virtual War Memorial

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!

Leave a Reply