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was made via Gibraltar and Malta and Heliopolis, Egypt, was reached on the 28th May after a journey of twenty-five hours forty-five minutes. On arrival in Egypt, Flying Officer Heath was posted to No. 37 Squadron, then operating in the Western Desert. With this squadron he took part in thirty-five operational flights including attacks on Sidi Barani, Mersa Matruh, ElDaba (7), Tobruck (16), Halfaya, Tobruch (3), Fuka (3), and El Alamein. He also carried out two bombing attacks on enemy aerodromes in the Western Desert.

His tour of operations completed late in 1942 Flying Officer Heath returned to England. Shortly after arrival he was posted on the 17th February 1943 to No. 16 Operational Training Unit, Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, for duty as an instructor. He was posted on the 17th February 1943 to No. 29 Operational Training Unit, North Luffenham, Rutlandshire, where he was similarly employed. He was posted on the 12th April, 1943 to No. 3 Flying Instructors School, Babdown Farm, Gloucestershire, for a course in flying instruction. During May he did an instrument flying course with No. 1532 Beam Approach Training Flight, also at Babdown Farm on the conclusion of this course he returned to No. 29 Operational Training Unit, now at Bruntingthorpe, Warwickshire.

Flying Officer Heath was pilot of a Wellington bomber which crashed near Oakham, Rutland, on the 29th August 1943, all the crew including Flying Officer Heath losing their lives. He was buried on the 2nd September in the graveyard at Old Clee Church, Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Flying Officer Heath: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110841191/john_hawarth-heath

5/3/13395 AS2
791 hours as
PILOT. (underlined)

Mrs. S.B. Heath (M), (right aligned)
65 Hardinge Road, (right aligned)
Port Ahuriri, (right aligned)
NAPIER. (right aligned & underlined)