John Horan was the son of Phillip and Doris Louise Horan, of Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand; husband of Grace Monica Horan (nee Whitehead), and one son of Greenwich, London.

"On 9 Jan 1945, a Sea Otter ASR aircraft of 292 Squadron RAF was on a reconnaissance trip off the Akyab coast when Japanese Oscar fighters came into atack. Warrant Officer Horan opened fire. Two minutes later he reported that he was hit. The 1st navigator went aft and found his unconscious ... Recovering consciousness as he was being dragged back into the fuseage, Warrant Officer Horan insisted on returning to his guns. He jammed them against his chest and continued to hold off the enemy. An engine was now on fire, the insturment panel shattered, the flaps shot away and the tail ablaze. Bullets from the enemy were continually passing through the aircraft. Warrant Officer Horan recieved further wounds ... but his fire never faltered. The pilot managed to land the blazing aircraft outside the breakers and beach her. " Hanson, p. 258-9. Post War efforts for the award of the Victoria Cross for Warrant Officer Horan were unsuccessful.

Attended Matamata District High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845611)) AWMM