Date & Time:
May 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-20
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
386
YOM:
1942
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While performing a maritime patrol flight off PNG, the seaplane was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea off Misima Island. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
S/L Godfrey Ellard Hemsworth, pilot,
Sgt Jack Ronald Counter, pilot,
P/O Leopold Guy McClintock, observer,
Sgt John Percy William Bandy, wireless operator,
LAC Norman Robert Banvill, mechanic,
Cpl Colin Marsden, flight engineer,
LAC Kenneth John Arnott, flight engineer,
LAC Eric Dorman, rigger,
LAC Erwin Bruce Brown, armourer.
Crew (11th Squadron):
S/L Godfrey Ellard Hemsworth, pilot,
Sgt Jack Ronald Counter, pilot,
P/O Leopold Guy McClintock, observer,
Sgt John Percy William Bandy, wireless operator,
LAC Norman Robert Banvill, mechanic,
Cpl Colin Marsden, flight engineer,
LAC Kenneth John Arnott, flight engineer,
LAC Eric Dorman, rigger,
LAC Erwin Bruce Brown, armourer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.
