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Crash of a Consolidated B-24L-1-CO Liberator into the Sawoe Sea: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
A72-77
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fenton - Fenton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way to attack Japanese positions. While overflying the Sawoe Sea at low height, the heavy bomber was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea. 9 crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Crew (24th Squadron):
F/Lt Eric V. Ford, pilot,
W/O C. G Vickers, copilot,
F/Lt L. D. Crowther, navigator,
Sgt W. W. Sayer, flight engineer,
F/Lt W. Laing, bombadier,
F/O R. T. Jordon, wireless operator and air gunner,
W/O A. N. Collins, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt K. J. White, air gunner,
F/Sgt L. Raine, air gunner,
F/Sgt J. M. Waddell, air gunner,
F/Sgt L. Faichnie, air gunner.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24M-10-CO Liberator off Borneo: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
A72-191
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a special paratroop mission over Indonesia. As the aircraft was never found, it is believed it crashed into the sea off Borneo.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24L-5-CO Liberator off Truscott AFB: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1945 at 0713 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A72-80
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Truscott - Truscott
MSN:
5386
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The heavy bomber left Truscott AFB at 0650LT on a bombing mission over Bali and Lombok. Shortly after takeoff, the crew contacted the tower to inform that he encountered problems to gain height. Several distress calls were sent and 23 minutes later, the aircraft crashed into the Vansittart Bay, off Truscott. All 12 crew members were killed and only three bodies were found.
Crew (24th Squadron):
S/L N. H. Straus, pilot,
F/Sgt Boyd, copilot,
F/Sgt R. M. Morris, flight engineer,
F/Lt C. D. Parry-Okenden, navigator,
F/O R. A. Whiting, navigator,
F/O J. W. Hursthouse, wireless operator and air gunner,
W/O W. R. Flanagan, wireless operator and air gunner,
W/O H. G. Parker, air gunner,
F/Sgt J. R. Ryan, air gunner,
F/Sgt A. J. Rogers, air gunner,
Sgt A. D. Whitehead, air gunner,
Cpl D. W. Madden.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth in Miles

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
A41-4
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Brisbane – Dulacca
MSN:
4048
YOM:
1933
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole aboard, was performing a flight from Brisbane-Archerfield Airport to Dulacca, Queensland. While approaching Miles, he encountered unspecified problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the single engine airplane hit power cables and crashed in a field. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina into the Pacific Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A24-203
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
61131
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base following a mission over the Pescadores Islands (Penghu Islands), Taiwan. The seaplane failed to arrive and is presumed to have crashed into the Pacific Ocean. No trace was ever found.
Crew 20th Squadron):
W/O William Voss Bates,
Sgt Walter Douglas Scott,
F/Sgt William Alan Rowe,
Sgt Alfred Russel,
Sgt Donald Kelway Storrie,
W/O James Reginald Cleworth,
W/O Malcolm Oswald Merrett,
W/O Ross William Schulz,
F/O Keith McClement Caulley.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Bairnsdale: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DJ213
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bairnsdale - Bairnsdale
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission at Bairnsdale Airport. On final approach, the twin engine aircraft crashed 500 yards short of runway threshold. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt M. Lawrence, †
W/O J. K. Phillips,
F/O W. L. Haynes,
Sgt E. J. Richardson.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Rosedale: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AX225
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bairnsdale - Bairnsdale
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Low on fuel while conducting a night training mission in poor weather conditions, the aircraft crashed 2 miles north of Rosedale. A crew members was killed while three others were injured. Sgt. D.J. McLeod parachuted at low altitude and died.
Testimony from the pilot:
The cause of the crash (which the Court of Enquiry called a phenomenon of the weather) was a low cloud bank, right down to the deck, up to about 2000 feet which rolled in from the sea enveloping our base at Bairnsdale, which is near the coast. The 13 aircraft engaged in this night navigation exercise were out at sea. My crash was caused by the lack of fuel. I was the first to take off that night and was about 100 miles from the coast when I sent a signal to base reporting that weather conditions prevented some parts of the navigation procedures being carried out. Base notified all aircraft to return to base. Probably about half of them were able to land at Bairnsdale. After exploring every option available to me the only hope was to bail out because Eastern Victoria was completely covered. So I was about to climb to 5000 feet when we saw a hole in the clouds and a row of lights which could have been a flare path. After checking the fuel and the time we had been in the air I calculated that I still had 30 minutes of fuel which was sufficient to investigate. The lights proved to be a stationary train. I immediately started to climb out when the starboard motor cut at about 2000 feet above sea level. The crew managed to bail out just before the port motor cut. I went into crash landing procedure hitting four trees and losing a large section of one wing and a portion of the other. The aircraft was a write off.
Crew:
F/Sgt Kevin M. Moloney, pilot,
Sgt D. J. McLeod, †
G. S. Liles,
P/O A. M. Ward.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/vic141.htm

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-5-DK near But: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1945 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A65-34
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Aitape-Tadji - Aitape-Tadji
MSN:
12250
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
1742
Circumstances:
The crew left Aitape-Tadji Airfield on a supply mission to the Malin-Walum area located west of Wewak. Enroute, the aircraft crashed and burned near But and was totally destroyed. Four crew members and two passengers were killed. Two crewmen were seriously injured.
Crew (36th Squadron):
S/L L. K. Jackson, pilot,
F/Lt K. R. C. Mathews, copilot, †
F/Sgt D. G. Campbell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Pvt J. G. Law,
Sgt H. M. Whaling, †
Pvt E. J. Collins. †
Passengers:
Cpl A. E. Guy, †
Cpl K. Harden. †

Crash of a Consolidated B-24L-10-CO Liberator in Cunderdin: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1945 at 0604 LT
Operator:
Registration:
A72-124
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cunderdin - Cunderdin
MSN:
5593
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Cunderdin Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft reached the altitude of 30 feet when it drop back to the ground. It hit the ground 3 times and skidded through a fence about 800 feet from the end of the strip and exploded. Five crew members were killed while six others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The cause of the crash was unknown although one private theory was that the squadron had an absolute minimum of training flights.
Crew (25th Squadron):
F/O Francis Leo Hannah, pilot,
F/Sgt Francis Gregory Coman, copilot,
F/O Claremont Logie Taylor, navigator,
Sgt Bernard McTernan, flight engineer,
Sgt Francis Joseph Naughton, air gunner, †
Sgt Roy Higginbottom, air gunner, †
Sgt Kenneth William Uhr, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Charles Ronald Taylor, wireless operator and air gunner, †
F/Sgt Brian John Troy Johnson, bombardier, †
Sgt George Keith Leroy, air gunner,
F/Sgt Campbell Edward Earle Verey, wireless operator and air gunner.
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/wa07.htm

Crash of a CConsolidated B-24L-10-CO Liberator in Tocumwal: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
A72-112
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tocumwal - Tocumwal
MSN:
5600
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training mission at Tocumwal Airport. On final approach, the aircraft crashed in a desert area located one mile east of the airport, lost its four engines and came to rest. Two crew members were killed.
Crew (7th OTU):
F/O G. N. Broughton, pilot,
W/O Allen Leslie Jones, †
Sgt Raymond Dalwood Johnston. †
Source: http://www.ozatwar.com/nsw05.htm