Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Pilot Officer O'Connor 411175 of 75SQN RAAF was killed when Kittyhawk A29-19 was shot down by Japanese Zero fighters west of Mount Frank, New Guinea - his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Port Moresby Memorial

Father William George O'Connor and
Mother Ruby Mary O'Connor (nee ____, d. 1.2.1968),
living at 38 Opey Avenue, Unley, South Australia.

Described on enlisting as 26 years 11 months old; single; a bank clerk from Adelaide,
South Australia; 5' 8" tall; 163 lbs; medium complexion; brown eyes; dark hair;
Roman Catholic

He had also been a bank clerk for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia at Homebush,
in New South Wales.

Prior to enlisting he lived at 84 Lucas Road, Burwood, NSW.

8/8/1940       took his Oath

26/4/1941     enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
                    at No.2 Recruiting Centre, Sydney, New South Wales

26/4/1941     Air Crew V

19/5/1941     Air Crew V (P)

21/6/1941     Air Crew II (P)

23/8/1941     posted to Bi,7 SFT 5 Deniliquin

25/8/1941     No.14 (P) Flying Course  (until 11/12/1941) - Passed

15/10/1941    Obtained his "Flying Badge"

15/12/1941    Commissioned a Pilot Officer

19/1/1942      No.2 Wirra Operational Training Course (until 12/2/1942) - Passed

8/3/1942       Allotted 75 Squadron RAAF ex 1AD. HQ32 8/3.

10/3/1942     P/O Donald Swann (2826) from G.R. School at Laverton in Victoria arrived

                    and became the Adjutant for 75 Squadron. P/O Ronald Kevin Critchley O'Connor
                    (411175) from S.H.Q. Williamtown arrived for flying duties.

16/03/42       Received E at 75Sqn ex 1AD. Coded "J".

He was on a mission in a Wirraway aircraft that reported encountering three
Japanese Zero aircraft and then nothing further was heard.

20/3/1942     S/Ldr John Jackson led a flight of 14 Kittyhawks to Port Moresby via Cooktown
                    and Horn Island. They were escorted by a Lockheed Hudson from 32 Squadron
                    RAAF. Two Kittyhawks flown by P/O O'Connor and Sgt Sims were unable to get
                    off on datum. They later took off for Cairns.

P/O O'Connor and Sgt Sims arrived at Cooktown from Cairns in the morning of the 21 March 1942,
rejoining the rest of the group. Four Kittyhawks led by S/Ldr Peter Jeffrey took off for Port Moresby
via Horn Island.   Two hours later the remaining Kittyhawks led by S/Ldr John Jackson took off for
Port Moresby via Horn Island escorted by the Lockheed Hudson.

Later that day (21/3/1942) the two groups took off from Horn Island headed for Port Moresby. When the leading formation arrived over 7 Mile Aerodrome (later renamed Jackson's Strip) at Port Moresby Army Machine Gun posts fired at them thinking they were Japanese aircraft. They had never seen a Kittyhawk and the still had the red circle in the center of the RAAF roundel. One bullet missed S/Ldr Peter Jeffrey by half an inch. Three of the aircraft were damaged. One of them was later written off. After a number of other cases of mistaken identity, the Allies changed their roundels/insignia to remove the red circles in the centre, on or after 27 March 1942.

He was serving with 75 Squadron RAAF in New Guinea when he was reported
missing in action on 26 March 1942.

27/03/42       Missing. Seen to crash in fire probably completely destructed.
                    Pilot Officer (P/O) O'Connor along with F/O Woods were engaged by
                    Zeros (Japanese) some 29 miles north of Port Moresby.
                    In the action, P/O Ronald Kevin Critchley O'Connor Serv#411175
                    was shot down and believed KIA;
                    F/O Wood saw a parachute which he thought O'Connor had bailed out.
                    Despite searches neither a/c or pilot have been found. 16/04/42 Write-off.

NO KNOWN GRAVE.

His name is commemorated on Panel 9 of the Port Moresby Memorial, Papua New Guinea,
along with the names of others who have no known grave.

His name is located at panel 104 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial,
Canberra, ACT.

(His profile photo is 1 of 86 photographs displayed on an honour board showing members
 of the Adelaide Rowing Club who enlisted for active service in the Second World War. The
 original is held by the Adelaide Rowing Club who kindly loaned the board to the Australian
 War Memorial for copying).

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  22/6/2015.  Lest we forget.