BONYTHON, Ronald George
| Service Number: | 416822 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 August 1940, Torrens Hall, SA |
| Last Rank: | Aircraftman |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Rose Park, South Australia, 12 November 1915 |
| Home Town: | Payneham, Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Adelaide Technical High School, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Air operations, At sea (off New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea), 11 September 1943, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Maylands Methodist Church Honor Roll (Book), Adelaide Technical High School Old Scholars WW2 Honour Roll, Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Rabaul Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 7 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Torrens Hall, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 416822, Adelaide |
Help us honour Ronald George Bonython's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Age 27. Son of John Mitchell Bonython and Annie Bonython; husband of Phyllis Eva Bonython of Payneham, South Australia.
Supermarine Seagull Mk. V A2-19 seaplane
On July 12, 1943 took off piloted by Bonython on a rescue mission to near Boga Boga off Cape Vogel to rescue three injured crew members from B-17F "Black Jack" 41-24521.
On September 11, 1943 took off from Kiriwina (Byproduct) at 4:00am piloted by Bonython on a mission to search for Beaufighter A19-132 believed to have been shot down by enemy fighters. Kiriwina signaled this aircraft to return due to bad weather, but no reply was received. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).
In a book titled "Ki-61 and Ki-100 Aces" (both are desginations of Japanese fighters) page 22 "On 11 September Captain Takeuchi , 2nd Chutai 68th Sentai was deployed to Cape Glouchester (Tuvalu) to counter RAAF strikes. Reportedly shot down a RAAF Seagull. He also claimed Boston A28-15."
Memorials
Both crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Both are memorialized at the Rabaul Memorial at Bita Paka Cemetery. Bonython and Kelley on panel 34.
Source:
"Pacific Wrecks" website
CWGC - Ronald George Bonython
CWGC - Raymond Arthur Kelley
ADF Serials - A2 Supermarine Seagull - Seagull A2-19
RAAFDB - Supermarine Seagull Mk. V A2-19
Click images to start slideshow.