Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

S E C R E T

HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED AIR FORCES
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

15th April 1944
SECRET
Auth CG
Init
Date: 15 Apr 1944


E & E REPORT No. 44 Copy No. 208

(Interrogation by MS-X Section, SWRA)


Name: IAN D V RALFE ALLAN B LIEDI
Rank: Flying Officer Flying Officer
Serial Number: 405501 426624
Date of Birth: 3 June 1921 13 November 1914
Length of Service: 36 months 22 months
Organization: 11th Sqdn RAAF 11th Squdn RAAF
Position in Crew: 2nd Pilot 1st Wireless Air Gunner
Home Address: Cromer, Yeppoon, QLD 34 Zadoc Street, Lismore, NSW
Civilian Occupation: Bank Clerk Radio Writer

Name: MURRAY R HOWARD HARRY F JONES
Rank: Sergeant Sergeant
Serial Number: 47149 71534
Date of Birth: 11 October 1917 15 August 1924
Length of Service: 30 months 18 months
Organization: (same as above) (same as above)
Position in Crew: Fitter 2A Armorer
Home Address: Allendale East, Mt Gambier, SA 16 Parker, Scone, NSW
Civilian Occupation: Farmer Sheet Metal Worker



MEMBERS OF CREW: (11TH SQDN. RAAF)

S/Ldr JOHN E TODD Captain of A/C (1st Pilot) MIA
F/O IAN D V RALFE 2nd Pilot NARRATOR
F/LT BRIAN STACEY Extra 2nd Pilot MIA
F/O FRANK ROCKNEE Observer and Navigator MIA
F/O ALLAN B LIEDL 1st Wireless Air Gunner NARRATOR
F/Sgt MURPHY 2nd Wireless Air Gunner CAPTURED
Sgt FREDERICK WOOLLEY 1st Engineer CAPTURED
Sgt EARNEST KRAEHE 2nd Engineer MIA
Sgt MURRAY HOWARD Fitter 2A NARRATOR
Sgt HARRY F JONES Armorer NARRATOR


Mission: Night bombing of Kavieng, New Ireland
Type of Plane: Catalina (DBY 5)
Bomb Load: 4300 LBS
Date of Mission: 7-8 February 1944
Date of Rescue: 8 April 1944



EVASION AND ESCAPE FROM NEW BRITAIN

BOMBING OF KAVIENG

On 7 February 1944, at 1040 hours, we left our base in Northern Australia for Kavieng, New Ireland. We were the sole aircraft on this mission, a nuisance raid just to keep the Japs awake, and to do as much damage as we could to airdromes and shore installations.

At approximately 2300 hours, we approached the target in bright moonlight. Before we made our first run over Panapai strip, we were flying at an altitude of 9,000 feet. No bombs were dropped on the first run and the A/A fire was light. On the second run over Panapai, two 250 lb bombs and numerous incendiaries were tossed out and photographs were taken. A/A fire at this time was heavy, but not accurate. Intense A/A was aimed at us from ships in the harbor. The third run was made over the Kavieng strip. A/A fire was intense and accurate. Violent evasive action was taken. Two 500 lb bombs were dropped and photographs were taken. Large fires were observed on the southeast corner of Panapai strip. A fourth run was made over Kavieng strip at which time the remainder of our bomb load was dropped. Heavy A/A could be seen in the moonlight. Because of a little difficulty in trimming the aircraft, it appeared that the tail plane and fin had been hit by A/A. The fifth run was made at 6,500 feet again over Kavieng strip with the object of photographing. A/A barrage was very intense and the run abandoned. All photograph flash bombs had been used. We were off the target at 2400 hours, and proceeded south. Land fall was made on the north coast of New Britain.

DISASTER

As we were flying over New Britain, the Captain of the Aircraft, S/Ldr Todd, instructed Sgt Jones to bring the three 4.5 reconnaissance flares from the blister to the bunk compartment. These flares had been set for 5,000 feet. S/Ldr Todd instructed Sgt Jones to change the setting on the flare to 4,000 feet. As Sgt Jones turned the setting ring, a stream of sparks flowed out of the flare in the manner of a Roman candle. This was followed by a momentary lull and then the flare, full of magnesium, exploded. F/O Liedl was in the blister when the flare went off. He saw a thin trickle of smoke coming out just after the stream of sparks and jumped into the bunkroom and grabbed the flare with the idea of throwing it out of the ship.








FOUR TRAPPED IN BLISTER

Sgt Howard, seeing what was going on, had already opened the blister to make it possible for F/O Liedl to throw out the flare. Just as F/O Liedl picked it up, the flare exploded, burning his eyes, face and hands. The force of the explosion and the terrific heat generated by the 175,000 candle-power forced F/O Liedl and Sgt Jones out of the bunk compartment into the blister. F/Lt Stacey who had been lying on the top bunk was also forced back into the blister, where the three of them were trapped with Sgt Howard. Immediately after the explosion, everything in the bunk compartment caught fire including the two remaining flares.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER NO USE

The Captain of the Aircraft was immediately informed of the fire by First Engineer Woolley. All members of the crew forward of the fire took all possible measures to extinguish it. The fire extinguishers made no impression. Sgt Jones used the fire extinguisher in the blister, and it seemed to increase rather than diminish the blaze.

To add to our predicament, we were almost suffocated by the black smoke from the burning rubber of a dinghy, which had been stowed underneath the lower bunk in the bunk compartment. The black smoke passed through the blister back into the cockpit, where, despite opening all the windows, the First and Second Pilots were almost unable to continue operations. The situation of the four in the blister was becoming increasingly serious.

FIRE GRADUALLY SPREADS

When fire had first started, Sgt Howard had closed the No 6 bulkhead between the blister and the bunk compartment. The fire was so intense that it had burned holes through the metal bulkhead, and the flames were forced out like the flame of an acetylene torch.

The Captain instructed 2nd W/T to send out an emergency report to Fifth Bomb Command on the reconnaissance frequency, and the Wireless Operator heard the Fifth Bomb Command pass a message on to base to the effect that the aircraft was going down in flames and giving the approximate emergency position at that time. After he heard that the message had been received, the 2nd W/T Operator was forced to evacuate his position because of the suffocating fumes that were sweeping back into the compartment. Thus no later reports about our position could be given.

At the time of the outbreak of the fire, the aircraft was flying at 8,500 feet. On being notified that the fire could not be extinguished, the Captain of the Aircraft immediately dropped of height and turned about 150 to port. We reached the south coast of New Britain at an altitude of 20 feet. It was the Captain’s intention to follow the south coast of New Britain west as far as possible in the hope of reaching the Allied bridgehead at Arawe.

The fire by this time had spread to the Engineer’s compartment and the First Engineer advised the Captain that the aircraft was in danger of breaking in half in the air. From the cockpit, flames could be seen through the side of the fuselage and the Engineer’s window. The Captain immediately crash-landed the aircraft about 50 yards from the shore.
The landing was made very difficult by the fact that a portion of the hull had been burned through. On touching the water, the aircraft swung to the right and rose 50 feet in the air. The floats could not be lowered because of the fire in the Engineer’s compartment. The aircraft on striking the water again swung violently to the right, and it took both pilots to keep the aircraft from diving in.

WATER CRASH

The engines were cut and the aircraft dropped off the step and drifted into a reef about 30 yards from the shore. Sgt Jones was the first to leave the aircraft having jumped into the water from the blister before the aircraft came to a stop. F/O Liedl jumped into the water from the blister as the aircraft struck the reef and swam around to the nose under the bow. The fire by this time was raging intensely inside the Engineer’s compartment, and .38 cal ammunition and sea markers were exploding. The Captain ordered all members to abandon aircraft as the petrol tanks were in danger of exploding. All members of the crew were able to leave the aircraft with nothing more serious than a few burns and scratches. The water not being very deep, all waded ashore safely. As we reached the shore, .50 cal ammunition began to explode in the ship, and the pounding of the waves broke the aircraft in two.

Having come to the beach, we were forced to drop behind rocks because the .50 cal ammunition was flying everywhere. We could do nothing but watch the ship burn. It was now approximately 0215 hrs. A reconnaissance was made by the Captain of the aircraft and F/O Ralfe to find a more convenient spot to spend the rest of the night. Such a spot was found about one-quarter of a mile from the place where we came ashore, 50 yards inland.

ATTEMPT TO DESTROY CLASSIFIED EQUIPMENT

An attempt was next made by the crew to return to the aircraft in order to destroy the codes, the special and classified equipment. When we got out to the aircraft again, we found that the bow and stern were high in the air, the aircraft having been broken in the middle. The main plane having been broken, the floats were swinging forward and back with the surf. Sgt Jones and Sgt Woolley tried to board the aircraft and were able to do so but were unable to get inside. As they crawled along the fuselage, flames continued to shoot out of the Engineer’s compartment, but the petrol tanks did not explode, contrary to our expectations. The fire had been partially subdued by the breaking of the waves over the aircraft, but the metal was so intensely hot that as soon as the waves abated, the flames would break out again. St Jones was only able to reach inside the Engineer’s compartment and draw out some small water tanks, and the thermos containing cold tea. Sgt Woolley recovered a pair of binoculars from the cockpit. By now it appeared to the Captain of the Aircraft that any further attempt at that time to recover anything from the ship would probably be fatal to those attempting to do so. We decided to leave such further attempts until the morning when the fire would probably have gone out, and he ordered all members of the crew back to shore. We all returned to the place previously chosen, guards were posted, and the burns of the members of the crew were attended to with applications of the cold tea.

Equipment recovered from the plane included – 1 rubber dinghy, complete with medical kit and signal distress marine, 1 parachute, 4 revolvers, 5 knives and 4 of the regular RAAF type emergency jungle kits.

WARNED BY THE NATIVES

During the night, the guards were changed at regular intervals. At the first sign of dawn, F/O Ralfe and Sgt Jones made a reconnaissance to the westward to find out whether there were any Japs in the area. The proceeded about a half a mile to a point where they could see all about the bay with binoculars. No sign of Japs were found although we later learned hat there were some at a plantation, the coconut trees of which we could easily see from cur position. F/O Ralfe and Sgt Jones returned to the rest of the crew. Shortly afterwards the guards saw three natives approaching from the beach to the east. The Captain was immediately advised and, although two of the natives upon seeing the guards ran back in the direction from which they had come, one boy approached and was interrogated by the Captain. He told us that the Japs had seen the aircraft crash in flames and had sent him to look for us. He advised us to get away from the beach back to an abandoned plantation and there hide. This native spoke quite good English, and among the things he said to us was: “why the hell didn’t you get out of here last night”. He seemed very frightened of the Japs and appeared anxious to leave us. He told us that had there been four instead of ten of us, he might have been able to his us himself. He told us that the Japs had made slaves of the Kanakas in this area and had them working on a big road a few miles east.

ATTACKED BY THE JAPS

After the departure of the boy, Sgt Woolley and F/Sgt Murphy were posted as guards and the Skipper immediately set about organising our retreat into the interior. Three parties were formed: the first consisted of S/Ldr Todd, F/O Pocknee and Sgt Kraehe, the second of F/O Ralfe, Sgt Woolley and F/Sgt Murphy. After the membership of the three parties was determined and while we were separating our equipment was to be divided among the three parties (and while Sgt Woolley and Sgt Murphy were still on guard duty along the beach) we suddenly heard sounds of Jap commands from the direction of the beach. Some of us were certain that the commands were in English and were “Halt...one…two”. From this we gathered that our two guards had been jumped by the Japs and taken prisoners. We heard no shots fired. The remaining members of the crew immediately gathered the equipment which was lying on the ground and dashed into the bush in approximately a north-westerly direction, with the exception of F/Lt Stacey who ran approximately northeast. He was entirely without equipment and was never seen or heard of by any of us thereafter, nor was any news ever learned from the natives concerning his fate.

SURVIVORS SPLIT UP

The remaining seven members of the crew came together approximately 100 yards further into the bush where we held a short council of war, and the Captain of the Aircraft decided that we should split into the two parties set forth as Nos. 1 and 2 above and go in different directions. Thus, if the Japanese should pick up the trail of one party, it might be possible for the other party to escape capture. The Captain took his party to the west and the four of us went in a north-westerly direction.

The equipment taken by the four members of our party consisted of: 2 .38 cal revolvers and 60 rounds of ammunition, 3 knives, 1 parachute, 1 first aid kit from the dinghy and 1 complete RAAF type emergency jungle kit, and a second such kit lacking the compass and cloth map.

PARTY MAKES FOR THE INTERIOR

F/O Ralfe immediately took the compass and map out of the kit and planned to follow a course due north. We continued on this course for approximately a quarter of an hour when two small calibre shots were heard from the direction of the beach. We were not aware of any bullets passing close to us. When we first tried to use the compass we found it u/s, but we took off the glass and were able to use it more successfully. We used this compass throughout our entire trip.

As far as the cloth map was concerned, we didn’t have it very long. In the excitement of the evacuation from the beach, F/O Ralfe had placed it in the pocket of his flying suit. After the two shots were heard, the pace of our group was greatly accelerated and after a reasonable distance was gained, we again looked for the map and found it gone.

FINDS FOOD AND WATER

It was our plan at this point to go into the interior because we had been told that the Nips occupied the coast. We thought that we would go as far into the mountains as possible and see if we could live off the land. We proceeded for 2 ½ days into the mountains living the entire time on palm trees and one paw paw from a deserted and overgrown garden. The first day we travelled away from the beach we were for the most part in swamps. We then came through some low mountainous country where sufficient palms and water vines to sustain us could be found. But, after proceeding past this narrow stretch, we reached extremely rocky country, full of dry gullies and lacking both in food and water. It was apparent that we could not exist on the land in such a region.

As we were making our way into the interior, we had found it necessary to cross a fairly wide crocodile-infested river. This we did by tying several logs together with the shroud lines of our parachute. After crossing the river we found a little bay where a fresh water stream ran into the brackish water of the river. At the head of the bay there was a small clearing in which we saw an empty Jap rice tin and a trail leading away from the clearing. The presence of the Jap rice tin made us feel that that spot was insecure and that it would not be wise to proceed along the native trail. We, therefore, continued beyond the clearing and made our camp that night on the ridge. During the night, we heard two shots and a burst of machine gun fire which bore out our thought that the Japs were in the vicinity. We continued further into the interior for about a half day until we ran into the forbidding rocky country referred to above.

CHANGE OF PLANS

At this point, we decided to turn back and make for the coast, and to continue thence in a south-westerly direction toward the Allied beachhead. Shortly after we turned back we came on a native trail that led in a south-easterly direction. Despite the fact that we intended to move in a south-westerly direction, we thought it advisable to follow this trail, and in three hours we returned to the clearing where we had seen the Jap rice tin – a distance which we had covered in one and one half days of moving through the bush. We decided to make our camp on one side of the bay, and built a fire in the clearing on the opposite side of the bay.

While we were at this camp, Sgt Jones shot a pig, and F/O Liedl shot a scrub fowl. The former we had eater with relish, it being our first real food since the crash, but the latter we decided to keep for the day following the one on which we were forced to leave the camp. F/O Ralfe made several attempts to increase our food supply by shooting fish, but his attempts proved the lack of utility of the .38 cal revolver, for, even when it was shot from a stationery rest at approximately five feet range directly into a school of small fish, it only caused the fish to scatter and attracted a crocodile which came down to examine the cause of the noise. Other efforts were made to catch fish with home-made fish hooks constructed from safety pins and a three-prong spear fashioned out of wood. The safety pins were baited with prawns and shellfish, but such bait had little attraction for the fish. The spear proved no more effective.

SURPRISED BY A JAP RIVER PATROL

On the third day at this camp, while sitting around the fire, a Jap river patrol in two canoes (consisting of 10 Japs and 4 natives – two in each canoe) came up the river. We had planned to construct a raft with the intention of using it to go upstream to find more food. Our first sight of the river patrol came when we saw a small canoe with two natives and two Nips coming directly into the bay. The Japs jumped out as did one of the natives and the other native remained in the canoe and paddled swiftly downstream. Within five or six minutes a large canoe with eight Nips and two natives came around the bend into the bay followed by the other native in the small canoe. They had obviously seen our fire, and, as we saw them approach, we dived into the swamp in back of the clearing without attempting to recover our equipment (a parachute, the medical kit, one knife and much of ….?), which was back in the main camp.

RETURN TO THE COAST

We made our way through the sac sac swamps, and then, to throw the Japs off our trail, we forded the river. We struck a south-westerly course toward the coast and kept to it for approximately four days. We had to travel through unbelievably rough country: mountains, swamps, swollen rivers and creeks. During this time we had no food other than the palms and one malted milk tablet every other day for each of us. We were able to save our Atabrine and took one tablet every other day. After four days we reached a Jap road near the coast. We spent the night in a deserted village. We had avoided all native trails during this period, and had seen no natives whatsoever. Plenty of coconuts and water were available at this place. The next day we made our way along the Jap road going southwest and continued along this road until we reached a river at which point we lost the trail.

During that day we had seen two Beau fighters whose attention we tried to attract without success. We crossed the river and made our way down it, spending the night in its delta. The next day we continued along the coast and reached another deserted village a nightfall. There we found two recently opened Jap rice tins and a fire still burning. Nevertheless, we decided to spend a night there.






DECIDE TO CANOE ALONG COAST

The next morning, we found a large native canoe on the beach. The canoe was in a dilapidated state, the outrigger having rotted through, and the canoe itself having been holed through by borers. We decided to repair this canoe and fill it full of coconuts. Then we would sneak down the coast by night and hide along the beach during the day with the intention of making our way down to our lines. Furthermore, the necessity of having the canoe for the journey along he coast had become apparent to us in crossing the crocodile-infested streams and large rivers. We had only been able to cross one large river because we had fortuitously found a native canoe with four paddles along the bank.

Sgt Jones and Howard worked all day plugging the holes up in the canoe. We tried the canoe and found it much too heavy for us to paddle, and furthermore, we lacked equipment to make it sound. We therefore decided to abandon the canoe, stop one more night in the village and then continue on foot even though F/O Liedl’s and Sgt Jones’ boots had almost worn through. F/O Ralfe and F/O Liedl were wearing shorts, short-sleeved shirt and short socks. The mosquitoes and sand flies were biting continuously, and the bites and scratches from the swamp underbrush were becoming infected and big sores began to appear on their bodies.

CONTACT WITH FRIENDLY NATIVES

During that afternoon four natives came down into this deserted village. They didn’t say much to us, but offered us food which we gladly accepted and in return for taro, kau kau and sugar cane, we gave then safety pins. The natives told us that they were from a new village which they had built back in the mountains when they have evacuated the village we were then at, but, since their abandoned gardens were still in this neighbourhood, they had come down to their abandoned gardens to get food. These four natives left us, but about 2000 hours, two other natives from the same village came to us and told us in Pidgin that the Japs were coming back to our village the next day and that they had been sent by their lulai to tell us to come with them to their new village. The Japs were then only four miles away.

LIVE WITH THE NATIVES

We remained that night in the deserted village, and the next day we travelled northeast into the mountains to the new native village. This we reached after four hours of walking on native trails and going some distance in a native canoe. Shortly after we arrived at the native village the natives told us about a white party on the north side of the island. We asked the natives if they could take us to this party, and they agreed to do so, telling us it was a seven day journey. They suggested that we stay with them for three more days, eating their food until we had enough strength to make the journey.

During those three days the sores on our bodies became worse and extremely ugly tropical ulcers appeared on F/O Liedl’s right leg. Despite the fact that his entire leg was inflamed as high as the thigh, we set off for the north coast after our three days respite. (We had inquired about the fate of the other members of our crew from the natives but they knew nothing about them).



JOURNEY ACROSS NEW BRITAIN

We started off across the island with 18 native carriers and travelled for a full day. Our progress was slowed considerably due to the condition of F/O Liedl’s leg, and the natives, seeing this, suggested that we write a note which they would send ahead to the white party and that we rest a full day at our first night’s stopping place. This we did, and our native messenger made the trip to the white party in approximately two

After a day’s rest, we continued on, and, by easy stages but through extremely difficult country, we made our way to the north side of the mountain ranges. The natives dispatched by the white party reach us after about four days brining with them European food, clothing, medical supplies and all the equipment we needed, as well as a cook boy and doctor boy. By this time, our number of natives had grown from 18 to 85 because all the natives seemed to know of the presence of the white party and were anxious to join us in our efforts to reach them. After six days one of the members of the white party came out and met us. We were forced to remain with him at the spot where we met for some time due to F/O Liedl’s condition, and a fever which a member of the white party had contracted, but eventually on or about the 4th or 5th of March, the three of us excepting F/O Liedl, joined up with the white party. F/O Liedl and the white man who came out to meet us reached us approximately a week later, having been delayed by their illnesses.

We remained with the white party until 8 April 1944, just two months after our disaster, when we were evacuated from New Britain and returned to Australia.




























APPENDIX I

JUNGLE EQUIPMENT AND SUGGESTIONS FOR EVASION PROCEDURE

1. SIDE ARMS

Our experience proved to us the uselessness of the .38 cal. We were able to kill one pig with two shots, and one small jungle fowl, but Sgt Jones put two other shots, at medium range, into another pig and although the two shots knocked it down, it immediately got up and ran away. It was of no use in killing fish and would have been no defence against crocodiles.

One the other hand, if we had had a .45 cal revolver (not an automatic for the climate would have fouled the mechanism almost immediately) or better still a carbine we would have been infinitely better off both for getting food and for defending ourselves against crocodiles and Japanese. We feel that we could have at least scattered the Japanese patrol if we had had a carbine. Its lightness and the relative lightness of its ammunition would make it feasible for all aircraft to carry at least one carbine. It also is very much easier to carry in the bush tan a revolver although it might be difficult for a fighter pilot to carry such a carbine; we feel that it should be standard equipment for all multiple-engine ships.

2. JUNGLE KNIFE

We found the regular RAAF issue jungle knife ideal. It was heavy enough to take a great deal of abuse, we could easily cut down the limpong palms, of which we lived, the back could be used as a hammer, the blunt end as a spade and the hook at the tip made cutting through vines and sac sac easier. A jungle knife is the most essential piece of equipment, which can be carried.

3. COMPASS

As set forth in our narration our compass was useless until we had taken it apart and removed its cover. A better more solidly protected and completely waterproofed compass should be included in every jungle kit. It is absolutely essential to walk a compass course through the bush. Even at the top of a 5,000 foot mountain, the jungle cover is so dense that it is impossible to get your bearings.

4. BOOTS

The Australian army boot is the ideal shoe for jungle wear. The Australian flying boot is of no use whatsoever in the jungle, it quickly becomes waterlogged and the soft leather sides give you no support in the rough footing. We have been told that the American airmen in this theatre have been forbidden to fly on combat missions wearing this type of boot, and we feel that a similar prohibition should apply to the RAAF.







5. CLOTHING

As far as clothes are concerned, the idea is to be fully clothed, ie. long trousers and long sleeved shirts, or the summer flying suit. Your arms and legs must be fully covered to protect you both from the bite of insects and from being scratched by bushes, vines and general jungle undergrowth. Such bits and scratches quickly fester and lead to tropical ulcers.

6. MEDICAL SUPPLIES

There should also be carried on the person of every flier, a medical kit containing sulphanilamide powder, a strong disinfectant (such as iodine) and a large supply of Atabrine or quinine. The Atabrine vials in the kits we had were only partially filled with Atabrine, and the remainder with cotton. So much Atabrine is need that every bit of space should be taken up with Atabrine tablets.

On the point of taking Atabrine or quinine, one thought has occurred to all of us. Our squadron was located at a place not considered a malarious area. Hence, we were not taking Atabrine or quinine at any time before we found ourselves in New Britain. We have been told by medical officers that our resistance to Malaria would have been much greater had we been taking suppressives before we found ourselves in the malarious area. We therefore suggest that the attention of the medical officers serving with the RAAF squadrons who go on missions over malarious areas be directed to the problem of anticipatory care, so that some details may be worked out to give such RAAF fliers this added protection.

The items of medical equipment which we have mentioned above are not to be considered all-inclusive, but the most essential, bandages and adhesive tape must of course be in the ??. The uses of adhesive tape are numerous both in protecting the feet from blisters, preventing infection of little scratches, and as a means of repairing rents in clothing and equipment.

7. EVASION HINTS

In New Britain and in such islands as may be found similar to it as far as terrain and enemy occupation, it is suggested that any fliers forced down near the coast should promptly go inland. If they reach bad terrain, difficult to travel through and difficult to live in from the standpoint of food, they should come back to the foothills toward but not to the coast and travel at right angles to their former course. After going some distance, they should again attempt to go inland and keep up this procedure until they find a less difficult and more populated (native villages and gardens) area.

If on the way into the interior any native trails are found going in the general direction of the interior, they should be examined for boot marks. If there are no boot marks the trail should be followed so long as it continues in toward the interior. But should the trail swing back toward the coast, then it should be left and the evaders should cut across country in their original direction.






Another good point to remember is that it is often possible to follow rivers up into the interior. Few rivers keep to a straight course, and most that we found would alternately have a steep bank on one side and then on the other. This would necessitate our crossing from the side of the river when it became steep to the flat side, and remaining on this until this side in turn became steep. So long as it is possible to ford these rivers, travel on the banks is very much easier than trying to cut bush.

8. PREPARATORY TRAINING

It was our good fortune to have been briefed the day before we took off on our mission, by a Sergeant of the Volunteer Defence Corps, who took us out into the bush around our base and showed us how to recognise water vines, limpong palms and lawyer cane, taro and kau kau among many other jungle and bush foods. Of the innumerable things he showed us we were able to remember enough to keep ourselves alive for many days we were totally without European food. Actually, we lived entirely off the bush except for approximately six malted milk tablets each until we finally contacted the natives. We feel this briefing and trek into the bush played so important a part in keeping us alive that we recommend the same procedure be given to all crews operating in the SWPA.

9. CIGARETTE LIGHTER

The problem of fire, both for cooking and drying clothes, cannot be completely solved by carrying waterproof maters in a reasonably water proof container. There are times such as when we were forced to evacuate our camps by the Japanese and when we had to cross rivers when we had too little warning properly to protect our matches. Not as a substitute but supplementary to matches we suggest that every flier carry a cigarette lighter.

10. PARACHUTE

Even though a parachute is extremely heavy to carry through the jungle, it has so many uses that its weight is small in comparison to the aid and comfort it can give you. It can be used to make a tent, a hammock, a ground sheet, a mosquito net, a poncho, bandages, head protection and its shroud lines can be used for anything for which good strong rope is needed.

By command of Lieutenant General Kenny:

RE BEEBE
Colonel GSC
Chief of Staff

OFFICIAL

O C VAN HOESEN
Lt Col AGD
Adj Gen

47149 - SGT RICHARD MURRAY HOWARD
STORY ON OUR MISHAP ON CATALINA A24:34

We took off from Cairns on 7th February, 1944 in Catalina A24:34 on a bombing nuisance raid on Kaviang, New Ireland. Our crew was:

S L Jack Todd 1st Flight Lieutenant
Frank Pockney Navigator, Observer
F L Ian Ralfe 2nd Pilot
F L Bernie Liedle Wireless Operator
Sgt Murphy Wireless Operator
Sgt R Murray Howard 11a Air Gunner
Sgt Harry Jones Armorer Air Gunner
Sgt Fred Woolley Flight Engineer
Sgt Ern Kraehe Flight Engineer

A crew of nine, but F L Brian Stacey a 3rd Pilot was on a trip with us for experience.

We carried 500lb daisy cutter bombs and Harry Jones was very excited about fitting screamers on them. Inside the aircraft we loaded at least ten boxes of small 4lb bombs. They were frags and inceriaries which we opened and emptied over the side. I enjoyed that very much.

On the journey up there we landed at Milne Bay for lunch and refuelled and continued on in the afternoon at about 2 o’clock. While we were there two army chaps arranged a ride back to Cairns next morning, unfortunately we didn’t get back. There was 12 of them all told.

We would be over New Ireland by about 11pm to commence our first drop after the first we had 3 search lights on us and a barrage of Tracer-Bofa bullets in front of us it was impossible to go through so Jack Todd would turn the Catalina away out to sea for another run later, nuisance raids they were called and anti ack ack would be shot up but we couldn’t see it coming up only after it exploded as we would see the black smoke and if under us, the Catalina would really lift and jolt.

I am pretty sure Harry Jones screamers did have some effect. After our four runs were over we would have to be out of it by 2am as the Americans would come in and be flying much higher than us. We did leave one good fire below on the Pan Air Strip.

SL Jack Todd did report to me the elevator trim tab wasn’t working, so apparently we were hit on the tail end, I said that I would check it out when we landed at Milne Bay on return.

We continued then on our return trip home we came to New Britain SL J Todd asked Harry Jones to reduce the flare setting from approximately 7,000 feet down to 4,000 feet. He was in the bunk compartment when doing so, and as turning the adjusting nut it let go a heap of sparks, Jones fell backwards with fright had he thrown it to me as I yelled for him to do so I could easily have thrown it out of the Blister where I was standing, the flare had a reasonable delay after first igniting. They were 750,000 candle power, just blinded us.


We have a big fire then in the bunk compartment two more flares and a rubber dinghy plus sea markers revolver bullets so we shut the doors and it sure burnt the bottom and the right side of cat, right through flames came out from the Engineers window, how the tanks didn’t go I will never know. Flames could be seen fifty metres behind us or most probably much further, which would have attracted the Japs attention.

After easily 20 minutes FL Brian Stacey came out from the Bunk compartment to the blister, his colour all over had a black look, he must have been on a top bunk we never knew he was in there, nor did we ever find out how much he was burnt.

We flew in a steep dive in between two mountains and as four now in the blister which was M Howard, B Liedle, Brian Stacey and H Jones were getting a pretty warm time, suffocating smoke and we thought the Cat would soon break in half, no intercom up forward to tell them what we new windows were open up forward so we copped it in the rear towards the finish the aluminium at the rear of the bunk compartment was like an oxy torch roaring at us. We threw our point .05 machine guns and ammunition overboard and we could hear bullets going off in the bunk compartment. So by now we finished that dangerous dive which we thought was the finish of us, we came out onto the sea, which Jack Todd turned right, skimming the water and he thought it was time to put it down which he did very well, it was a rough one we done 3 leaps and settled facing the same direction we were coming from. We were in that aircraft for 40 minutes flying while it was burning. The burnt out bottom would have scooped the water causing the flying boat to leap and spin around.

We were one hundred yards from the shore 2 o’clock in the morning, bright moonlight night, the fire was as good as out, as the old cat sunk all but one wing.

All crew went to the front to get out, but I said no, I climbed out the blister up onto the wing hoping the tanks would not blow, went out to the small mast on the end of the wing and that’s where I stayed until the wing bumped on a reef, I jumped off in 2 feet of water and I ran to shore, and then listened to the others struggling to get out then for a while in deep water, but all made it. It was Jaconet Bay where we ditched.

That morning daylight there was no signs of A24-34 she was under.

We camped two hundred yards from where we went in. Two at a time did shifts watching for the Nips to come as we new they would have seen us before crashing, on account of the flames from our plane.

Now at daylight I was on shift with Jack Todd when two natives came up to us, they told us Japanese close, no good, they told us to run away mountains. Jack gave them some tobacco to chew they were toey edging away as they knew the Japs were getting closer so then Jack and I went into our other mates to arrange slitting up and going to the mountains. Fred Woolley and Spud Murphy went out to watch, and were caught immediately. We would have only been 4 or 5 yards from them behind in bushes.

HOLT…1...2
HOLT…1…2
Were the words the Nips used in English. Then we ran Jack Todd, Frank Pockney and Ern Kraehe went together. Bryan Stacey wen on his own badly scorched.

Ian Ralfe, Bernie Liedle, Harry Jones and myself, Murray Howard went together, first thick jungle then over a track into a coconut plantation where we could have been seen.

We had hardly run fifty metres when two shots were fired by the Nips, we fell to the ground, but without any doubts they never shot at us, it was poor Fred Woolley and Spud Murphy on the receiving end, they were never heard of afterwards. They did have a revolver and I reckon they tried to run away.

That was the last we ever seen of those members of the crew. But we did hear Brian Stacey was taken prisoner and back to Japan as prisoner of war for intelligence he was never traced when the Catalina Chronicle was printed.

The first night in the jungle a Catalina flew directly over us, it was a sad feeling. We made a lean to house to sleep under as it rained every afternoon and night, but we still got wet and cold, we slept in a square fashion each one of us on the other ones legs. We heard all sorts of strange noises of a night, and an old tree would break off, you would think it was going to fall on us.

The third day no food we camped near fresh water spring running into a dirty river where a big crocodile came out of the reeds and swam around after we crossed it. In the afternoon a friendly pig came nosing towards us I thought we had a pet, but Ian Ralfe had the revolver he shot it, we had matches up until then so we made a fire and roasted it.

We heard shooting down stream that night thinking it may be some of our crew, but that wasn’t so, next morning we found out it was two crews of Nips, ten with natives in canoes, they were looking for the rest of the crew for sure, all had rifles on their shoulders.

We had a parachute up until then but the Nips got it also my wallet thirty pounds in it and my meat medals. We then ran down this river and crossed it, we then headed about southwest. In the mountains there was little to eat only palm tips they were like raw cauliflower. Rivers were dirty, so we cut a 5ft vine and drank the water out of it. We seen 2 snakes grey and white, no matches so we couldn’t eat them. We had a tough walk to the coast we came across mangrove swamps about 2 feet water for 50 metres then came to a small river to cross and then the same to get away from it. That day we came across a lot of shells by a river, they were about one inch in diameter we ate a few of them as we were that hungry by then we would eat nearly anything.

We eventually came close to the sea and a big area of shell grit which was a lot different from the jungle, we continued walking over it and then we came to a very swift river impossible to cross it we walked down it towards the sea and we came to the big bridge which had been made by big trees being washed down it, that’s where we crawled across. We didn’t know if the Nips used it or not, as all the shell grit there was no tracks. We continued on towards the coast probably half mile off we decided to camp well about 4pm in the afternoon, we thought hell was let loose, we were close to the Pal Mal Mal Nip camp found out later there were 4,000 there, they started shooting practice they must have fired off thousands of rounds of ammunition.

We stayed there that night and next morning headed in a different direction. No 4 let off. Every day we could hear our bombers bombing Rebaul, we used to say give it to the Bs Bs Nips. We eventually came back onto the coast and walked on the Nip road heading west it had been cleared about 30 feet wide but the undergrowth had grown up so the Nips had a track, I called it a cattle track, you could have walked face to face into them. The native homes had been burnt down but the cocoa nut plantations were okay. I drank the milk out of 26 coconuts one day. But the cocoa nut itself would make you mouth gums raw.

About one and a half weeks had gone by now we had lost weight and got very thin.

Two beau fighters flew very low around the coast one morning but no hope of us drawing their attention.

Before we got to the smoky coconut village in a distance we were walking on the beach then, and we came to a lagoon as I called it, about 100 metres across it there was two big crocodiles swimming around and around in it but they didn’t seem to take any notice of us. The water from it run into the sea at a very swift rate and we had to go across it on an angle as we could have been swept out to sea.

We kept walking west but being probably a little more careful as in a distance we could see a fair amount of smoke burning we continued on and came to our biggest river to cross, about 100 metres a fair swim for me so we borrowed a native canoe, it took the four of us across. Then we went onto where the fires were burning, it was a lovely plantation, native homes were not burnt. Jap rice tins laying around fires and smelt quite fresh. We could smell the fish which were in the rice.

There was a big boat not used so I thought we might fix the outrigger and head off in it, but it was too big for four men. Probably would have needed ten men. While we were at the boat we noticed someone peeping on us thinking it was the Nips we tore into the jungle but looking back it was a native so we went back towards the native and finished up there were about six of them, they were dodging Nips coming down from the mountains to get their KI KI vegetables from their gardens. We then told them we belong to Australia and have no food. They then went on to their garden got their KI KI and on there way back they gave us some and we cooked a good feed that night in the Jap rice tins and fires. So away they went and left us to camp in the native hut which were deserted at the time, most probably belonged to this tribe.

So the same night about 9 o’clock two natives were sent back to us they were father and son, I still remember their names, Conzano and Puri was the son. They could talk pretty good pigeon. We stay with you tonight in the morning Japan will be back here at 8 o’clock we take you up bush. We wasted no time in the morning to go with those two natives up the wide river in boat then walk so Nips could not track them. Four mile inland the Chief Tool – Tool met us, made a special camp for us four. Two weeks had gone and now we are having some good baked Taro and Tapio much like baked potato.

They then tried to tell us they knew where four white men were and they had wireless and barlif for plane came and throw away rice, we didn’t like the sound of that but it was true.

Three days in their camp and along came an old police boy from Rebaul Warragila was his name, he had a 303 rifle with plenty of ammunition. You can imagine now how happy we were we sure thought we had a chance. It was wonderful to be with these good natives, about 100 of them.

The other 2 natives we met first day would have been okay too, only they were forced to work for Nips had there villages burnt, their women – Mary’s they call them were taken by the Japs.

These good natives told us if we were caught the Japs would head us with a sword, one day later the natives did bring us a Jap sword with blood stains on it, naturally we did think of our mates that never got back.

On about fifth day with these natives and two weeks in all gone by they decided to take us from the South coast of New Britain to close to the north coast where these four men were coast waters as it turned out Malcolm Wright, Lou Searle, Les Williams and Jack Marsh were the very brave men who were spying on the Nips.

Malcolm Wright in charge was a Naval Officer, Lou Searle was an Army Officer, Les Williams was a Army Officer. Jack Marsh was a Army Officer.

On the track over the mountains it was very hard they were steep especially where the rivers were.

On the track across I counted over a 100 natives following us, all Indian file. They were happy about it, they like us Aussies, but not the Nips.

This day we came across a beautiful village on top of a mountain it ran about quarter of a mile by two chain wide. They had one big hut and others and that night there would have been 30 using it. This old police boy, Warragilla, would hold the floor he would talk nearly all night, everyone would listen to him. The natives new what he was talking about but I never.

Next morning coming into sight it looked like the Jap army coming, I said straight away we are a goner this time we have no chance at all of escaping.

But it turned out luck again for us it was an army of natives wearing Jap clothing.

The natives when they killed a Jap they were supposed to cut a finger off and bring it back to the coast watchers Malcolm Wright for evidence and be paid 20ng coins. (20 New Guinea coins they had a hole in the centre). But later coast watcher Malcolm Wright thought it a bit rough, said to the natives to bring back Jap clothing for identification. They sure done that, they brought back plenty of Nip clothing and commenced wearing them, so that’s why we thought it was a Jap army coming towards us another scare to forget about.



After that day we commenced on and had more natives following us, we had done several miles, when we met natives coming towards us, they had Lou Searle one of the coast watchers with them, they had food for us such as one bottle of Oval Proof Rum, Bully Beef and Bush Biscuits. We did feel hungry and a empty stomach, but we just could only eat a little as it made us vomit and sick so we were forced to have a little at a time. Lou Searle was a man first glance looked a bit like Hitler, I said how and the hell could he get up here on New Britain. He wore a brown beret cap and had a little moustache, just looked like Hitler.

After our meal we then headed towards the coast watchers camp with Lou and his natives leading us, we felt more comfortable by now, as the coast waters had well over a hundred natives armed. They were really shooting the Nips as they were returning to Rebaul. The Yanks had landed on the west coast of New Britain, I don’t know why they were returning, you would think they had ran out of ammunition.

When we arrived at the coast watchers Malcolm Wright immediately sent natives back through the mountains to search for the rest of our crew, they went back to Jacquinot Bay but found no trace of them, the Nips would have got them. The morning of our crash Squadron Leader Jack Todd did say we might have to go POW. But I said to Harry Jones no not at any cost they will assassinate us. Tokyo Rose was a Jap girl educated in America and she used to broadcast over Tokyo radio, and we did hear her say Catalina crews would be executed on account of using the daisy cutter bombs, they had a stem on the downward end, and would explode knee high and take a mans legs off, so we did receive the reminder.

We reached the coast watchers camp which was at least 40ft by 30ft building 2 ft off the ground and let no rain through had wooden beds for us, you would have thought they were prepared for us. 2 boxes of hand grenades were along side my bed. They had a small lighting plant 24 volt which kept their wireless going. Jack Marsh was in charge of that. The Nips could not read the way it was coded and decoded.

They had a big tree on this mountain which the natives had made a ladder out of vines approx 100ft high and a native night and day with field glasses would keep watch down on the north coast for Nip boats, if any the Beau fighters would come an straff them.

A native in a small canoe could easily be seen, it was a terrific sight, down mountains to the coast approximately 10 miles.

One day I was up close to the top of the tree on the ladder lookout, and an American Kitty Hawk came close to us, having a play skimming the treetops, I did hope at the time he didn’t see us.

Half that distance was where the Nip road went along, and that’s where the natives were really getting their kill.

The natives mostly used 303 rifles but some had single barrel guns 12 gauge with 1/4” ball bearing shot in them, we had to keep that secret when we came back to Australia. The natives liked them, they said no miss, they had a habit of carrying the gun over their shoulders and putting their finger in the barrel.

So one day one native pulled the trigger and lost one finger, he was getting treatment while we were up there.

The natives would come to the coast watchers camp, one or two times a week to trade the vegetables and bananas for the Razor Blades etc. The biggest bananas I ever seen was grown in New Britain. Our crew bodies could still be in the area of Jacquinot Bay.

One day one native came up to Malcolm Wright and said 3 Nips one shot with .303 rifle, the Nips sat on a fallen tree fanning themselves with a branch, and the native was one end so they were sitting together the bullet went through the 3.

Another native got 4 Nips one day he was up on a bank, Nips undressed and went in for a swim, so he shot them in the water while swimming.

Malcolm Wright one day said to natives you bring master up a Nip Geisha Girl offcourse he was only funning natives only laughed but none ever came up one girl 100 Nips.

We spent 5 weeks with the coast watchers I think it took 3 weeks for me to comb my hair properly, it hadn’t been combed for two and a half weeks the smoke I blamed from the burning rubber dinghy caused my hair to go tangly and coarse and I reckon I pulled half it out at one time. The day we headed off towards the coast the liberator bomber came to the first village and done a supply drop of rice the natives did know something. They were half a bag in size, but rice in 2 bags for extra strength used no parachutes, we had to watch out as we had no shelter. The dangerous drop was the New Guinea coins I called then a shilling with a hole in the centre, native money. We they were let go on a parachute but being too heavy broke from the chute and landed very close to us, knocking a native wirlie down and when it hit down made a two feet hole in the ground.

Halfway to the sea first night the natives had a big sing song made a lot of noise, the Nips couldn’t have heard it, probably we may have been four miles away from them.

But next morning we had to follow a river down before we came to the Nip road, Malcolm Wright and Jack Williams were coming off with us and two new ones were taking their place. So Malcolm said to the natives no shooting the Nips today as there was around one hundred at river crossing and road it would have made it more dangerous for us, we had to side track them a little to get over their road, probably 100 metres away from them.

I wasted no time getting across the much used road, Malcolm Wright stayed in the centre of it talking to a native and smoking his pipe. I had to yell to him, I said come on you will get bumped off in a minute, but that was the coast watchers, very brave men.

But without the natives on their side it would have made it much harder. They had one native that stood out he had killed 40 Nips, he also trained the natives and came back to Australia with us, Simigan was his name, I have his photo.



We walked to the beach that day arrived in the evening. The natives had lit two fires approximately 1 mile apart, for the Americans to see as they came in with 2 PT boats, one towing a barge which came ashore dropped the gate and we walked aboard, drove to PT boat we boarded that one and took off at 45 knots. The Yanks seemed very frightened all they kept saying where’s the Nips we said the natives are seeing to that.

We then headed for New Guinea and through the middle of the night we had another scare, the PT boat ran over a log and I thought we might sink, it made a big noise, put one motor out bend either the shaft or propeller of one motor and set up a big vibration. That left us with 2 motors and reduced our speed back to 28 knots.

Next morning the Yanks fed us well and landed us at Cape Cretten on New Guinea where we said goodbye to them.

We were then taken to an army clothing store where the Sergeant gave us some clothes and a big marquee tent with mosquito nets and beds hanging off the ground for us to sleep.

Through our whole trip in jungle all the clothes we had was one shirt, one trousers, one flying boot which were heavy and out of shape, I did go bare footed where possible, mosquitoes were terrible, some nights we would get very little sleep, have to sleep in day. Next day at Cape Cretten the Dutch Pilot came to the strip in a DC3 Douglas flew us over to Port Moresby, loaded up and then down to Townsville stayed there next morning on to Brisbane where we met by a Intelligence Officer of the Americans.

He was an extra man he gave us money as it was terrible to land in Brisbane stony broke and know nobody. He did receive a lot of valuable information from us.

We were put in RAAF hospital Brisbane for one week. Bernie Liedle did need immediate attention as he had a very bad ulcer on the shin below the knee, us others were ok.

While we were in hospital orders came through that we were entitled to a complete new rig out of clothes didn’t the Sergeant of the clothing store put on a turn, you would have thought he was paying for them, but we got the new rig out anyway.

We were posted on three months leave, I had to go to Adelaide to the pay section to get money and certain things fixed up, as I belonged to South Australia.

While I was in their building there would have been over a hundred employed there, somehow they started asking me questions how we escaped etc. so I finished up giving them a lecture which they thoroughly enjoyed.

I’m on my own now so home I went for the 3 months leave. Three weeks later I get forms etc. from our RAAF intelligence wanting to know what we could tell them. How far they were behind the Yanks. They were in front and on the ball. The 30 foot road both north and south side of New Britain cut through the jungle puzzled me a bit as I reckon the Nips done it before they entered the war.


After the leave I went back to Springbank Adelaide, our embarking centre to wait further posting. Within a month I was posted to Lake Boga. When I arrived there I was treated as a Rookie, I lost my Sergeant stripes, first week in cooking mess, washing dishes, second week on guard duties, third week in the hanger for repair work on the Catalinas, work mostly consisted of the Amphibious gear which had been taken off and being put on the Catalinas.

I was discharged from Lake Boga on the 25th January 1945.

My friend put in for my release to milk cows, in other words I had just about enough.

I joined the RAAF as a Motor Mechanic and was discharged as a cow-cocky.
Character on discharge VG.
Degree of trade proficiency A.S.A.T.
47149 Richard Murray Howard

My name and Harry Jones names are on the Board at Rathmines Memorial as dead, I don’t know how that came about.

Out of us four that escaped Ian Ralfe is deceased, Bernie Liedle also deceased, Murray Howard living and Harry Jones living.

Murray Howard is a member of the Royal Air Force Escaping Society (that means escaping from enemy held territory).

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

As a result of my service I qualified for the following awards:

1939 – 1945 Star
1939 – 1945 Australia Service Medal Pacific Star
1939 – 1945 War Medal
The Returned Service from Active Service Bade

On page 55 of the Catalina Chronicle
Bernie Liedle photo is at the top with a cap on and ian Ralfe is sitting in the Cat on the left hand side.
Murray Howard – my photo in the middle and Lional Dellet on the left not Ern Kraehe as shown. Harry Jones is on the right.

I have enclosed a photo of Murray Howard on the left and Harry Jones on the right.

I have also enclosed a photo of Malcolm Wright coast watcher and Sir Pite Simogun later highly decorated. Malcolm Wright did three years as an Ambassador overseas for Australia. At the moment he has just lost his beautiful wife, he once said to me (“I will marry her it was love at first sight”).