David James HARVEY

David James HARVEY Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

HARVEY, David James

Service Numbers:	SX28936, S77365
Enlisted:	16 March 1943, Woodside, SA
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd/33rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Wilmington, South Australia, Australia, 12 October 1921
Home Town:	Wilmington, Mount Remarkable, South Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer / Station Hand
Died:	Injuries, New Guinea, 9 September 1943, aged 21 years
Cemetery:	Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea CWGC Grave No: Section C. Plot 1. Row E. Grave 13. Inscription: "HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE".
Memorials:	Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Wilmington WW2 Roll of Honour

World War 2 Service

16 Mar 1943:	Involvement Private, SX28936, 2nd/33rd Infantry Battalion
16 Mar 1943:	Involvement Private, S77365, 2nd/33rd Infantry Battalion
16 Mar 1943:	Enlisted Woodside, SA
16 Mar 1943:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, SX28936, 2nd/33rd Infantry Battalion
Date unknown:	Involvement

Help us honour David James Harvey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Bonald

On Tuesday, September 7th, 1943, at Jackson Field in Port Moresby, New Guinea, a B-24D Liberator bomber (The Pride of the Cornhuskers) from the 403rd Bomber Squadron, 43rd Bombing Group USAAF, crashed during take-off, likely due to pilot disorientation in the dark. The aircraft hit trees and slammed into a convoy of trucks carrying over 130 soldiers from D Company, 2/33 Infantry Battalion of the Australian Army, who were waiting to board C-47 transport planes to move to the front lines. The bomber’s 500-pound bombs and 2,800 gallons of fuel exploded, killing 15 Australian soldiers instantly and severely injuring 47 more, who later died. Another 90 soldiers were wounded but survived, all 11 crew members aboard the bomber (The Pride of the Cornhuskers) were killed. Private David James Harvey – SX28936 was one of the 47 Australian Military personnel severely burned succumbing to his injuries on 9th September 1943.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia