Robert Barclay ANDERSON

Robert Barclay ANDERSON Update Details

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ANDERSON, Robert Barclay

Service Number:	409070
Enlisted:	19 July 1941
Last Rank:	Flying Officer
Last Unit:	No. 100 Squadron (RAAF)
Born:	Caulfield, Victoria, Australia, 19 August 1914
Home Town:	Fawkner, Moreland, Victoria
Schooling:	Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Flying Battle, Gasmata, New Britain, Pacific Islands, 5 September 1943, aged 29 years
Cemetery:	Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea (CWGC) Burial Reference ~ Plot D. Row A. Collective Grave 8-11. Personal Inscription ~ "SEMPER FIDELIS". (Always Faithful).
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Corio Geelong Grammar School "ANDERSON" Memorial Window

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Flying Officer, 409070
19 Jul 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409070, No. 100 Squadron (RAAF)

Help us honour Robert Barclay Anderson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Bonald

Extract from Odgers, G.J. (George James) (VX127783) Air War Against Japan 1943-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957 – Page 76

At 0520 hours on 5 September 1943 Beaufort A9-183 took off from Gurney Strip, Milne Bay, to carry out a bombing attack on Gasmata, New Britain. A9-183 arrived over the target just before the attack because of a count of aircraft confirmed all were present. The attack took place at 0700 hours at approximately height of 1,200 feet. A Beaufort was seen hit by anti-aircraft fire, crash and burst into flames, and this was either A9-183 or A9-186. Another, A9-374, was also hit in the attack and positively identified. A sudden flame and a black column of smoke from a burning aircraft were seen 7 to 8 miles north east of Gasmata. Three Beauforts were lost in this strike and two were definitely seen to crash from ack-ack fire. All the accompanying fighters returned safely. A post war search found the wreck A9-183 about 6.5 miles north north west of Gasmata Station and 2.75 miles north of Au village. The remains of the missing crew members were also found.

The crew members of A9-183 were:

Flying Officer Robert Barclay Anderson MID (409070) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Robert Harrison MID (410054) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Jeffrey Alan Heath MID (412440) (Observer)
Sergeant Lawrence Vincent McMahon MID (409934) (Wireless Air Gunner)

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