BEDDOE, Donald Cosmo
| Service Number: | 401731 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 March 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 2 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia, 29 June 1917 |
| Home Town: | Brunswick, Moreland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Employee |
| Died: | Murdered while Prisoner of War, Itain Islands, Banda Sea, Timor Sea, Netherlands East Indies, 24 May 1944, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 6 Northern Territory Memorial in the Adelaide River Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Adelaide River Northern Territory Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Birchip War Memorial, Curyo Memorial Gates, No 2 Squadron RAAF Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flying Officer, 401731 | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 1941: | Enlisted Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
| 28 Mar 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 401731 | |
| 24 May 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 401731, No. 2 Squadron (RAAF) |
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Rank -Flying Officer
Plane was Hudson A16-230. 2 Squadron
Part of 127 pages report.
After being shot down Beddoe and his crew rowed ashore in a dinghy to Loeang Island where they spent 2 months on the island with the local natives before they betrayed to the Japanese.
During the straffing of the barge on which Beddoe and his crew were travelling Beddoe tried to attract the attention of the Allied planes that were flying overhead doing the stafing.
Beddoe was shot by the Japanese and his body thrown overboard somewhere between Nawaan and Itain Islands. . His crew was later executed by the Japanese on Ambon.
The four natives responsible for the betrayal were imprisoned and the Japanese officers responsible were found guilty and were to be executed. The Japanese WO who shot Beddoe was also identified but not enough evidence could be found to sentence the offender to death or imprisonement
Son of David and Emily Beddoe; husband of Adele Margaret Beddoe, of Brunswick, Victoria.
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His name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial and the Prisoner of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria
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