DICKINSON, Ronald Frank
| Service Number: | 411876 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 June 1941, Sydney, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 20 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Walsall, England, 28 May 1918 |
| Home Town: | Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk - Dept. of Road Transport & Trams |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies, 1 October 1943, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Ambon Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flying Officer, 411876, No. 20 Squadron (RAAF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 411876, No. 20 Squadron (RAAF), Sydney, NSW |
Help us honour Ronald Frank Dickinson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Mari Walker
Son of Henry Randolph and Lilian Dickinson, of Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia.
F/O Ronald Dickinson was one of ten men in Catalina aircraft A24-67 of #20 Squadron. The aircraft was based at Cairns, Queensland, and took off on an operational flight on 1 October 1943. After refuelling in Darwin, the aircraft took off to undertake a night torpedo attack on a merchant ship. After dropping a torpedo, the aircraft was shot down at Pomelaa (Celebes) by anti-aircraft fire and soon after, burst into flames. Lt/Comm Carr managed to escape, suffering burns, as well as P/O McDiarmed who was suffering serious leg injuries. Both men were taken prisoner by the Japanese but P/O McDiarmed died soon after from his injuries. The remainder of the crew were never found and their date of death was officially presumed as 1 October 1943.
The crew were:
W/C SG Stilling, Captain (RAF, DFC)
F/Lt JR Hyde, Pilot
F/Lt JM Barnes, Navigator (RCAF)
F/O NF Dwyer, Navigator
F/O RF Dickinson, WOA/G
P/O DG McDiarmed, WOA/G
Sgt FH Thomson, Fitter
Sgt T McMahon, Fitter
Cpl SJ Carnell, Armourer
Lt/Com PE Carr, Royal Aust Navy (passenger)