
KEMP, Gilbert Peter
Service Number: | 82153 |
---|---|
Enlisted: | 2 October 1942 |
Last Rank: | Corporal |
Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
Born: | Perth, Western Australia, 16 March 1905 |
Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Publisher |
Died: | Accidentally drowned whilst swimming in the Fitzroy River near the Old Crossing, Noonkanbah, Western Australia, Noonkanbah Station, Fitzroy River, Kimberley, Western Australia, Australia, 30 April 1944, aged 39 years |
Cemetery: |
Geraldton War Cemetery, Western Australia Plot B Row B Grave 2, Geraldton War Cemetery, Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia |
Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
Biography contributed by David Barlow
Corporal Kemp 82153 from Number 75 Operational Base Unit drowned at the Old Crossing, Fitzroy River, Noonkanbah, WA
Cpl. Kemp while on active service was drowned while swimming in the Fitzroy River, near the Old Crossing, Noonkambah.(large pastoral station & community)
Interred Noonkambah War Cemetery, W.A.
Reinterred Geraldton War Cemetery, W.A.
Deaths on Service
KEMP.C Gilbert Peter (RAAF) Dearly loved husband of Marjory, father of Peter, David and Kevin. Result of accident. April 30.
Obituary
Peter Kemp (R.A.A.F.), a one-time popular member of Western Press, publishing room, has "gone over" as the result of an accident. A. letter has been sent from the Union office conveying the sympathy of all members to his relatives.
Ref.- Westralian Worker (Perth, WA : 1900 - 1951), Fri 12 May 1944, Page 3 - Obituary
During World War II the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) established a base, named Noonkanbah, at the civil airfield at the station on 1 March 1943.
No. 75 Operational Base Unit operated the base during its wartime use.
Large petrol and bomb dumps were established and the airfield was used by the Netherlands East Indies Air Force as a staging base.
No 24 Squadron, 25 Squadron and 31 Squadron all utilized the airfield. The airfield was large enough to handle B-24 Liberators.
On 30 September 1944, the airfield base was made non-operational, and on 24 December 1945, the airfield was disbanded.