LEARMONTH, Charles Cuthbertson
| Service Number: | 385 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 July 1938 |
| Last Rank: | Wing Commander |
| Last Unit: | No. 14 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Portland, Victoria, Australia , 2 May 1917 |
| Home Town: | Peppermint Grove, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Insurance Institute Degree |
| Occupation: | Insurance Clerk |
| Died: | Aircraft Accident , Rottnest Island, Western Australia, 6 January 1944, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Corio Geelong Grammar School "LEARMONTH" Memorial Window, Portland WW2 Honour Roll, Portland WW2 Memorial, Portland and District St. Stephen's Anglican Church WW2 Supreme Sacrifice Roll of Honor, Sydney Memorial (Sydney War Cemetery) Rookwood, Tyrendarra St. James Anglican Church Memorial Gates, Tyrendarra St. James' Anglican Church Memorial Window |
World War 2 Service
| 19 Jul 1938: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Wing Commander, 385 |
|---|
Non Warlike Service
| 19 Jul 1938: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Air Cadet, 385, No. 1 Service Flying Training School |
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World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Wing Commander, 385 | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1939: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 385, No. 14 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 22 Apr 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 385, No. 22 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 1 Aug 1943: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Wing Commander, No. 14 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 19 Aug 1943: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross | |
| 3 Aug 1944: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross and bar |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Graham Padget
Charles Cuthbertson Learmonth was the son of Noel Fulford Learmonth and Edith Mary Learmonth; husband of Marjorie Edna Learmonth of Peppermint Grove, Western Australia.
Wing Commander Charles Cuthbertson Learmonth, DFC and Bar, pilot of 14 Squadron, RAAF, of "Carramar", Tyrendarra, Victoria. Appointed a Wing Commander in July 1943 as Commanding Officer (CO) of 22 Squadron, he transferred back to 14 Squadron as CO in December, 1943. On 6 January 1944, he and his crew were killed in Beaufort Bomber A9-346 which crashed into the sea near Rottnest Island off the coast of WA. The other crew members flying with him were 406689 Pilot Officer Frederick Erick Chidlow, 406095 Flying Officer (FO) Douglas Raymond Cullen, and 401523 FO Gordon Gwynne Moore, none of whom have a known grave.
Squadron Leader Learmonth received his DFC and Bar for operational sorties in New Guinea in 1942.
Learmonth Aerodrome in WA is named after him.
His brother VX114 Lieutenant John Noel Learmonth, 2/3 Field Regiment died on 10 May 1944 in Germany (see P02466.096
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