MUTTON, James Harold
| Service Number: | 34046 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 September 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Aldershot, England, 6 January 1913 |
| Home Town: | Dungog, Dungog, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Accidental (Aircraft accident), Amberley, Queensland, Australia, Amberley, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, 14 September 1945, aged 32 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ipswich General Cemetery, Qld C of E Plot Section A Grave B328, Ipswich General Cemetery, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flying Officer, 34046 | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 34046 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
RAAF B-24J Liberator A72-313, ex USAAF #44-28125, of 99 Squadron RAAF crashed near Amberley aerodrome in Queensland. FLTLT Hendy was in A72-313 supervising the pilot and co-pilot on a pilot check-flight. The pilot and co-pilot had not flown a Liberator for quite some time.
The Liberator lifted off earlier than the normal take-off distance and not long after take-off the number 2 propeller was feathered for a short time before it was restarted. As this was happening the aircraft yawed dramatically to the right.
The undercarriage was retracted and then lowered again and then raised again as the aircraft circled Amberley airfield slowly losing height. It was dangerously low when it was 5 miles from the runway. Its undercarriage and flaps were raised as it turned to starboard in a shallow descent. Then all the engines suddenly stopped, and the aircraft nose-dived down by about 70 degrees and it crashed amongst trees.
The aircraft caught fire and all five crewmen on board were killed:
Sergeant George Alfred Dureau 13926 RAAF
Flying Officer Raymond Frank Pullin 411050 RAAF
Flight Sergeant Vincent John Quinn 437876 RAAF
Flying Officer James Harold Mutton 34046 RAAF
Flight Lieutenant George Allan Hendy 401441 RAAF
Click images to start slideshow.