O'MALLEY, Michael
| Service Number: | 426903 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 August 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Ingham, Queensland, Australia, 12 August 1922 |
| Home Town: | Ingham, Hinchinbrook, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Accidental (Flying Accident), Morundah near Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia, Morundah, New South Wales, Australia, 2 February 1944, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Narrandera War Cemetery, New South Wales Row C Grave 1, Narrandera War Cemetery, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 426903 | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 426903 |
Help us honour Michael O'Malley's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
Beaufort aircraft A9-505 and A9-507 from Number 1 Squadron collided in mid-air and crashed at Morundah near Narrandera in NSW killing all on board both aircraft:
Beaufort A9-507 - Flight Sergeant Allen 415957 / Flying Officer Barber 415959 / Flying Officer Broad 437112 / Flight Sergeant McCausland 419053 / LAC Shelton 88452 (Photographer)
Beaufort A9-505 - Flight Sergeant Johnston 429967 / Flight Sergeant Newnham 423876 / Flight Sergeant O'Malley 426903 / Flight Sergeant Wood 415097 / LAC Nugent 130211 (Instrument Repairer - commemorated on Panel 7 of the Sydney Memorial)
The aircraft were on a cross country formation flying exercise returning from Mildura (Victoria) back to their base at Menangle airfield (near Camden, NSW).
From the Memoirs of Alan Hick, a former 1SQN Observer Air Gunner and Wireless / Telegraph Operator: “1SQN moved from East Sale (Victoria) to Menangle Airfield on 29 December 1943 for about six weeks of training flights in airmanship, formation training, night flights, formation flying and fighter co-operation with a fighter squadron based at Bankstown.
The ‘finale’ was a squadron formation exercise to Mildura consisting of 4 flights each with 3 aircraft. On the return leg each aircraft of each flight had to take their turn in leading the flight. It was during a changeover that two planes touched and ended with both planes crashing and burning. Killing all air crew members plus our squadron photographer.”
Click images to start slideshow.