SMITH, Ronald George
| Service Number: | 433513 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 April 1943 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 31 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Burwood, 23 August 1924 |
| Home Town: | Burwood, Burwood, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Cable Beach , Off Broome, 18 September 1944, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Broome Beaufighter A19-163 Crew Memorial, Municipality of Strathfield WW2 Roll of Honour, Strathfield Uniting Church WW2 Carillon, Sydney Memorial (Sydney War Cemetery) Rookwood |
World War 2 Service
| 13 Apr 1943: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 433513, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 1943: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 433513, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 18 Sep 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 433513, No. 31 Squadron (RAAF), Air War SW Pacific 1941-45, Aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on an operational sortie |
Help us honour Ronald George Smith's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Throughout World War Two, Broome was known as R.A.A.F. Operational Base Unit No 79 and was used for transient aircraft and as a base for special operations. In September 1944 Catalina flying boats were conducting patrols, bombing raids and mine laying operations in the waters occupied by the enemy-held Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia).
Beaufighter A19-163 from 31 Squadron was one of four Beaufighters based in Broome. It was piloted by Flight-Sergeant Ronald Kerrigan and Navigator Flight-Sergeant Ronald Smith who were to provide protective cover for the flying boats. The A19-163 took off from the Broome airstrip at 4.30am on 18 September 1944 with a second Beaufighter to follow. Reports state the A19-163 struggled to climb, but made some distance and cleared sand dunes off Cable Beach. About 1 kilometre out to sea the aircraft crashed into the ocean and exploded on impact.
A tender was sent to search the wreck site and floating debris was found across 1 kilometre and the two men were presumed dead. Due to tides moving the floating debris, locating the aircraft was not possible.
In 2012, local historian Dion Marinis came across mention of the accident during research and the reports led him to begin a search to find the aircraft. Joined by helicopter pilot Jim Miles, the two men began a search based on information reported at the time of the incident.
Two years later and after using several search methods including side-scan sonar operations, metal detection, and dives over a large area, a debris field was discovered. A scheduled dive on the target site confirmed that the image was the main wreck, consisting of the wing spars, tail wheel, tail plane and both engines.
Monuments Australia
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