Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Maurice Willing

1918 8 March
Born at 55 Fullarton Road (3)

1925 25 July
Joined the Mail Club, a children’s feature of the Mail Newspaper. Possums Page grew out of this.

1937 12 July
Engaged to Ruth Cock (3)
 
 
Enlistment and cadet application papers show:

·       Qualifying Certificate Thebarton School

·       Captain of Athletics Team at school as runner

·       Incorrect date of birth 8/3/17

·       Previous employment as clerk at Myer Emporium about 18 months

·       Served in CMF before enlisting.

·       In training flew Demon, Wapiti, Avro Anson, Lockheed Hudson and Bulldog aircraft

·       Records flight to Port Hedland, Melbourne, Wyndham, Albany and Richmond NSW
1937
21 July
Enlisted in RAAF at Pt Cook, Service No 218 (3)
 
 
Trained at Duntroon?
1938 23 June
Graduated from Point Cook Flying School as Pilot Officer. (3)
1938 24 June
Enters No 2 Squadron as Pilot Officer
1938 24 December
Promotes to Flying Officer
1939 6 February
Transferred to No 25 Squadron as foundation member of 14 Squadron on 12 February at Pearce WA with Avro Ansons (2)
1940 1 April
Ruth flew Adelaide to Perth.  (3) Also report in social pages 4 April Perth Daily News
1940 6 April
Married Ruth Cock in Christ Church Claremont, Perth. Based at Pearce WA? Squ Leader Dalton (3)
1940 1 June
Promoted to Flight Lieutenant and No 13 Squadron formed from 12 Squadron CO FL JR Balmer (2)
1940 1 November
Will beneficiary Mrs Ruth Willing (1)
1941 30 January
Maurice transferred to 13 Squadron as C/O B Flight (2)
1941 November
3 Hudsons of No 13 Squadron involved in search for HMAS Sydney
1941 8 December
No 13 Squadron moved to Namlea, Buru (Boeroe) and Laha, Ambon in 2 flights of 6 aircraft each
1941 December
Wife address Parap Hotel, Darwin at some point in time until some weeks before Jan 1942 (1)
1942 7 January
Ambon raided by Japanese aircraft
1942 12 January
5 Hudsons attack shipping in Menado, 2 shot down, 2 MIA and only one returned
1942 19 January
Early Monday morning reconnaissance flight from Laha to Manado. F/L Birley in another Hudson also. MIA over Kema Bay, Manado, Northern Celebes or Lake Tondano in Hudson A16-64 with 3 crew Field, Rutter and Cunneen. A later flight by George Brown flying solo did succeed in taking photos but they were found faulty when examined. A Zero pilot, POIC Yoshikane Sasaki of 3rd Air Group claimed a Hudson in the area where A16-64 was last seen. Sasaki listed as ace in (5) May have been in Pearl Harbour attack.
1942 26 January
Japanese pilot, Yoshikane Sasaki who claimed a Hudson at the time A16-64 went missing was shot down over Ambon by AA gunners. Less than a week after Maurice was MIA. (2 p14)
1942 30 January
Squadron evacuated to Darwin, Japanese landed shortly after the departure
1942 14 April
Letter to wife C/ Mrs R O Cock, 22 Everard St, Grassmere (1)
1942 18 August
FL Burleigh who was on the same mission reported last seen of A16-64 chased by Zeros and disappeared into cloud. (1)
1942 December
Mrs MP Willing advised an airfield will be named after her husband, not far North (25km??) of Pine Creek 13:41S 131:42E (1)
1944 20 January
Lack of reliable reports, action postponed indefinitely. (1)
1944 29 January
Letter to wife with possibility of survival or POW (1)
1945  Willing airfield abandoned
1945 14 February
Letter to Mrs C H Peel  no information (constant refusal of Japanese to release information concerning POW impossible to determine (1)
1946 2 January
Letter from wife at Croydon address seeking information (1)
1946 13 August
Mrs Ruth Willing, 30 Thomas St, Croydon, SA ref in RAAF memo (1)
1946 9 November
Advice from Mrs Ruth Harvey of address 75 Fisher Tce, Mile End (1)
1947 26 February
Officially declared presumed dead (1)
1947 6 November
Advice from Mrs Ruth Harvey of address C/ Mrs Edwards, Sth Yarra (1)
1948 14 January
NOK Mrs Ruth Harvey change of address to C/ Mrs Edwards, Sth Yarra (1) (dated incorrectly 1938???)
1959 10 September
Mrs Ruth Heslop to RAAF, remarried, 2 young children, writing via Gert Wood as she does not want her current husband to know she is still seeking information.
1959 16 September
Letter to Mrs Ruth Heslop (fmrly Willing) no further news (1)

19 January 1942 Les Dalkin talked to Maurie, who said he was lucky to get back from patrol. Les had a feeling that Maurie knew he would die.

19 January 1942 sent to photograph enemy shipping at Kema Bay, near Manado. Last seen being chased into clouds by 4 Zeros. Listed as missing 25 January. “The RAAF Hudson” by David Vincent records that before his last flight, Maurie is quoted as saying “I will take your bloody photos, but I doubt you will get them back.” Sounds as though he had a premonition about the flight. The quote is believed to be from H A (Bob) Nicholas who was in the operations room at the time, had the next service no above Maurie’s 218 and 219 and had enlisted the same day at Pt Cook 21 Jul 1937. 17 days younger than Maurie MPW DOB 8 Mar 1918, HAN DOB 25 Mar 1918. HAN became Wing Commander, discharged 13 Jul 1945.