Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=447299&c=WW2

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2164875/GORDON%20JAMES%20WATKINS/

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8014453

https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/683

https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=67016

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3463994

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=472712&c=WW2#R

In July, 1944, Flight Lieutenant Fopp was acting as instructor during a night flying test, when his aircraft collided with another aircraft, tearing away the whole of the starboard elevator and about one-third of the starboard tail' plane. In addition, the port tail plane was damaged and all but one foot of the port elevator torn away. The aircraft' became uncontrollable. Assuming command, Flight Lieutenant Fopp made preparations to abandon the aircraft but by careful piloting was able to regain control and fly it back to the airfield. He lowered the wheels and made preparations for landing but the aircraft went out of control again. With great skill and presence of mind, he raised the flaps and, regaining some degree of control, effected a landing, at the same time succeeding in preventing a blockage of the runway. It was then found' that the tail wheel had also been ripped away in the collision. Throughout the whole incident, this officer showed the greatest coolness and skill and his action was entirely responsible for the safe landing of the aircraft and its occupants."

That picture is HMAS <i>Sydney (III)</i> in the Tsushima Straits the morning after evasive/survival action trying to minimise the effects of the infamous Typhoon Ruth. The storm killed 500 ashore in Japan and registered the limit of 120 knots on <i>Sydney's</i> anemometer before it broke. We regularly shipped green water over the flight deck and lost five aircraft overnight damaged beyond economical repair, including one overboard. Also, one forklift and the captain's jollyboat broke adrift and went for a swim, never to be seen again. But our faithful doggie, the Netherlands' <i>Von Galen</i>, fared much worse. Glimpsed astern every now and then through blinding rain at night, <i>Sydney</i> told her that she need not keep station. By flickering Aldis retrieved from a wrecked motorboat she reported four major fires, boiler and engine rooms flooded, only one boiler working, total electrical failure, no radar, no radio, no gyro compass, useless (spinning) magnetic compass, manual steering and all boats and rafts either stove in or swept away. It was suffixed with a plaintive, <i>"May we stay with you?"</i>

https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=263551

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8071539

On 1 August 1943 while Flight Lieutenant Fry (No. 10) was cooperating with 2nd Escort Group in this same area he saw a U-boat travelling surfaced at ten knots in a very rough sea only six miles from the sloops. He swung immediately towards the enemy and flew overhead, then made a tight turn to port to attack from the U-boat’s starboard quarter against very accurate fire. His starboard-inner engine was hit, and when the Sunderland closed to 400 yards a shell exploded in the starboard main fuel tank and petrol flooded the bridge. All three pilots were probably seriously wounded at this point but Fry with supreme determination pressed home the attack. The tail gunner saw the U-boat enveloped in the explosion plumes and then sink bows first. The Sunderland maintained course for about six miles, turned towards the ships and plunged into the sea, bouncing twice before settling heavily into the 15-foot swell. Meanwhile HMS Wren turned immediately to help the crashed aircraft. When it arrived ten minutes later all that remained was a stump of the mainplane with five of the crew clinging to it while a sixth man was seen swimming a quarter of a mile away. It was too rough to launch a boat even after oil had been pumped into the sea, but five men were hauled aboard by lifebelt and a seaman dived overboard and supported the other who was near exhaustion. Fry himself, whose indomitable spirit and skill combined to make this attack under conditions which might well have daunted the bravest heart, did not survive; but those members of his crew rescued soon learned that U454 had been broken in two and had sunk within thirty seconds. Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Page 443

2018_Abby_Walker_George_Ernest_Doddridge.pdf

2018_Cassie_Spada_Stanley_Charles_Bishop_.pdf

2018_Diana_Hunt_Sister_Anne_Donnell.pdf

2018_Ella_Frampton_Sister_Anne_Donnell.pdf

2018_Holly_Wallman_Ethel_Sarah_Davidson.pdf

2018_Kelly_Parkin_Lloyd_Leonard_Mahoney.pdf

2018_Koby_Poulton__Horace_Alfred_Cadd.pdf

2018_Lajpreeet_Thind_Charles_Andrew_Horne.pdf

2018_Lila_Weidenback_Docking_Brothers.pdf

2018_Neva_Van_Raalte_William_Charles_Westbury.pdf

A Boulton-Paul Defiant of 153 Squadron in daylight colour scheme clearly showing the aircraft's most distinctive feature - the four gun turret. While initially conferring a tactical advantage, its weight later proved an insurmountable handicap. Image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/37/Mk1_Defiant.jpg

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/curr-francis-lawrence-9882

The Honour Rolls within the National War Memorial Adelaide

This Google Earth map Image has key points on the Fromelles Battlefield marked in relation to contemporary land marks.

https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=137281&c=WW2