Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

https://yorke.sa.gov.au/discover/local-history-and-heritage/the-harry-butler-story/

CHINNER_1_.pdf

http://aircrewremembered.com/tanner-kej.html

The S.M.S. Emden was a Dresden class light cruiser, was built at the Imperial dockyard at Danzig and launched in July 1909. The vessel was part of the German East Asia squadron, based in Tsingtao, and in 1913 came under the command of Karl von Müller (1873-1923). In a daring but short career of destruction in the opening weeks of the War, the Emden wrought havoc in the Indian Ocean. Between 10 September and her destruction by H.M.A.S. Sydney on 9 November 1914, she had captured or sunk no fewer than 23 ships, including a Russian cruiser and a French destroyer in the battle of Penang on 28 October 1914. The combined value of the captures was estimated at £4 million. Arriving off the Cocos Keeling islands the Emden sent 53 men, under the first officer, Kapitänleutnant Hellmuth von Mücke (1881-1957), ashore to destroy the wireless apparatus at Port Refuge. A wireless message sent before those on the station were overpowered by the Germans was picked up by the Sydney, 52 nautical miles away. The Germans believed they had sufficient time to decommission the wireless station and for the landing party to rejoin the Emden, but with the rapid arrival of the Sydney von Mücke’s men had to be left to their own devices while von Müller attempted to retaliate to the superior firepower of the Sydney. Within the space of an hour the conflict had concluded and von Müller beached the Emden on North Keeling island, raising white flags of surrender. In the battle the Emden lost 133 officers and men killed, out of a crew of 376, while Sydney had four crewmen killed and 13 wounded. Von Müller and his surviving crew were captured and taken to Malta, from where in October 1916 he was taken to England and interned with other German officers at Sutton Bonington, Nottingham. In 1917 he led an escape of 21 prisoners through an underground tunnel, but was recaptured and, as part of a humanitarian prisoner exchange, sent to another camp at Noordwijk-am-Zee, Holland. Von Mücke and his landing party seized a derelict schooner, the Ayesha, made her seaworthy, renamed her Emden II, and escaped the attentions of the Sydney by sailing her to Padang, Sumatra. There, a German freighter transported them to Hodeida, Yemen. After many adventures in the Arabian peninsula, including an overland journey along the Red Sea and battling hundreds of armed Bedouin tribesmen, von Mücke and 48 other survivors arrived in Constantinople in May 1915, from where they returned to Germany as heroes.

From Flight Sergeant Norman MacDonald, only survivor of JB472 The crew of Lancaster JB472 with Reginald Wicks as pilot, joined the Squadron on 23 November 1943. They flew their first mission on 23 November - a night raid on Berlin. This was closely followed by another night mission to Berlin on 26 November. On 2 December JB472 took off from Warboys airfield for their third raid on Berlin. In a report given by Flight Sergeant Norman Macdonald after the war he describes what happened to their aircraft as they flew over eastern Germany: 'Attack by enemy fighter reported by rear gunner - pilot acknowledged, took evasive action and just then we were hit. Crew put on chutes, aircraft in steep dive. At approx between 17 and 15, 000 feet violent explosion. I was sucked out the starboard side of aircraft. Regained consciousness at approx 4,000 feet opened 'chute landed ok. I believe pilot jettisoned bombs endeavouring to save crew and aircraft but aircraft crashed 20 miles north of Hannover. The next day I was captured in the goods yard of the village railway station by 2 German soldiers who were searching for me and taken to identify wreckage of aircraft from which German officials had removed the bodies of my 6 colleagues. Taken to Frankfurt for interrogation put into solitary confinement then to Stalag IVB.'

'ANZAC' insignia Members of the Australian Imperial Force who served on Gallipoli will be entitled to wear over the Unit “Colour Patch” on both sleeves of the Service Dress Jacket and Greatcoat the letter “A” an indication that the wearer had taken part in the operations on the Gallipoli Peninsula. - Military Order 354 of 1917 Members of the Australian Imperial Force who served on Gallipoli or the Islands of Lemnos, Imbros and Tenedos, or who have served on transports or hospital ships at or off Gallipoli or the Islands above-named, or in AIF lines of communication Units in Egypt will be entitled to wear over their Unit “Colour Patches” on both sleeves of their Service Dress Jacket and Greatcoat the letter “A” as an indication that the wearer had taken part in the Gallipoli operations. - Military Order 20 of 1918

Australians_at_War_Film_Archive_-_Dianne_Fairhead_2004.pdf

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-18/sydney-kinsman-wwii-veteran-rat-of-tobruk-death/101164278

RAAF History - 17 September David Lascelles Against all the colourful and emotive language in use today, this lovely piece of understatement is from a different era. I suggest it also speaks quiet volumes for the solid reliability of the dear old LANCASTER. Enjoy. D 17 September 1944, No 463 Squadron Lancaster JO-T departed RAF Waddington for a bombing sortie again Bologne, France. The following is extracted from the pilot’s post-operation report. "On our bombing run, immediately after "Bombs Gone" we were hit by heavy flak, causing a hole in our port wing approximately 11ft; X 6ft; and the ailerons severely damaged. Aircraft went out of control in a diving turn; during this time No.3 tank blew out, and exploded behind aircraft. I ordered crew to abandon aircraft and moderate control of aircraft was maintained at 4,000 ft; during which time Wireless Operator, Mid Upper and Rear Gunners endeavoured to get out of rear door. This was jammed and the handle broke off, so had to come to the front hatch which partly jammed adding further difficulties for crew trying to bale out. Eventually all members of crew apart from Pilot squeezed themselves out. During this time reasonable controlled descent was maintained with port engines fully opened; starboard engines half throttled; full aileron and rudder bias. It is estimated crew got out at 2,000 to 3,000 ft; and at 1,500 ft; I made an effort to bale out, unsuccessfully as the aircraft dived and was uncontrollable. I regained control of the aircraft at 800 ft; and having no alternative, had to make a forced landing in the quickest possible time. Landing eventually effected in a field that was obstructed with anti-invasion posts, with my starboard engine on fire; undercarriage and flaps serviceable and operated allowing me to make a successful landing. At the end of the landing run, to avoid further damage, swung aircraft to port, coming to rest in a wood. Made a quick get away as starboard outer wing and engine were on fire. Throughout these extremely difficult circumstances my crew behaved in an exemplary manner and showed calm and coolness throughout." Navigator (F/Sgt. Dent) states: "Our pilot's captaincy and leadership displayed throughout those intense moments gave us confidence and inspiration. We considered aircraft impossible to fly, and how he effected a landing was, in the opinion of all of us, a miracle, and we never expected after we left that the aircraft would be landed". Comment: So ‘ moderate control’ resulted from half of the left wing shot away, the right wing in shreds, a right side engine on fire, control surfaces severely damaged, fuel tanks blown away and the Lancaster falling out of the sky!!

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/000/573/original/Lindsay_HARDY.pdf

http://stories.anmm.gov.au/ae1/the-search-for-ae1/

2018_Lajpreeet_Thind_Charles_Andrew_Horne.pdf

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/australian-merchant-navy-in-wwi

https://johnknifton.com/tag/avro-lancaster/

Flight from Reykjavik, 9 November 1944 At midday on November 9, 1944, a Lockheed Hudson light bomber of the RAF 251 Squadron lifted off from the Royal Air Force station at Reykjavik, Iceland, on a routine meteorological recon patrol. The young crew – three RAF men and two Australians – reported clear icing conditions on the outward leg, and again on the homeward leg of the flight. With over eight hours in the air behind them, headed home, the aircraft sent out an SOS call. A few minutes later, the aircraft key was held down and the station was able to get a bearing: Hudson FK 752 was over the North Sea, just 75 miles from Reykjavik. But there was no further communication. The aircraft failed to return. The wreckage of Hudson FK 752, and the remains of the five young airmen aboard, were never found.

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/the-wounds-we-do-not-see

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article79787327

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47385505

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/87607622

Electoral_Roll_Pearn_1943.jpg

Albert_Whitmore___J_Inglis.pdf

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/pioneer-policewoman-whose-virtue-was-vice-20120511-1yi2u.html

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/adelaides-soldier-poet-of-the-great-war

G_WELLS.pdf

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/cheer-up-society-and-the-rsa

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/legacy-of-a-female-leader/news-story/e8a21867637682f6d1112bf31d5371ca

https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/67807/sunken-road-cemetery,-contalmaison/

https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/research/resource-library/enlistment-and-embarkation-wwii

Vincent_John_Stephen_Jordan_-_SA_Police_Gazette_1942.jpg

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106155472

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/anzac-spirit-of-sas-10-battalion

ORDER_OF_SERVICE_1__3_.pdf

Cenotaph_King_Island_News_26_April_1922.jpg

Edgar_James__Kingston__McCloughry___S_Chen.pdf

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/diary-of-a-destroyer

2018_Lucy_Smith_Raymond_Charles_Runga.pdf

E_DAVIDSON.pdf

http://www.womenaustralia.info/bib/AWP002784.htm

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168354863?searchTerm=norman%20thompson&searchLimits=l-title=828|||l-category=Article

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/mystery-of-the-black-cat

The long awaited news of the re-lease, as a P.O.W, of their younger son, Warrant Officer Rhys Roberts, R.A.A.F., has been received by Mr and Mrs K. R. Roberts., of Kadina. On Monday, a cabled message received stated that he had arrived in Liverpool, England, on 15th and was "fit, well and cheerful." This message must be most assuring to his parents after his varied experiences, for more than once his life has been in jeopardy. He was taken a prisoner of war in October, 1942, and previous to that, was shot down in Tobruk. When captured at El Alemein, he was the only survivor of his plane, and had received injuries when bailing out of the burning machine. After being a patient in a front line hospital, he was conveyed to Austria via Greece and Italy, and was a prisoner in three different camps in Germany. His final place of custody was Stalag No 3 in East Prussia, and during transit there, had three days in Berlin. During the time spent in this camp he lectured on sheep and wool, his education proving beneficial to him. He commenced his early studies at St. Peters College, Adelaide, and, on returning to the Kadina High School, won a scholarship for Roseworthy College where he studied for three years. When he will arrive home is not yet known. Kadina and Wallaroo Tines Fri 22 Sep 1940

Flying Officer Joe Herman (RAAF), the captain of a 466 Sqn Halifax B.Mk.III, narrowly escaped death in a remarkable incident on 4 November 1944.  During a night mission over Germany, his aircraft (LV936, "HD-D"), was badly damaged by Flak. After ordering the crew to bail out, Herman was blown out of the plane, without a parachute. After falling a long way, possibly more than 3,000 metres, Herman fell onto the Halifax's mid-upper gunner, F/O John Vivash (RAAF), and grabbed one of his legs. Both men descended on one parachute, suffered minor injuries when landing and survived the war as prisoners of war. From a total crew of seven, only one other airman, Sgt H. W. Knott (RAF), survived. According to one source, at least three crew members were murdered after being captured by civilians on the ground. 

Lille is a major rail hub in northern France close to the Belgian border and a major junction between Paris, to the south, Calais to the west and Brussels (Belgium) to the north. It was a key target in the run up to D Day in June 1944 when a major bombing offensive called the Transportation Plan, was directed at transport infrastructure, to impede the provision of reinforcements to the intended battlefront - the location of which was, of course, top secret at this point in time. On the night of 10/11 May 1944 a large fleet of bombers were despatched to bomb a series of rail yards in northern France, at Lille, Lens (further south), Courtrai, Ghent (further north in Belgium) and Dieppe on the Atlantic coast. Over 500 aircraft were involved; the majority were Lancasters but also Halifaxes and some fast and nimble Mosquitos performing a Pathfinder and Target marking role. Both 463 and 467 Squadrons RAAF were scheduled to take part in the Lille raid on the evening of 10/11 May. It was to be the worst night of the war for the two Waddington squadrons. Of 31 aircraft despatched between them, six failed to return. The total losses of the raid were 12 so the two RAAF squadrons represented 50% of the total losses. A total of 42 men were missing the next morning. This represented a loss rate of 20%. The impact of the empty seats at breakfast would have been devastating. This was followed the next night by the loss of 467 Squadron's CO, decorated Pacific veteran GPCAPT John 'Sam' Balmer OBE DFC and his crew, leading another Transportation Plan raid. There was only one survivor from the six Australian aircraft. Squadron Leader Phil Smith, DFC, flying B for Baker in 467 Squadron was thrown clear of his exploding aircraft, and managed to parachute to safety minus a flying boot and then spent four months evading the Germans. B for Baker exploded as it was dropping its bombs; it may have suffered a similar fate to JO-J in 463 Squadron - been destroyed by a German night fighter attacking from below (but unlikely given they were directly over the target where the risk from flak and falling bombs tended to discourage night fighter attack), been hit by flak or most likely, it may have collided with another aircraft The story of JO-J's loss from 463 Squadron, provides an insight as to the fate that befell a number of aircraft that night and the cause of losses that was only identified the following month when a German nightfighter fitted with upward firing cannon, was captured after it landed at an occupied airfield by mistake. JOJ was shot down on its way home, by Lt Hans Schmitz flying a Messerschmitt Bf110G night fighter variant with upward firing cannon, nick-named 'Schrage Musik' by the Germans. The aircraft positioned itself in a blind spot under the Lancaster, before unleashing a hail of 20mm cannon fire into the underside of the bigger plane. The effect was often catastrophic as was the case with JOJ, which broke up in mid-air and rained wreckage in and around the Dumoulin quarry near Langemark in northern Belgium. There were no survivors. LL881 - 22/03/44 to 10/05/44, Callsign JO-E: 11 Missions. The first on 22/23-Mar-1944 to Frankfurt. The 9th mission on 10/11-May-1944 to Lille when LL881 was listed as missing. 418915 FSGT John Henry BROWN RAAF WOP 31 HELLEMMES 427445 FSGT George Martin DANN RAAF RGNR 30 FOREST/MARQUE 430019 FSGT Colin Henry EASTGATE RAAF MUG 29 FOREST/MARQUE 410493 FLGOFF George Oswald JONES RAAF NAV 23 FOREST/MARQUE 10119 POFFR William John LEWIS RAAF FENG 32 FOREST/MARQUE 416443 WOFF Alan Richard MacKENZIE RAAF BAim 26 FOREST/MARQUE 420413 FLGOFF Dudley Francis WARD RAAF PILOT 24 FOREST/MARQUE 8 missions were flown by this crew. LL-882 - 463 Sqn. 24/03/44 to 10/05/44, Callsign JO-J 'The Langemark Lancaster - see related story. There were 15 missions recorded in the Operational Record with the first in March 25/26 1944 to Aulnoye. 407199 FLOFF Robert McKerlie CROFT RAAF MUG 27 WEVELGUM 407821 FLOFF David Payne CROSTON RAAF RGNR 32 WEVELGUM 1443752 FSGT Bertram FRASER RAF BAim 22 WEVELGUM 134697 FLOFF Ronald JACQUES RAF NAV ? WEVELGUM 1802369 SGT Harry Law MOLYNEUX RAF FENG 21 WEVELGUM 422817 SQNLDR Mervyn POWELL RAAF PILOT 29 WEVELGUM 406700 FLTLT William Neil READ RAAF WOP 22 WEVELGUM HK535 - 463 Sqn. 20/12/43 to 10/05/44, Callsign JO-N 11 Missions. First mission to Frankfurt 20/21-Dec-1943. This was their 11th Mission 24519 FSGT Richard William ASH RAAF MUG 20 HELLEMMES 1609134 SGT Raymond Herbert BOULTON RAF FENG 19 HELLEMMES 422414 FSGT Ivan CHAPPLE RAAF NAV 24 HELLEMMES 423878 POFF Walter Thomas PETERS RAAF BAim 24 HELLEMMES 1459044 SGT Leonard Edgard PRINGLE RAF WOP ? HELLEMMES 425226 FLTLT Eric Mc Laren SCOTT RAAF PILOT 22 FOREST/MARQUE 424888 WO William Allen SLADE RAF RGNR 23 MISSING No. 467 Squadron RAAF LM475 Callsign PO-B for 'Baker'. A very experienced crew. First mission Dec 1943 See blog link in Sidebar. This was their 20th Mission and the last for Phil Smith to complete his second Tour. 1352851 SGT Eric Reginald HILL RAF MUG 22 LEZENNES 425413 FSGT Alistair Dale JOHNSTON RAAF WOP 24 LEZENNES 658844 FSGT Jeremiah PARKER RAF BAim 30 LEZENNES 423311 FSGT Gilbert Firth PATE RAAF RGNR 27 LEZENNES 412686 WOFF Royston William PURCELL RAAF NAV 22 LEZENNES 400495 SQNLDR Donald Phillip Smeed SMITH RAAF PILOT EVADE the only survivor from 12 aircraft 1850279 SGT Kenneth Harold TABOR RAF FENG LEZENNES LL788 Callsign PO-G 2221020 SGT Charles Arthur NASH RAF MUG 23 FOREST/MARQUE 424914 FSGT Herbert William Reid FERGUSON RAAF RGNR 28 HELLEMMES 417176 FSGT Brian Gordon GRASBY RAAF WOP 21 HELLEMMES 422506 FSGT William Stanley HANCOCK RAAF BAim 22 HELLEMMES 1431527 SGT Cyril DUTHOIT RAF FENG LEZENNES 420870 POFF William Eldred FELSTEAD RAAF PILOT 22 LEZENNES 1580333 SGT John MELLOR RAF NAV 30 LEZENNES EE143 Callsign PO-J 427870 FSGT Bernard Francis CODY RAAF MUG 23 ANNAPPES 2220133 SGT George BENNETT RAF RGNR 27 HELLEMMES 419298 FLOFF Harry Ronald CROUT RAAF BAim 29 HELLEMMES 414997 POFF Douglas HISLOP RAAF PILOT 23 HELLEMMES 1891298 SGT Bertram Stephen LONGHURST RAF FENG 37 HELLEMMES 25243 FLOFF John Francis TUCKER RAAF WOP 25 HELLEMMES 424239 FSGT Kevin Campbell WAIGHT RAAF NAV 20 HELLEMMES Three other Australians were lost in other aircraft on the raid; 414761 POFF Hugh DonaldD CAMPBELL RAAF PILOT 23 9 Sqn LM528 WS-D HELLEMMES 423359 FLOFF Albert Edward TYNE RAAF BAim 33 9 Sqn LM528 WS-D FOREST/MARQUE 425794 FSGT Walter James WHITE RAAF AG 23 9 Sqn LM520 WS-X FOREST/MARQUE This remains a work in progress We are tracking images of these men; if you can help, Register and join over 20,000 people who have contributed material to the site. Thanks to ADF Serials website for this detail, and to the researchers of 'Aircrew Remembered' to which links have been posted. Thanks also to Conrad Dumoulin, Belgium for providing assistance in the preparation of this article and that of the 'Langemark Lancaster' to which his father was a witness. Thanks to Adam Purcell, his excellent blog @somethingverybig.com and the story of 'B for Baker' of No. 467 Squadron CWGC websites and cemetery pages WW2 Nominal Roll AWM Roll of Honour

Avenues-of-Honour-Final-Report-2017.03.24.pdf

This group initially included, Pilot Alan Dale, Navigator John Tindale, Bomb-aimer Bud (Isaac) Sewell, Rear-gunner Geoff Bailey, and Wireless operator/Air gunner Fred Renshaw. With the exception of the pilot, this group managed to stay together for the duration of their training and until the end of their tour of duty. By the beginning of April 1944, the crew had a new pilot, an Australian by the name of Les Dowling. Les, a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, was already a seasoned veteran and had been hanging around the mess looking for a new crew. On his previous tour, Les's plane had taken enemy fire while on a raid over France. His plane aflames, he had ordered his crew to jump, while he alone stayed with the plane until he crash landed somewhere behind enemy lines. Les somehow managed to make his way across the Pyrenees to Spain and from there he found his way to England. Les had no intention of ever ending up in a crashing plane again, and somehow he managed to keep that promise to himself and his crew. In July 1944, the crew joined 76 Squadron at Holme-on-Spalding Moor in Yorkshire. By now, the crew was flying the Halifax III Bomber. Although night flying afforded the aircraft the cover of darkness, it had its own risks. Instrumentation was inadequate, and the Halifaxes had to fly with no lights. Up to a thousand planes would be sent up at the same time and it was not until they were in the close vicinity of another plane that they were aware of its presence. Weather reports were unreliable, and even though they waited for clear nights to carry out a raid, there was no guarantee that they would find clear skies or a hole in the cloud when they were over the target. And with such large numbers of aircraft flying over enemy guns, the losses inccurred were very heavy for 76 Squadron (this squadron alone had 775 casualties, and over 280 crewmen taken as prisoners of war). During this tour of duty, my father's crew flew in 34 raids over France and Germany. (In the RAF, an airman was awarded 3 points for a trip over France, and 4 points for a trip over Germany. A tour was considered ended when 120 points had been accumulated). The Gelsenkirchen-Nordstern Mission On one of the operations over the Gelsenkirchen-Nordstern area in Germany, my father's crew was unable to disperse their load the first time round and had to go back over the target area a second time. By the time the Halifax bomber reached home base in England, it had seventeen holes in the wings and fuselage caused by German anti-aircraft fire. This mission won members of the crew the Distinguished Fly Cross. The following excerpt is from "To See the Dawn Breaking: 76 Squadron Operations" (p 158) and describes the lead-up to the raid over Gelsenkirchen: "Meanwhile, the squadron was playing its role in attacks on beleagured enemy garrisons. Gun emplacements and strong points at Le Havre received a caning, two major raids being flown on the 10th leaving the defenders shocked and confused. Just before the middle of September, two attacks on synthetic oil installations at Gelsenkirchen were launched. Well over a year had passed since the squadron last visited this prime target, then one of the many objectives in the first Battle of the Ruhr. The first raid was aimed at a plant in the Buer district, commencing in the early afternoon of the 12th. A strong barrage of flak rose to buffet the mainforce pouring across the town between 17,000 and 18,000 feet. Nearly every squadron bomber was hit, though none broke station. Warrant Officer Les Dowling RAAF, however, decided to make a second run as Sergeant Geoff Bailey, one of his air-gunners, will now explain. "At the last moment cloud obscured the Aiming Point and the bomb-aimer did not press the release button. Then the cloud drifted clear, so the skipper plumbed for another go. By the time we started our second run we were practically on our own and the flak gave us a renewed hammering. Talk about sweating cobs, I was glad to see the back of Gelsenkirchen that day'." Jimmy Burridge described his memories of the mission in a letter to me: "My recollections are - as we approached the target we could see that the lead A/C were bombing the railyard and many oil tankers were burning. A huge fire with much smoke and therefore very convincing that this was the target. Bud called to Les to turn 90 degrees starboard because that was where the oil refinery was just adjacent to the railway yard. Our first run over the bombs would not release because of ice. Les decided to go round again and this time Bud jettisoned all the bombs in one go to make sure of the release and it worked. However, we were now the last A/C over the target. Everyone else was heading for home. All the ACK ACK concentrated on us and we were hit. You could smell the cordite! Some panic was heard on the intercom (first time ever!) And Les told them to “Shut up and listen to Jimmy”. I told Les exactly where each shell burst came and he from his experience and training turned the A/C away from the expected next prediction. One shell came through the rear starboard side floor and went out through the portside roof taking a lump out of the point fin. The shell DID NOT GO OFF!! Les won the DFC for his determination to press on to the true target and for his airmanship in getting the A/C through the ACK ACK."

R_BROWN.pdf

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151682812

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105583389?

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12244181

2017_Jasmine_Grist_Arthur_Fillis_Grist.pdf