Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early in the war, 455 Squadron was equipped with the Handley Page Hampden light bomber, in what were Bomber Command markings

On 2 August 1943, Hampden torpedo bombers of No 455 Squadron RAAF attacked a convoy off the Norwegian coast. This aircraft (L4105/D) suffered massive flak damage to its tail - half the elevator was blown away, the starboard fin twisted and the port rudder fouled by debris. The crew were forced to lash a rope around the rudder bar and took turns helping the pilot, Flying Officer Iain Masson, hold the aircraft straight as they limped back to Leuchars for a crash-landing.

A 455 Squadron Beaufighter in its Coastal Command markings replete with Invasion Stripes post June 1944. The Beaufighter was sometimes described as "two engines followed closely by an aeroplane". It was relatively fast, very heavily armed with four nose mounted cannon, six wing mounted machine guns and devastating rockets or bombs. 455 Squadron Beaufighters were not configured to launch torpedoes, rather their partner RNZAF squadron did. The pilot had peerless forward vision.

EUBOEA ISLAND, GREECE. 1941-05-08. OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE 2/2ND AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION NEAR THE VILLAGE OF PILI ON THE EVE OF THEIR DEPARTURE FROM THE ISLAND IN THE AEGEAN SEA AFTER ESCAPING FROM THE MAINLAND OF GREECE. THEY EVENTUALLY REJOINED THE AUSTRALIAN FORCES VIA TURKEY. FRONT ROW L TO R, PTE J.A.E. WHITTON, L SGT R.C. SMITH, PTE H.R. BROWN, PTE W. SCHOFIELD; BACK ROW, PTE M.J. SANDERS, CPL J.W.H. FULLER, CPL H.J. HONEYWELL, LT COL FRED O. CHILTON, CAPT CHARLES HERCULES GREEN, CAPT BRUCE BROCK, LT A.K. BOSGARD, CAPT A.A. BUCKLEY, CPL J. SHANAHAN.

Photograph appears on p. 27 of The Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to the Queenslander, 13 November, 1915... Courtesy of Faithe Jones

Group portrait of the original officers of the 10th Battalion, still in their variety of militia uniforms - barely any two are dressed exactly the same. Left to right, back row: Lieutenant (Lt) Julius August William Kayser (later Major, killed in action in France on 16 February 1917); Lieutenant (Lt) Clarence Rumball; Lt Louis Gordon Holmes; Lt Trevor Owen-Smyth (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 6 May 1915); Captain (Capt) Sydney Raymond Hall (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Lt John Hamilton (later Capt); Lt Alfred Cyril Sommerville; Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) David Leslie Todd (later Capt); and Lt Albert John Bryne (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915). Middle row: Lt Mervyn James Herbert (later Major ); Lt Keith Eddowes Green (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Lt Robert James Mansfield Hooper (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 27 May 1915); Lt Eric John Carl Stopp; Lt Hector Roy Heming; Lt Eric Wilkes Talbot Smith, (later died of wounds in Egypt on 30 April 1915); Lt Herbert Champion Hosking; and Capt Harold William Hastings Seager (later Maj and awarded MC). Front row: Lt Eric James Sexton (later Maj); Capt George Dorricutt Shaw (later Maj); Maj Miles Fitzroy Beevor (later Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col)); Capt Harry Carew Nott (Medical Officer) (later Lt Col); Maj Frederick William Hurcombe, Second in Charge (2IC later Lt Col and MID); Colonel Stanley Price Weir (Commanding Officer, later awarded DSO); Capt Francis Maxwell de Flayer Lorenzo (Adjutant later Lt Col and awarded DSO); Capt Charles Francis Minagall (Quartermaster, later Maj); Capt Edward Castle Oldham (later Maj and killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915); Capt Ross Blyth Jacob (later Lt Col); and Lt Vernon Hermann Robley Absent: Lt William Stanley Frayne, (later killed in action at Gallipoli on 6 August 1915); Lt Charles Percy Farrier (later killed in action at Gallipoli); Lt Felix Giles (later Lt Col); 2nd Lt Noel Medway Loutit (later Lt Col); Lt William Howard Perry (later Capt and awarded MC); and Captain George Ernest Redburg (later Maj).

THE STAFF OF THE DENTAL SECTION, 105 CASUALTY CLEARING STATION. IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- CPL F. JAMES (1); STAFF SERGEANT C.H. FERRIS (2); CAPT W.J. STONEY (3); PTE C.F.W. SPAR (4).

ASMAN KHAN, AN EMACIATED INDIAN, WHO IS RECEIVING TREATMENT AT 105 CASUALTY CLEARING STATION.

A TUBE BEING PUSHED DOWN INTO THE TRACHEA OF A PATIENT BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF AN OPERATION AT THE DENTAL SECTION, 105 CASUALTY CLEARING STATION. THE OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED BY CAPT T.H. THOMSON (1).

MEMBERS OF THE ARMY NURSING SERVICE AT LUNCH IN THE TEMPORARY MESS HUT AT THE 105TH CASUALTY CLEARING STATION. IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- VFX138593 LIEUTENANT M.B. O'LOUGHLIN (1); NFX131524 LIEUTENANT M. MCLAUREN SMITH (2); QFX37037 LIEUTENANT G.C. MULLER (3); WFX1543 CAPTAIN K.H. BARNES (4); VFX111207 LIEUTENANT M. MCL. WILSON (5); VFX117287 LIEUTENANT C.M. DWYER (6); QFX44641 LIEUTENANT C.J. GRACEY (7).

Laurence