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| RAAF 36 Squadron |
Pilot F/Lt John Donellan Balfe, 272371 (survived) Hobart, TAS Co-Pilot F/O Norman John Properjohn, 16549 (survived) Nangabrook, WA Wireless F/Sgt Thomas Henry Dennis, 425616 (survived) Beenleigh, QLD Passenger P/O Lloyd Ronald Thomas Ballard, 411728 (survived) Neutral Bay, NSW Passenger W/O Peter Gordon Brown, 400617 (survived) Melbourne, VIC Passenger F/Lt Ronald Scott Lovell, 270811 (survived) Roma, QLD Passenger Sgt Robert Lucas, 36186 (survived) Durham, England Passenger AC1 Marcel Edward Van De Velde, 123578 (survived) Mackay, QLD Passenger AC1 Edward Charles Noel Nason, 122934 (survived) Mile End, SA Passenger LAC Clement Thomas Anthony Haylen, 70786 (survived) Naremburn, NSW Passenger LAC Samuel Stephenson Collinson, 44803 (survived) Brisbane, QLD Passenger F/Sgt Frank Potten, 15088 (survived) Glebe, NSW Passenger Unidentified Australian Army (survived) Passenger Unidentified Australian Army (survived) Ditched December 14, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 9012. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47-DL Skytrain serial number 42-32786. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On March 20, 1943 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as C-47 Dakota serial number A30-17 but never applied. Instead, designated C-47 Dakota serial number A65-3. Assigned to No. 36 Squadron. Call sign VH-CTC. No known nickname or nose art. Later registered as VH-DAC and later VH-CTC. Mission History On December 14, 1943 took off from Cooktown Airfield bound for Horn Island Airfield. During the flight, suffered and engine failure and ditched into the sea approximately 1.5 km south of Turtle Head Island. All three crew and eleven passengers survived and were rescued. Daniel Leahy adds: "Both officers were later awarded the AFC (Air Force Cross) and the F/Sgt awarded the George Medal, though whether for this incident or not I don't know." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47-DL Skytrain 42-32786 "32786 (MSN 9012) to USAAF Jan 31, 1943. To RAAF as A30-17 Feb 27, 1943, but NTU. Then re-registered as A65-3 Mar 4, 1943. Operated by 36 Sqdn as VH-DCA then VH-CTC May 11, 1943. Crashed Dec 14, 1943 off Turtle Head, QLD." ADF Serials - Dakota A65-3 WW2 Nominal Roll - John Donellan Balfe WW2 Nominal Roll - Norman John Properjohn WW2 Nominal Roll - Thomas Henry Dennis WW2 Nominal Roll - Lloyd Ronald Thomas Ballard WW2 Nominal Roll - Peter Gordon Brown WW2 Nominal Roll - Ronald Scott Lovell WW2 Nominal Roll - Robert Lucas WW2 Nominal Roll - Marcel Edward Van De Velde WW2 Nominal Roll - Edward Charles Noel Nason WW2 Nominal Roll - Clement Thomas Anthony Haylen WW2 Nominal Roll - Samuel Stephenson Collinson WW2 Nominal Roll - Frank Potten Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 14, 2022 |
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