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| RAAF 1 OTU Former Assignments No. 8 Squadron No. 23 Squadron  RAAF July 29, 1941  Hodgkinson 1942 |
Pilot F/Lt Neville Gerald Hemsworth, RAAF 260417 (survived) Observer Sgt Albert Horace Rodd, RAAF 401835 (survived) W/AG F/Sgt Robert Raymond Bamber, RAAF 403250 (WIA, survived) W/AG F/Sgt Henry Raynor Stephens, RAAF 404304 (WIA, died December 27, 1942) Lilyfield, NSW Passenger Pte Walter Barney, AIF QX22505 (MIA / KIA, BNR) Passenger Pte Peter Bowen, AIF (survived) Passenger Pfc Elbert H. Ross, 35251322 U.S. Army, 32nd Infantry Division (MIA / KIA, BNR) Logansport, IN Passenger Unknown U.S. Army soldier (survived) Ditched December 26, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed as Hudson Mark I. Constructors Number 1779. This aircraft had two Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp SCE-Gs engines. Disassembled and shipped across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On January 26, 1940 delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Hudson serial number A16-3. On January 22, 1942 the dorsal turret was removed for installation into Hudson A16-163. Reassembled and test flown by March 29, 1940. Assigned to No. 8 Squadron. On April 1, 1940 assigned to No. 6 Squadron. On July 1, 1940 assigned to 23 Squadron with code T on the fuselage. The serial number was painted on the lower side of the wings in white, rear fuselage in black and outer tail fins in black. On January 25, 1942 assigned to 1 Air Depot (1 AD). On February 16, 1942 assigned to 1 Operational Training Unit (1 OTU), On September 16, 1942 assigned to 5 Air Depot (5 AD) for installation of a Boulton Paul turret then returned to 1 OTU on October 5, 1942. This Hudson was one of twelve known as "1 OTU Detached Flight" that were flown from Bairnsdale Airfield to 5 Mile Drome (Ward Drone) at Port Moresby. On December 14, 1942 begins combat operations transporting supplies that were air dropped at Soputa and later landing supplies and troops to Dobodura. Mission History On December 26, 1942 took off from 5 Mile Drome (Ward Drone) piloted by Hemsworth on a mission to transport soldiers to Dobodura No. 3. After landing safely, this Hudson embarked four wounded soldiers on stretchers for the return trip back to Port Moresby. At 11:00am took off from Dobodura No. 3 piloted by Hemsworth on a flight bound for 5 Mile Drome (Wards Drone). Almost immediately, this Hudson was intercepted by Ki-43 Oscars from 11th Sentai (misidentified as "Zeros") and hit by gunfire and set on fire chased southward to Hariko and was accidentally fired on by Allied anti-aircraft fire. At roughly 11:10am, ditched into Oro Bay. Aboard on stretchers, Pte Barney and one unknown American or Australian soldier were killed by gun fire and went down with the aircraft as it sank. Bamber and Stephens were also wounded by gunfire. Afterwards, this action was depicted in a drawing "Hudsons over Oro Bay" by Roy Hodgkinson. Fates of the Crew After the crash, the survivors were rescued by U.S. Navy (USN) PT Boat and brought ashore. Two of the stretcher cases, Ross and Barney were killed by gunfire in the air and are presumed to have gone down with the aircraft when it sank. Wounded, F/Sgt Stephens suffered gun shot wounds to the left posterior thorax and died of his wounds the next day. Memorials Two of the crew remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Barney is commemorated at Bomana War Cemetery on the Port Moresby Memorial. Ross was officially declared dead on December 26, 1943. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Ross also has a memorial marker at Mount Hope Cemetery in Logansport, IN. Stephens was injured and died on December 27, 1942. He was initially buried at the war cemetery at Oro Bay and later interred at Bomana War Cemetery at B5. C. 27. References Some sources list this aircraft as crashed into Oro Bay or Hariko Bay RAAF Service Record - Neville G. Hemsworth (NAA: A9300, HEMSWORTH N G) AIF Service Record Walter Barney (NAA: B883, QX22505) CWGC - Henry Raynor Stephens CWGC - Walter Barney AWM "Hudsons over Oro Bay" by Roy Hodgkinson (ART21695) ADF Serials - Hudson A16-3 RAAF DB - Hudson A16-3 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Elbert H. Ross date of death listed as December 26, 1943 FindAGrave - Elbert Hugh Ross (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - PFC Elbert H Ross (tablets of the missing) South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 16 (December 26, 1942 Hudson A16-3 loss) Thanks to Edward Rogers and Daniel Leahy for their assistance with this profile Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 27, 2024 |
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