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| RAAF Survey Flight Former Assignments 2 AD No. 6 Squadron No. 23 Squadron No. 24 Squadron 5 AD 1 OTU 7 AD 1 AD  RAAF July 29, 1941  RAAF July 29, 1941 |
Pilot F/Lt Lancelot Edward Hilmer Clarke, 416567 (MIA / KIA) Melrose, SA Crew F/O Thomas John Steel, 428807 (MIA / KIA) Dundas, NSW Crew Cpl William McPherson Gaze, 38868 (MIA / KIA) Boonah, QLD Passenger Squadron Leader Nigel Minter Pilcher, 260750 C. O. Survey Flight (MIA / KIA) Merewether, NSW Passenger Sqn Ldr Cuthbert Griffen, 262191 C.O. 14 OBU (MIA / KIA) Bonshaw, NSW Passenger LAC Frank George Chiverton, 22955 (MIA / KIA) Townsville, QLD Passenger LAC Walter Kenrick Nielsen, 151744 (MIA / KIA) Sarina, QLD Crashed July 23, 1945 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 1898. Disassembled and loaded as cargo and shipped across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On March 4, 1940 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Hudson Mark I serial number A16-47 and reassembled by 2 Air Depot (2 AD). On May 6, 1940 assigned to 6 Squadron. On June 29, 1940 assigned to 23 Squadron. On December 6, 1941 assigned to No. 24 Squadron at Garbutt Field in Townsville. On January 7, 1942 took off on a flight to Rabaul. On January 10, 1942 damaged during a Japanese air raid when a bomb exploded nearby damaging the wing, aileron and fuselage. Afterwards, temporarily repaired in the field using angled iron from a bed frame to bend the damaged wing back into shape. Afterwards, test flown by W/Cdr Lerew and deemed airworthy. On January 13, 1942 took off piloted by F/Lt Paul P. Paterson co-pilot F/O James S. McIntyre on a flight via Port Moresby to Garbutt Field for repairs. On April 20, 1942 assigned to 5 Air Depot (5 AD) for major repairs that took eleven months to complete. On March 3, 1943 assigned to 1 Operational Training Unit (1 OTU). On July 23, 1943 took off piloted by F/O J D Osborne, 400286 with Sgt C. D. Brockhurst, 425593, passenger F/O W. E. Savidge, 51233 and WAG Sgt C. H. Kealy, 416683. While landing, the brakes seized causing the Hudson to tip onto the nose. None of the crew were injured. On August 10, 1943 assigned to 7 Air Depot (7 AD). Next on April 19, 1944 returned to 1 Operational Training Unit (1 OTU). On April 29, 1944 assigned to 1 Air Depot (1 AD). On May 26, 1944 assigned to Survey Flight then on June 10, 1945 to 2 Air Depot (2 AD) before returning to Survey Flight on June 28, 1945. Coded SU-R. Mission History On July 23, 1945 at 8:41am took off from Lowood Airfield piloted by F/Lt Lancelot Edward Hilmer Clarke on an inspection flight bound for Bowen Airfield. Aboard were four passengers Squadron Leader Pilcher, Squadron Leader Griffen, LAC Chiverton and LAC Nielsen. Last heard at Rockhampton. When this Hudson failed to arrive it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). This Hudson was believed to have crashed into Shoalwater Bay near Akens Island. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. Pilcher on July 23, 1945. All are memorialized at Sydney War Cemetery at the Sydney Memorial. Clarke, Steel, Pilcher, Griffen on panel 5. Gaze, Chiverton and Nielsen on panel 7. References CWGC - Lancelot Edward Hilmer Clarke CWGC - Thomas John Steel CWGC - William McPherson Gaze CWGC - Nigel Minter Pilcher CWGC - Cuthbert Griffen CWGC - Frank George Chiverton CWGC - Walter Kenrick Nielsen ADF Serials - Hudson A16-47 ADF Serials - Hudson A16-47 Photo Gallery Oz@War "Crash of a Lockheed Hudson possibly in Shoalwater Bay near Akens Island, QLD on 23 July 1945" Lost: Uncle Jim's Short War by Alan Capp May 2014 page 23 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 14, 2024 |
 Hudson  MIA 7 Missing  Photo Archive |
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