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RAAF No. 20 Squadron Former Assignments Qantas Empire Airways No. 11 Squadron |
Pilot F/O Allan Leslie Norman, 407006 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Hawthorn, VIC Co-Pilot F/O Frederick Arthur Donald Diercks, 407708 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Plympton, SA Navigator P/O Francis O’Connell Anderson, 403118 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Cremone, NSW Engineer Cpl Alfred Harry Lanagan, 6853 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Old Burren, NSW 2nd Engineer Cpl Alfred Roland Hocking, 18005 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Prahran, VIC Radio LAC William Murdoch Parker, 20343 (POW, executed 11-4-42) West Ryde, NSW Asst Radio LAC Vernon Holloway Hardwick, 17635 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Bencubbin, WA Rigger LAC John Joseph Burns, 19574 (POW, executed 11-4-42) Preston, VIC Armour LAC Ernest John McDonald, 10253 (POW, executed 11-4-42) East Malvern, VIC Ditched May 4, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Constructors Number 350. Purchased by Qantas Empire Airways (QEA). On October 23, 1941 registered in Australia as VH-AFS. Wartime History During January 1942 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as PBY-5 Catalina serial number A24-18. On January 30, 1942 assigned to No. 11 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. On February 3, 1942 during the night took off from Fairfax Harbor off Port Moresby piloted by Captain S/Ldr Francis B. Chapman, 1349 with co-pilot P/O Norman V. Robertson, 400046 on a night bombing mission against Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul. The formation included five Catalinas: this aircraft, Catalina A24-5, Catalina A24-3, Catalina A24-14 and Catalina A24-17. Over the target, this Catalina was attacked by A5M4 Claudes of the Chitose Kokutai (operating in tandem with the searchlight crews). Afterwards, returned safely to Fairfax Harbor at 2028Z/3. On Apirl 3, 1942 assigned to No. 20 Squadron. Mission History On May 4, 1942 took off piloted by F/O Allan Leslie Norman on a daylight reconnaissance mission over the area between Tulagi and Shortland ahead of the Battle of the Coral Sea. This Catalina reported it was under attack by anti-aircraft fire and fighters south of Bougainville. Another reference placed it over the Solomon Sea, west of New Georgia and south of Bougainville. No further messages were received from the plane and it failed to return and was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this Catalina likely ditched as the entire crew survived the landing. Fates of the crew The entire crew survived and were picked up by a Japanese warship and transported to Rabaul and became Prisoners Of War (POWs). They were held as prisoners for six months. On November 4, 1942 the nine crew members were bound with wire and decapitated on Matupi Island and buried in a mass grave. Recovery of Remains During 1947 and 1950 a mass grave was exhumed on Matupi Island and the remains of the crew were recovered and identified. Memorials After the recovery of remains, the entire crew was buried at Bita Paka War Cemetery. McDonald at H. C. 4. Burns at H. C. 5. Anderson at H. C. 6. Parker at H. C. 9. Norman at H. C. 10. Diercks at H. C. 11. Lanagan at H. C. 12. Hocking at H. C. 14. Hardwick at H. C. 15. Relatives Ross Smith adds: "My father George "Alan" Smith fitter/gunner for the blister was due to crew A24-18 but cut his thumb loading bombs so was unable to fly that day." References 11 Squadron Diary February 3, 1942 NAA "RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 20 Squadron Aug 41 - Mar 46" (NAA: A9186, 41) pages 122 (Page 122) 3/2/42 [February 3, 1942] An attack by aircraft of 11 and 20 Squadron on Japanese surface vessels in Rabaul Harbour [Simpson Harbor] and vicinity with priorty of targets as follows (a) cruisers and destroyers (b) troopships (c) flyingboats." ADF Serials - Catalina A24-18 WW2 Nominal Roll - Francis B. Chapman, 271349 WW2 Nominal Roll - Norman V. Robertson, 400046 WW2 Nominal Roll - Allan Leslie Norman, 407006 WW2 Nominal Roll - Frederick Arthur Donald Diercks, 407708 WW2 Nominal Roll - Francis O’Connell Anderson, 403118 WW2 Nominal Roll - Alfred Harry Lanagan, 6853 WW2 Nominal Roll - Alfred Roland Hocking, 18005 WW2 Nominal Roll - William Murdoch Parker, 20343 WW2 Nominal Roll - Vernon Holloway Hardwick, 17635 WW2 Nominal Roll - John Joseph Burns, 19574 WW2 Nominal Roll - Ernest John McDonald, 10253 CWGC - Allan Leslie Norman CWGC - Frederick Arthur Donald Diercks CWGC - Francis O’Connell Anderson CWGC - Alfred Harry Lanagan CWGC - Alfred Roland Hocking CWGC - William Murdoch Parker CWGC - Vernon Holloway Hardwick CWGC - John Joseph Burns CWGC - Ernest John McDonald "Catalina Squadrons First and Furthest" by Jack Riddell (privately published) mentions this loss Royal Australian Air Force History Summary Page references to A24-43 by Michael Moskow Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated May 17, 2026 |
 PBY Lat 8 S 155 E  POW 9 Prisoners Executed |
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