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| RAAF No. 4 Squadron     Justin Taylan 2005 |
Pilot W/O Stanley John Hart, 406204 (MIA / KIA) Ballina, NSW Observer F/Sgt Harold Wendell Phillips, 8746 (MIA / KIA) Hawthorn, VIC Crashed January 17, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Constructors Number 693. Delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as CA-9 Wirraway serial number A20-492. Wartime History Assigned to No. 4 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On January 17, 1943 took off from Berry Drome (12 Mile) near Port Moresby piloted by W/O Stanley John Hart on a reconnaissance flight over the Gona area. When this aircraft failed to return it was declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search Wirraway A20-507 piloted by F/O J. R. Mowbray with observer P/O D. R. Sheppard made unsuccessful search for aircraft the day of the mission. The next day, the crash site of A20-492 was spotted by Wirraway A20-507 pilot F/O R S Boydell with observer P/O K. N. French. Wreckage This Wirraway crashed inland from Sanananda. On January 19, 1943 at 3:00am a patrol from the Australian Army 18th Australian Infantry Brigade led by Corporal Blanch found the crash site. Inside the cockpit were traces of blood and the relatively intact condition of the wreckage made it possible the crew have survived. They searched 40 yards from the wreckage but found no tracek of the crew. Recovery of Remains Postwar, during 1946 or 1947, the wreckage was again investigated by a RAAF Searcher Team led by S/L Keith Rundle. At the crash site, he discovered two sets of remains found by a native who was clearing some land for a garden, two years after the crash. The remains were under a tree near the native's house and Rundle was taken to the site that included bone fragments, remains of a black boot that was RAAF type. This site was approximately 80 yards from the crash and 50 yards from the track to Sanananda. The larger set of remains is likely F/Sgt Phillips, who was 6' 2.5" tall. This report concluded that these remains should be accepted as those of this crew, but their identity could not be established. Memorials Both crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Both are buried at Bomana War Cemetery. Hart is at C8. A. 4. Phillips at C8. A. 5. Wreckage In 2005, wreckage from this aircraft was collected by locals into a large pile. Daniel Leahy adds: "The only Wirraway I know of where the crew was possibly captured and executed was A20-492 and the crew is still MIA. The aircraft was found by S/L Keith Rundle, but it is not known whether the crew were taken POW or died/were killed when attempting to get back to friendly territory. Based on the story and location of the wreck, I'm pretty sure it would be Wirraway A20-492." Justin Taylan visited the site in 2005: "Daniel Leahy and I visited this site in September. Present were one boom, wing and shattered parts of the fuselage. It appears the plane clipped a tree losing one wing. More pieces were displayed at a roadside relics display." References No. 4 Squadron Operations Record Book (ORB) - January 17, 1943 "17/1/43 – Land/Recce, Leaflet/Dropping in GONA area. A20-492 W/O. HART S. J. - F/Sgt. PHILLIPS H. W. departed DOBODURA on land/recce. of GONA areas. Aircraft failed to return. A20-507 F/O J. R. MOWBRAY and P/O D. R. SHEPARD made unsucessful search for this aircraft." 4 Squadron Diary RAAF Casualty Card - Wirraway A20-492 RAAF Department of Air Minute Paper - Presumption of Death of Crew of Wirraway Aircraft A20-492 A captured Japanese diary stated that on January 17 an Allied aircraft was shot down and two crew captured, no details were given, to prove it related to this aircraft. ADF Serials - Wirraway A20-492 CWGC - Stanley John Hart CWGC - Harold Wendell Phillips Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated January 11, 2024 |
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