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Edwin John Turk KIA December 25, 1943 - Beaufort Navigator

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 1:52 am
by joad
Hi

I have the service record of Edwin John Turk held at the Australian National Archives. Does anyone have any information further information on him or his crew or the loss of their Beaufort?

A link to a picture at the AWM is here: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx? ... Id=1066135

The caption reads as follows -
"Crew of a Beaufort bomber aircraft of No. 100 Squadron RAAF who took part in a mass raid on Lakunai aerdrome, Rabaul. Left to right: 416433 Flying Officer (FO) Theodore Victor Benno Kleinig, St Kitts, SA; 428376 Pilot Officer (PO) Edwin John Turk, Gymbowen, Vic; 420699 FO Stanley James Miller, Sydney NSW; 418030 Flight Sergeant Barry Cameron White, Camberwell Vic. All of the above airmen excepting FO Miller were lost on operations over New Guinea on 25 December 1943. FO Miller was accidentally killed in New Guinea on 25 December 1943."

Thanks in advance

Adam

Re: Edwin John Turk KIA December 25, 1943 - Beaufort Navigator

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 12:32 pm
by RSwank
There is a description of the loss on page 5 on this link.

http://raafavic.org.au/wp-content/uploa ... r-2015.pdf


.... RAAF 8 Squadron based at Vivigani strip on Goodenough Island was involved in an attack on Rabaul on
Christmas Day in 1943. The crew of Beaufort A9-444 was comprised of:

FLOFFF Theodore Victor Benno KLEINIG 416433 (Pilot)
PLTOFF Edwin John TURK 428376 (Navigator)
FLOFF Stanley James MILLER 420699 (Wireless Air-Gunner) and
FLTSGT Barry Cameron WHITE 418030 (Wireless Air-Gunner)


The aircraft, having completed its operation, returned and circled the strip and came into land a little high. It bounced and at the top of the bounce an explosion occurred on the starboard side just behind the mainplane. The tail rose and the rear section disintegrated. As the wreckage slid forward the fuel tanks in the wings caught fire and exploded. One body was thrown forward of the aircraft and one just clear of the nose. The other two members were incinerated within the aircraft.

Kleinig was graded as an above average pilot and it seems that a bomb must have remained hung up and the shock of landing caused it to explode. It did not auger a Happy Christmas for the crew, their relatives nor their colleagues.

Re: Edwin John Turk KIA December 25, 1943 - Beaufort Navigator

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:22 pm
by joad
Hey thanks RS. Much appreciated!