RAAF
30 Squadron
RAAF 1995
Phil Bradley 2001
Justin Taylan 2003
Pilot FLGOFF Charles Hilton Chapple, 421967
(KIA)
Gunner FLGOFF Percy John Coates, 409815 (KIA)
MIA November 25, 1943
Mission History
Crashed after attacking Japanese barges
off New Britain on November 25, 1943.
Wreckage
Impacted in difficult country,
ten minutes by chopper inland from Kimbe. Initailly located by Brian
Bennett in October
1995. RAAF Searcher team visited the site the same year, and recovred the remains of the two crew.
Brian Bennett adds:
"In 1985, a geologist and helicopter pilot were working in that area, and got a report from a villager about a crash site. They reported it to me., but I had no way to get there. Ten years later, another helicopter pilot asked me if I wanted to go there to investigate it. The three of us, Rodney Marden, Tonly Aldred and I went there and found the same villager who had reported it in 1985. We found it, and its Hercules engines, and knew Beaufighter. We found the serial number, the RAAF came out a few months later and the rest is history."
Crew
Laid to Rest & Memorial
The
crew members were buried at Bita
Paka War Cemetery, Rabaul on November
25, 1995. This aircraft featured in the final chapter
of Jim Eames' book, The Searchers.
Memorial & Artifacts
On Display
A propeller from
this aircraft currently forms part of the Sam
Remo Memorial. The
retrieval of this propeller and engine, was done recovered for the
Memorial. A
portions of the aircraft's instrument panel is displayed at the PNG
Museum in
Port Moresby. The rudder
pedals and armor plated glass are
at the Kokopo Museum.
Beaufighter
MIA
History
by Phil Bradley
