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| RAAF No. 100 Squadron  RAAF 1942 |
Pilot FlgOff David John Forrest, 406837 (MIA / KIA) Perth, WA Observer FlgOff Kenneth Gladstone Holmes, 405017 (MIA / KIA) Dawson Valley, QLD WAG Sgt Noel Loveday, 405049 (MIA / KIA) Pittsworth, QLD WAG FltSgt James Henry Hatfield, 412063 (MIA / KIA) Alstonville, NSW MIA May 21, 1943 after 12:00am Aircraft History Built by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne. Delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Beaufort Mark VIII serial number A9-188. Wartime History Assigned to No. 100 Squadron with code QH-? (single letter unknown). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On May 20, 1943 at 11:05pm took off from Vivigani Airfield on Goodenough Island piloted by FlgOff David J. Forrest armed bombs and incendiaries as one of nine Beauforts on bombing mission (Gur 89) against Gasmata Airfield on New Britain. The formation of nine Beauforts included Beaufort A9-203, Beaufort A9-193, Beaufort A9-227, Beaufort A9-188 (this aircraft), Beaufort A9-212, Beaufort A9-216, Beaufort A9-214, Beaufort A9-211 and Beaufort A9-200. On May 21, 1943 after midnight, the Beauforts arrive over the target and bomb causing small fires and explosions at Gasmata Airfield and dump areas around Gasmata. When this Beaufort failed to return, the entire crew were listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and officially written off June 9, 1943. According to the No. 100 Squadron Operations Record Book (ORB) the loss was "assumed to have been shot down by night fighters", but there is no evidence of any Japanese night fighter operating over this area on that date. The RAAF later concluded this Beaufort crashed in sea a half mile southeast of Arawin Island off Gasmata. Search On May 21, 1943 between 8:46am until 9:33am, seven Beauforts took off on a search mission (Gur 90 and Gur 91) to search for this missing Beaufort A9-188. The first search (Gur 90) six Beauforts searched the area from Milne Bay to Gasmata with fighters escorting. The Beauforts made diverging searches. One of the search aircraft, Beaufort A9-191 spotted a yellow dinghy 800 yards south of Gasmata and a piece of wreckage in the sea, but was unable to identify it. Possibly, this was wreckage and life raft were associated with this Beaufort A9-188. None of the other Beauforts sighted anything with all returning between 1:22pm to 1:31pm. Another search (Gur 91) was flown by only Beaufort A9-204 piloted by P/O Waters that took off at 9:33am and returned with nil sightings by 1:31pm. In September 2020, nephew Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest began a search for his uncle's missing Beaufort using a survey vessel and a team of explorers to search the underwater area south of Gasmata. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. For his actions, pilot Forrest was mentioned in dispatches (MID). All of the crew are memorialized at Bita Paka Cemetery on the Rabaul Memorial. Forrest and Holmes on panel 34. Loveday and Hatfield on panel 35. Relatives Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest (nephew of David J. Forrest) References WW2 Nominal Roll - David John Forrest WW2 Nominal Roll - Kenneth Gladstone Holmes WW2 Nominal Roll - Noel Loveday WW2 Nominal Roll - James Henry Hatfield NAA RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 100 Squadron Mar 42 - Aug 46 (NAA: A9186, 123) pages 163-164 [PDF] [Page 163] "Gur 89 - Strike against Gasmata Strip & Dumps. A9-211 and A9-200 airborne at Vivigani and all aircraft landed Gurney. A9-210 u/s at Vivigani. Each aircraft dropped 2 x 500 G.P. and 2 x 250 G.P. bombs and incendiaries. All in target area. Small fires and explosions observed. Also strafed target area. A9-193 sighted and strafed 150 ton vessel 4 miles E.) [Page 164] "[Gur 89 cont] of Gasmata which ran ashore. A9-188 did not return from mission." Gur 90 Search for missing aircraft A9-188, area Milne Bay to Gasmata with fighter cover. A9-191 sighted bright yellow rubber dinghy 800 yards south of Gasmata. Also one piece of wreckage about 2' 6" square, but unable to identify. Others nil sightings. A9-204 P/O Waters Gur 91 Diverging search for missing aircraft A9-188. Nil sightings." NAA RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 100 Squadron March 1943 (NAA: A9186, 123) page 155 [PDF] "21st - Nine (9) Beauforts operating from Goodenough Island and Milne Bay carried out a bombing raid on strip and dispersal points at Gasmata. Beaufort A9-188 failed to return and it is assumed to have been shot down by night fighters. The crew as under have been posted 'Missing Believed Killed: Pilot Officer D. J. Forrest (406837) Pilot Pilot Officer K. G. Holmes (405017) Observer No. 405048 F/Sgt Loveday, N. W.A.G. No. 412063 Sgt Hatfield, J. H. W.A.G. 22nd - Beauforts with fighter escort proceeded to vicinity Gasmata in daylight to search for missing crew. Reports indicated what may have been the aircraft wreckage also a dinghy were seen, and oil patches." RAAF Survey of Aircraft Wreckage, Papua New Guinea "#25 | RAAF Beaufort A9-188 | Crashed in sea ½ mile SE of Arawin Is Gasmata" ADF Serials - Beaufort A9-188 CWGC - David John Forrest CWGC - Kenneth Gladstone Holmes CWGC - Noel Loveday CWGC - James Henry Hatfield FindAGrave - Flying Officer David John Forrest (photo, Rabaul Memorial photo) FindAGrave - Flying Officer Kenneth Gladstone Holmes (Rabaul Memorial photo) FindAGrave - Sergeant Noel Loveday (Rabaul Memorial photo) FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant James Henry Hatfield (Rabaul Memorial photo) The Australian "Twiggy in hunt for lost plane" September 1, 2020 "Andrew ‘‘Twiggy’’ Forrest visit to Papua New Guinea sees him leading a week-long Fortescue Metals investment and philanthropic delegation. The team is said to be reviewing possible investment opportunities, including an involvement in the long-stalled Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang, the Purari River Hydro electricity scheme in the south of the country and the Porgera gold mine. But he’s also using the time between meetings to join a historic search mission in West New Britain to locate the Beaufort bomber 188 of his uncle David John Forrest. David was a No 100 Squadron pilot, believed to be shot down by Japanese forces near Gasmata Bay in May 1943 during the World War II. The PNG State Enterprises Minister Sasindran Muthuvel advised Forrest’s research vessel, the 60m Pangaea Ocean Explorer, was searching the sea floor for evidence of the crashed aircraft. David, aged 23, was the son of Robert and Agnes Forrest. The bomber had no known nickname or nose art. Forrest has a doctorate in marine ecology. All four of the crew are memorialised at Bita Paka Cemetery on the Rabaul Memorial. “I pray and wish Dr Forrest all the best in his search while he is a guest of West New Britain,” Muthuvel said. Australia’s richest man also plans to visit Indonesia with the delegation after meeting the PNG Prime Minister James Marape." South Pacific Air War (2024) page 251 "RAAF Beauforts attacked Gasmata on May 20–21 and reported encountering a night fighter. One Beaufort [this plane] failed to return." Thanks to Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, Richard Dunn and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 21, 2024 |
 Beaufort  Photo Archive  MIA 4 Missing |
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