Aircraft History
Assigned to 32 Squadron, and later assigned to 8 Squadron.

Mission History
One of nine Beauforts from 8 Squadron that took off from Vivigani Airfield on a torpedo attack on Japanese ships off the east coast of New Ireland. This Beaufort was flying with four other aircraft in "B" flight formation.

At approximately 0400 hours the target was located and at 0402 hours the formation attacked. A9-244 remained with the formation up until the time of the attack but was not heard or seen after that.

In fact, it ditched. All crew members were captured by the Japanese.

Fates of the Crew
Taken to Rabaul as prisoners.

F/O C W Vincent and W/O Bailey were executed on November 25, 1943 and F/Lt G H Vincent died in captivity on January 14, 1944.

On February 17, 1944 F/O Brown was one of six Allied prisoners transported aboard a G4M1 Betty bomber from Rabaul to Truk, and then onward to Japan. He survived the war and was discharged from the RAAF in December 1945.

Memorials
The remains of W/O Bailey and F/Lt G H Vincent were located in a mass grave near Rabaul in 1950 and are now buried at the Bita Paka War Cemetery. F/O C W Vincent is listed on the Rabaul Memorial as having "No Known Grave".

References
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

Beaufort

POW / MIA