Pilot F/Lt. Ron A. Hanrahan (Sydney) (KIA)
Co-Pilot F/Lt. Grahame P. Lobwein (Toowoomba, QLD) (KIA)
Radio Flight Sgt Douglas A. Bruderlin (Singleton, NSW) (KIA)
RAAF Passenger Sister Verdun Bernice Sheah (Narrandera) (KIA)
RAAF Passenger Cpl Hugh Cushing (Brighton Beach, Vic) (KIA)
RAAF Passenger Cpl Stanley William Bridge (W Maitiand, NSW) (KIA)
RAAF Passenger LAC Maurice James Mills (Kingsford, NSW) (KIA)
RAAF Passenger LAC Norman Harold Blake (Melbourne) (KIA)
Navy Passenger Seaman D. T. Bristow (KIA)
Navy Passenger Seaman E. M. Hancock (KIA)
Navy Passenger Lt. J. L. Hohey (KIA)
Army Passenger Lt. L. H. Beard (KIA)
Army Passenger Lt. Col. T. D. Hannon (KIA)
Army Passenger W/O C. F.Martin (KIA)
Army Passenger Major L. C. Saunders (KIA)
Army Passenger Lt. W. R. Grieve (KIA)
Army Passenger Pvt R. A. Evans (KIA)
Passenger 2nd Lt. Abdul Ratif (Latif) (10155) 4/9th Jats Regiment (KIA)
Passenger Sepoy Lakter Raur (12148) (KIA)
Passenger L/Cpl Shai Singh (13670) (KIA)
Passenger Sepoy Shin Singh (18182) 2/12th Frontier Force Reg (KIA)
Passenger Sgt Humir Singh (11928) 2/12th Frontier Force Reg (KIA)
Passenger L/Cpl Dina Nath (7381) (KIA)
Passenger Sepoy Jogandel Singh (17673) (KIA)
Passenger Sepoy ? (17649) (KIA)
Passenger Sepoy Chelu Rham (13597) (KIA)
Passenger Sgt Chint Singh (4406) 2/12th Frontier Force Regiment (KIA)
Crashed  November 15, 1945

Aircraft History
Constructors Number 13339. USAAF serial number 42-93428.  DAT call letters were VH-CUP. Delivered to the RAAF in June 1944 and assigned to 33 Squdron and 9 Communication Unit.

Indian POW Passengers
Aboard were ten Indian POWs "DADWGS", members of the 2/12th Frontier Force Regiment, 4/9 Jats Regiment, that surrendered at Singapore. Taken to Wewak as laborers by the Japanese, they were liberated in October 1945 at Marienberg by Australan forces and represented the sole survivors of their contingent. They were taken to Boram for treatment at the 2/15th Field Ambulance on October 14th for their wounds and beri-beri. Afterwards, they were sent to Lae.

Mission History
This transport was carrying a total of 28 aboard, including it flight crew, and passengers from the Australian Army, Navy, RAAF and one nurse. Also, ten Indian POWs that were being flown from Wewak to testify at War Crimes trials at Rabaul.

This C-47 took from Lae, for a flight to Rabaul. It flew to to Finschafen and along the southern coast of New Britain to Jacquinot Bay Airfield. At 9 a.m. it departed Jacquinot Bay for the fifty minute flight to Rabaul. On this leg of the journey, it crashed into an unnamed mountain, whose height was incorrectly noted on their maps. All 28 aboard were killed in the crash near its peak, six miles inland from Wide Bay in an area known as Milim.

References
A Song For Sister Sheah by Robert Piper
Related Australian National Archives files:
Douglas Dakota A65 [Part 2] A9845 / 117, pages 52 - 55
Bruderlin D A 444773 A705 / 166/6/1442, pages 27, 50-51
Thanks to Robert Piper for additional details
Thanks to ADF Serials for aircraft information

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