Aircraft History
Constructors Number 1044. US Navy Bureau Number 08150.

Assigned to 3 OTU on April 20, 1943, with tail code RB-T. Next, assigned to 20 Squadron on June 11, 1943 with tail code FJ-H. Then, assigned to 11 Squadron on October 6, 1943.

Mission History
Departed Cairns at approximately 2350 hours on an mission to attack
Kavieng. A parachute flare inside this PBY ignited prematurely when its altitude setting ring was being adjusted. In order to prevent premature detonation of other ordnance or mid-air structural failure from fire, the Catalina ditched as soon as possible. at Jacquinot Bay, with the crew members making shore in the vicinity of Malakua.

A letter from C. O. 11 Squadron to the Air Board on 15 February stated:
"At 0136/L 8th February, signal received SOS LFIA in flames 010* 180 miles heading west (received from Catalina A24-34 on Operation CFB 9 on 8th February 1944).

Further message received at 0150/L. SOS LFIA 340* 130 miles (near Gasmata). That was last message received from Aircraft. No further word has been received from aircraft or bases at which it might have sighted... One Catalina on returning from Kavieng mission searched the area on following night flashing TODD with reconnaissance lights. The above searches were without success."

Fates of the Crew
In enemy territory, four members of the crew managed to escape (Ralfe, Liedl, Jones and Howard). The other six crew members (Stacy, Todd, Murphy, Pocknee, Woolley and Kraehe) were taken prisoner by the Japanese and transported to Rabaul.

Murphy, Pocknee, Woolley and Kraehe were likely executed at the Talili Bay Massacre. After the war, the Japanese reported that Pocknee, Woolley, Kraehe and Murphy had been prisoners of war in Rabaul and were killed by allied bombing at Talili and their bodies cremated. Box alleged to contain ashes of mixed Allied dead including these members has been recovered - and their deaths presumed. These crew members are now buried in Collective Grave E.C.5-11 at Bita Paka Cemetery.

Captain J J Murphy, a former prisoner of war, stated that S/Ldr Todd died
of illness. Similar information was obtained from the Japanese after
surrender. He is buried in Grave D.B.1 at the Bita Paka Cemetery.

On February 17, 1944 Stacy 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.

References
The details regarding crew are based on the WW2 Nominal Roll (ie, showing that they survived, as well as their POW status). Death details come from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Royal Australian Air Force History Summary Page references to A24-34 by Michael Moskow

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009

PBY

POW

S 10 40
E 152 29