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| RAAF No. 100 Squadron  RAAF 1938 |
Pilot S/Ldr Clifford Sidney Bernard, 259 (MIA / KIA) Mount Macedon, VIC Observer F/O Leonard Herbert Ophel, 407129 (KIA, BR) St. Peters, SA Observer P/O Colin Gardner MacDonald, 411511 (KIA, BR) Gunnedah, NSW Crew F/Sgt George Robert Daws, 401288 (survived) Doncaster, VIC Crew Sgt William Henry Osborne, 411513 (survived) Milton, NSW Crashed September 28, 1942 Aircraft History Built by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne. Wartime History Delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Beaufort Mark VI serial number A9-89. Assigned to No. 100 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On September 28, 1942 at 3:45pm took off form Garbutt Airfield near Townsville piloted by S/Ldr Clifford S. Bernard on a flight bound for Gurney Airfield at Milne Bay. At dusk, this aircraft arrived in the vicinity of Mullins Harbor but due to low cloud and rain, the bomber was unable to reach Milne Bay. Instead, this Beaufort climbed above the clouds and turned westward towards Port Moresby. As he neared Port Moresby, S/Ldr Bernard turned towards land and could see what he believed were camp lights and continued westward along the southern coast of New Guinea. The first indication that the aircraft was dangerously low was when Sgt Osborne noticed that the aircraft's navigation lights were illuminating mangroves. Before he could warn the pilot, this aircraft then crashed near Keppel Point on the southern coast of New Guinea. Fates of the Crew F/Sgt Daws and Sgt Osborne survived the crash. On or about October 3, 1942 both were rescued by two RAAF "Moths" and returned to duty. Wreckage After the crash, the wreckage and remains of the crew killed were located by an Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) patrol led by W/O Robert John Stevenson, Q104522. At the crash site, the remains of P/O MacDonald was identified by dog tags, and S/Ldr Bernard was identified using a photo but by the time his remains could be recovered, his body had washed away. Further remains were found at the site and these were believed to be that of F/O Ophel. Recovery of Remains After the recovery of remains, the ANGAU patrol buried the remains of P/O MacDonald and F/O Ophel on the seafront about 400 yards east of Alaguni village. Search Postwar, additional searches were made for the missing crew. A RAAF Searcher Team led by F/Lt Coape-Smith located an unidentified skull which was presumed to belong to either S/Ldr Bernard or F/O Ophel. It is unknown what happened with this skull afterwards. Memorials The three crew killed in the crash were officially declared dead the day of the mission. After the recovery of remains, the two recovered crew members were buried at Bomana War Cemetery. Ophel at A1. C. 6. MacDonald at A1. C. 5. Bernard remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and is memorialized at Bomana War Cemetery on the Port Moresby Memorial, panel 9. He also has a memorial marker at Sandgate Cemetery in Newcastle, NSW at Ang 2, section 124 lot 5. Osborne was killed in the crash of Avro Anson LT781 on September 11, 1944. Afterwards, he was buried at Evans Head War Cemetery at Plot B. Row B. Grave 9. Daws was discharged from the RAAF on November 9, 1945. During 1987, he was reportedly living in Morphetville, SA. References ADF Serials - Beaufort A9-89 NAA RAAF Personnel File - Bernard Clifford Sidney, 259 (NAA: A9300, BERNARD C S) NAA RAAF Bernard, Clifford Sidney - (Squadron Leader); Service Number - 255 (NAA: A705, 163/23/160) CWGC - Clifford Sidney Bernard CWGC - Leonard Herbert Ophel CWGC - Colin Gardner MacDonald WW2 Nominal Roll - George Robert Daws CWGC - William Henry Osborne FindAGrave - Squadron Leader Clifford Sidney Bernard (Port Moresby Memorial, Bomana War Cemetery) FindAGrave - Clifford Sidney Bernard (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Flying Officer Leonard Herbert Ophel (Port Moresby Memorial, Bomana War Cemetery) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 21, 2023 |
 Beaufort  MIA 1 Missing |
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