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| RAAF No. 2 Squadron |
Pilot F/Lt Robert Wylie Burns Cuming, 200540 (KIA, BR) Toorak, VIC Co-Pilot P/O Robert Henry Martin, 401454 (KIA, BR) Somerville, VIC Crew P/O Philip Howard Richards, 407592 (KIA, BR) Payneham, SA Wireless/Air Gunner Sgt John Bessell-Browne, 406205 (KIA, BR) Toorak, VIC Wireless/Air Gunner Sgt Albert Edwin Blake, 4560 (KIA, BR) Heywood, VIC Wireless/Air Gunner Sgt Henry Jennings Dean, 3934 (KIA, BR) Hamilton, NSW Passenger Sgt Kevin Henry Kelaher, 403287 (KIA, BR) Barraba, NSW Passenger LAC Ormond Frederick Ewald Crawford, 19485 (KIA, BR) Passenger LAC Edmund Geoffrey Mears, 19266 (KIA, BR) Essendon, VIC Passenger LAC Vincent Harold Smith, 30308 (KIA, BR) Hobart, TAS Passenger Aircraftman 1st Class Frank Morris, 16698 (KIA, BR) Sheffield, England Crashed January 20, 1942 at 6:30pm Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 1933. Disassembled and shipped oversea to Australia as part of Defense Aid. Wartime History On April 2, 1940 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Hudson Mark II serial number A16-79 and reassembled by 2 Air Depot (2 AD). On December 28, 1942 assigned to No. 2 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On January 20, 1942 at at 6:30pm took off from Poeloeti Airfield (Penfui) in West Timor piloted by F/Lt Robert Wylie Burns Cuming grossly overloaded with men and stores to evacuate ahead of the impending Japanese invasion bound for Namlea Airfield on Boeroe Island. After take off, this Hudson climbed very steeply and reached 200' to 300' before the left engine burst into flames causing the Hudson to stalled and crashed onto the runway exploding into flames and killed everyone aboard. The crash was deemed to be caused by rapid and incorrect trim adjustment or structural failure after the loss of the left engine. This Hudson was officially stricken on February 19, 1942. Memorials The entire crew as officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are buried at Ambon War Cemetery in collective grave 11. D. 5-16. References ADF Serials - Hudson A16-79 CWGC - Robert Wylie Burns Cuming CWGC - Robert Henry Martin CWGC - Philip Howard Richards CWGC - John Bessell-Browne CWGC - Albert Edwin Blake CWGC - Henry Jennings Dean CWGC - Kevin Henry Kelaher CWGC - Ormond Frederick Ewald Crawford CWGC - Edmund Geoffrey Mears CWGC - Vincent Harold Smith CWGC - Frank Morris Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 12, 2023 |
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