27 FEBRUARY 1942
CRASH OF AN RAAF SHORT EMPIRE FLYING BOAT A18-12
IN CLEVELAND BAY, TOWNSVILLE, QLD

visits since 13 November 2000

Short Empire A18-12, ex QANTAS aircraft
VH-ABC "Coogee", at Rose Bay, NSW in 1940

Short S23 C-Class S.849, Empire Flying Boat, A18-12 G-AEUG "Coogee" VH-ABC (see above photo) of 33 Squadron RAAF, was extensively damaged in a landing accident in Cleveland Bay near Townsville on Friday 27 February 1942 opposite the Queens Hotel. The following six RAAF crew were all killed and buried at the Townsville War Cemetery:-

The Empire was previously VH-ABC "Coogee" which had been one of four Empire flying boats impressed into RAAF service from QANTAS.

QEA owned Empire Flying boat "Coogee" at Southampton embarkation dock in England in early 1939.

Maurice Clayton was the son of Stanley and Florence Anne Clayton, of East Katoomba, New South Wales. He was buried at Townsville War Cemetery, Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.A.9.

William French was the son of William James French and Mary Jane French. His wife was Doris Ethel French, of Ulverstone,  Tasmania. He was buried at the Townsville War Cemetery, Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.A.6.

Peter Devonshire was the son of of Lt.-Col. Guy Satterswaite Devonshire and Doris Devonshire, of Unley, South Australia. He was buried at the Townsville War Cemetery, Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.A. 10.

Robert Love was the husband of Patricia Christine Love, of Potts Point, New South Wales. He was buried in the Townsville War Cemetery, Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.A.11.

Harold Wagner was the son of John Henry and Catherine Wagner; husband of Vivien Beatrice Aileen Wagner, of Kingaroy. He was buried at the Townsville War Cemetery, Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.A. 14.

John Gordon was the son of Joseph and Maud Augusta Nicholson, of Fremantle, Western Australia. He was buried at the Sydney Memorial Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia, Grave Reference/Panel Number: Panel 6.

Short Empire Flying Boat "Carpentaria"

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE

PRELIMINARY REPORT (EXTERNAL) ON FLYING ACCIDENT OR FORCED LANDING

Serial No.    : 759             

Period           : 1941/42              

            The Secretary,

            Department of Air.

            Herewith are preliminary details of a flying accident.

     Date:  28.2.42

Air Commodore              
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING    

     Copies for information to-

     Minister for Air, C.A.S.
     A.M.O.E., A.M.P., Secretary Air Board
     D.M.S. (Air), D.T.S., M.A.A., D. Production, O. i/c. Casualty Section (D.P.S.)

     File (D.T.), D.T., D.S.D.

     (TD96/41)

WINGS AROUND US
By Rodney G. Cardell

Page 88
The squadron (33 Sqn) acquired two Empire Flying Boats from Nos. 11 and 20 Squadrons, and operated these from the bay between Townsville and Magnetic Island. One of the prettiest sights I ever witnessed was when I lived on the strand myself in about 1939/1940, and watched civil versions of these beautiful big silver boats approaching majestically from over Castle Hill way, to alight out in the bay. One of the 33rd Squadron's 'boats' crashed on take off from the bay on 27 February 1942, with much loss of life.

AIRCRAFT OF THE RAAF
By Sqn Ldr K. Isaacs, AFC

"Coogee" was written off in a landing accident at Townsville on February 27, 1942, and a few days later, on March 3, 1942, "Centaurus" was destroyed during a Japanese air-raid on Broome.

SOURCE:-   Aircraft Crash Sites - Australia

Crash:         No. 104

Position:     19.13 - 146.47

Department of Aviation Chart No:       3219

NOTE:- In September 2003, I was contacted by June Stones, the daughter of Cpl William French.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Richard Gibbons for his assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOK

"Diary of WWII - North Queensland"
Complied by Peter Nielsen

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 14 June 1998

This page last updated 23 August 2005