CRASH OF A WIRRAWAY
40 MILES SOUTH WEST OF BATCHELOR
NEAR MT. LITCHFIELD
ON 3 OCTOBER 1942

Wirraway

A 12 Squadron RAAF Wirraway, A20-503, went missing on the morning of 3 October 1942. It had been on a daily anti-submarine and coastal patrol between Darwin and Cape Forde. Searches by aircraft from 3 and 12 Squadron failed to locate the missing aircraft. The following day some P-40 Kittyhawks were also assisting with the search.

The wreckage of A20-503 was found that day by Squadron Leader Ron McDonald and Flight Sergeant Dennis Holmes 40 miles south west of Batchelor near Mount Litchfield. An Army ground party was sent to the wreckage from Litchfield Station. They found both crew dead:-

They were both buried at the Adelaide River War Cemetery by Padre Harper on 6 October 1942.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Manuscript History of 12 Squadron RAAF

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 25 July 1999

This page last updated 21 February 2020