COLLISION OF 2 BEAUFORTS
30 MILES NORTH OF JERILDERIE, NSW
ON 2 FEBRUARY 1944

Beaufort Bomber

At 1309 hours E.A.S.T. on 2 February 1944, Beaufort A9-505 collided with Beaufort A9-507 about thirty miles north of Jerilderie in southern New South Wales during a cross-county training exercise resulting in the death of 9 men as follows:-

Beaufort A9-505 of 1 Squadron RAAF, Menangle
Flight Sergeant George Livingstone Forbes Wood (415097) - Pilot
Flight Sergeant Michael O'Malley (426903) - Navigator
Flight Sergeant Jack Stace Newnham (423876) - Wireless Air-gunner
Flight Sergeant Stanley Murray Johnston (429967) - Wireless Air-gunner

 

Beaufort A9-507 of 1 Squadron RAAF, Menangle
Flight Sergeant Percival Allen (415957) - Pilot
Flying Officer Cedric Ivan Barber (415959) - Navigator B
Flight Sergeant George Russell McCausland (419053) - Wireless Air-gunner
Flying Officer Donald Glen Broad (437112) - Wireless Air-gunner
LAC Richard Keith Shelton (88452) - Photographer

One passenger was listed as missing as follows:-

        LAC John Lovell Parer Nugent (130211) - Instrument Repairer

Both aircraft were attached to 1 Squadron RAAF based at Menangle in New South Wales. The "Preliminary Report (External) of Flying Accident or Forced Landing" indicated the following under the entry "Nature of Accident:-  Non-operational collision in air during cross country formation exercise.

The area of the crash is now what is known as the Coleambally farming district. Nine of the ten crew members are buried in the military section of the Narrandera Cemetery, after funerals and a public parade through Narrandera on the 4 February 1944.

NOTE:- I cannot find Flying Officer Donald Glen Broad (437112) in the WWII Nominal Roll for some reason. He does appear in the Roll of Honour web page. I advised the unit which maintains the WWII Nominal Roll in January 2014 and they advised that they will investigate and update the WWII Nominal Roll in due course.

REFERENCES

Nine Dead, 1 Missing in Crash - Narrandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser Tuesday 8 February 1944

Impressive Military Funeral - Narrandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser Tuesday 8 February 1944

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Michael Fuery for his assistance with this web page. Michael's uncle, Flight Sergeant Michael O'Malley, was killed in this tragic accident.

I'd also like to thanks Rohan ? for his assistance with this web page.

I'd like to thank Don Shelton for his assistance with this web page. Don is the son of LAC Richard Keith Shelton (88452), the Photographer who was killed in this tragic accident on board A9-507.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 22 January 2014

This page last updated 04 March 2020