Crash of a Japanese "Dinah", on Opium Creek Station, Northern Territory about 100 kms east of Darwin on 18 July 1943

CRASH OF A JAPANESE "DINAH"
ON OPIUM CREEK STATION, NT
ABOUT 100KMS EAST OF DARWIN
ON 18 JULY 1943

On 18 July 1943 two Mitsubishi Ki-46-II "Dinah" reconnaissance aircraft of the 70^th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai (Independent Squadron or FCs) were on a reconnaissance mission over the Darwin area. Squadron Leader Kenneth Elwyn James (408021) of 457 Squadron RAAF, shot down one of the two Japanese reconnaissance aircraft. It was "Dinah" No. 2414 piloted by Captain Shunji Sasaki with his observer Lieutenant Akira Eguri.

The Japanese "Dinah" crashed in a paddock on Opium Creek Station in the Northern Territory. The crash site is about 100 kms east of Darwin. Both crew members were killed in the crash. It was reported at the time that the aircraft had crashed at Mt. Bundy, Darwin (13-30S, 131-50E) with the actual wreckage being found 20 miles south of Pt. Stuart near Lake Finnis.

Captain Shunji Sasaki was the Commanding Officer of the 70^th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai. This unit had their headquarters at Malang in Java but carried out many reconnaissance activities over northern Australia from Koepang or Lautem in Timor.

Opium Creek Station buffalo & cattle and is owned by the Sultan of Brunei. Dan Stewart, who used to work on the station, was told that some time before 2002 the Australian Army along with some Japanese flew out to Opium Creek Station a couple of times to try to locate remains of those killed in the crash.

Dan Stewart standing on the wreckage of the Japanese
Dinah in "Nippon" Paddock on Opium Creek Station in 2002

The small plaque was erected at the crash site by the
70th D.C.S. Association Japanese Army-Airforce in August 1990

A plaque was erected on the site in August 1990 by the 70th D.C.S. Association Japanese Army-Airforce. The plaque says:-

In memory of fallen comrades

CAPT. SHUNJI SASAKI

and

LT. AKIRA EGURI

Died 18 July 1943 at this site.

And in memory of 14 fallen comrades

Died during WW2

in Northwest Australia.

2nd Lt. Kurasuke Setoguti
Lt. Yataka Tonoi
Lt. Shin-iti Matsuura
Lt. Kyuiti Okamoto
2nd Lt. Saburo Shinohara
Lt. Kyoshi Izuka

          Lt. Fumio Mori
          2nd Lt. Ghokiti Orihara
          Lt. Yasuo Yamamoto
          Lt. Hideo Ura
          Lt. Keisuke Shimazaki
          Lt. Hisad Ito

Dedicated by relatives & members of the

70th D.C.S. Association

Japanese Army Air Force

29th August 1990

The Manager of Opium Creek was there when they placed the plaque near the Dinah wreck in 1990. He said relatives of the Japanese pilots were in attendance. They lit incense and held a ceremony with all standing back solemnly. But as soon as formalities had ended, it was out with the tin snips and all were jockeying for position to get the prime cuts from the plane to take back to Japan. The Manager said he near got knocked down in the rush!

I'd like to thank Dan Stewart for his assistance with this web page. Dan used to work on Opium Creek Station. I'd also like to thank Rick Dunn for his assistance with this web page.

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