4 February 1942 - Crash of a Kittyhawk in the Numinbah Valley

4 FEBRUARY 1942
CRASH OF A P-40 KITTYHAWK
ON BATTENS RIDGE, BEECHMONT
IN THE NUMINBAH VALLEY

kittyhawk.jpg (10661 bytes)
Kittyhawk

On the 4 February 1942 the wreckage of a P-40 Kittyhawk, was located on the side of Battens Ridge, Beechmont in the Numinbah Valley. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Donald Harry Hunter from 3 Service Flying Training School (3 SFTS) at Amberley was killed in this accident.

The following information is from the Commonwealth War Graves site:-

In Memory of

DONALD HARRY HUNTER

Flight Lieutenant
497
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on Wednesday, 4th February 1942. Age 25.

Son of Donald Augustus and Elsie May Hunter; husband of Dulcie Jean Hunter, of Purlewaugh. C. of E

Cemetery: COONABARABRAN CEMETERY, New South Wales, Australia

Grave Reference/ Panel Number: E. Plot. Sec. 2. Row F. Grave 15.

The following information is from the Australian War Memorial's Roll of Honour database:-

Hunter, Donald Harry

Number: 497

Rank: Flight Lieutenant [Flt Lt]

Unit: 3 Service Flying Trg School Amberley

Service: RAAF

Conflict: 1939-1945

Date of Death: 04/02/1942

Place of Death: Nerang

Cause of Death: Accidental

Memorial Panel: 116

Source: AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

Subject:     Numinbah Crash Site
Date:             Thu, 01 Mar 2001 09:30:07 +1000
From:            R and R <RodandRosemary@bigpond.com>

Have been doing some research on the local VDC Bn and one of the blokes I interviewed last year actually witnessed the crash and was first on the scene. Says it was a US aircraft with an Aussie pilot named Hunter from South Australia.....engine was salvaged and transported back to Amberley (he presumes).....re the pilot, "small amount in a sugar bag" he said in a matter of fact tone. He obtained further info on said event from an RAAF crash site researcher in more recent times.....gave him a piece of armour plate which he was told would be suitably inscribed and placed at the crash site.....trust this helps.....

Best regards....Rod (Rod Dux)

Subject:   Numinbah Crash Site
Date:           Tue, 03 Jul 2001 21:09:07 +1000
From:           R and R <RodandRosemary@bigpond.com>

Peter good evening....my contact is a bit old to go climbing around the mountain but a recent chat has presented a possible solution. He tells me that George Rankin of Beechmont has been recently chatting with the Air force (???) chap who is supposed to be putting a plaque at the scene. I believe his name is Thompson (?) and he is still a serving member as Les said he had been in E Timor in recent times.

Find enclosed a "bad" copy of a photo of the crash site shortly after the event I believe. I have put an 'X' approx where Les said the cockpit remains were found. The ridge site is on Prison Farm property I am told.