CRASH OF A B-25D MITCHELL
INTO THE SEA NEAR ANGLESEA, VIC
ON 1 DECEMBER 1944

On 1 December 1944 at 11.10 am, RAAF B-25D Mitchell (A47-24) crashed into the sea out from Anglesea, Victoria at a location about 20 miles south of Port Philip Heads.

This ex-NEI 18 Squadron machine had been just refurbished for service with the RAAF. It was being tested at the Torquay bombing range out to sea from Pt. Addis. Joyce Graham, Chief Observer of the Anglesea Volunteer Air Observer Corps (VAOC) saw the bomber practicising out to sea on the firing range. It caught fire, lost height and dropped into the ocean. Geelong Control was notified, and search operations were directed to a large oil patch. Two crew members were lucky to escape - three did not survive. In 2002 there was talk about salvaging what is left of the wreck.

The Volunteer Air Observer Corps manned Anglesea's Loveridge Lookout during WW2. The Anglesea & District Historical Society has their original VAOC Log Books which contain details of this crash.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Lindsay Braden (Researcher for the Anglesea & District Historical Society) for his assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 9 March 2003

This page last updated 03 February 2020