Cover Design by: 121Creative Lower Ground Floor, Ethos House, 28-36 Ainslie Pl, Canberra ACT 2601 phone. (02) 6243 6012 email. [email protected] www.121creative.com.au Printed by: Kwik Kopy Canberra Lower Ground Floor, Ethos House, 28-36 Ainslie Pl, Canberra ACT 2601 phone. (02) 6243 6066 email. [email protected] www.canberra.kwikkopy.com.au Compilation Alan Storr 2006 The information appearing in this compilation is derived from the collections of the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives of Australia. Author : Alan Storr Alan was born in Melbourne Australia in 1921. He joined the RAAF in October 1941 and served in the Pacific theatre of war. He was an Observer and did a tour of operations with No 7 Squadron RAAF (Beauforts), and later was Flight Navigation Officer of No 201 Flight RAAF (Liberators). He was discharged Flight Lieutenant in February 1946. He has spent most of his Public Service working life in Canberra – first arriving in the National Capital in 1938. He held senior positions in the Department of Air (First Assistant Secretary) and the Department of Defence (Senior Assistant Secretary), and retired from the public service in 1975. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Melbourne University) and was a graduate of the Australian Staff College, ‘Manyung’, Mt Eliza, Victoria. He has been a volunteer at the Australian War Memorial for 21 years doing research into aircraft relics held at the AWM, and more recently research work into RAAF World War 2 fatalities. He has written and published eight books on RAAF fatalities in the eight RAAF Squadrons serving in RAF Bomber Command in WW2. He is a member of Canberra Legacy. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Author acknowledges and thanks Kerrie Leech, currently Curator, Private Records, at the Australian War Memorial, for the great contribution she has made ensuring compatibility between my laptop and an AWM computer, so that research material on my laptop can be downloaded, and for her expertise in solving any computer problem that has arisen during the project. Without her contribution, the project would not have got off the ground. Alan Storr. A WW2 photo of the Author MISSING WITH NO KNOWN GRAVE BY ALAN STORR. PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. These volumes are dedicated to the memory of some brave young members of the Royal Australian Air Force, missing while serving on attachment with the Royal Air Force or other Air Forces during the Second World War, and have no known grave. The project was inspired by a letter that was published in the RAAF Association magazine ‘Wings’ (Winter Edition 2002), written by a daughter appealing for information about her father missing in WW2 when she was two years of age. Not only are the volumes a record of some of the unsung heroes of WW2, but I hope it will assist those who are still seeking information about the circumstances in which their loved husband, father, son, brother or family member went missing and has no known grave. To Mark Whitmore the then Assistant Director, National Collection, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, and now Director, Collections, at the Imperial War Museum, London, and Carmel McInerny, the then Senior Curator, Published & Digitised Records at the AWM and now Manager at the National Library, I extend my grateful thanks for their ready endorsement and support of the project in January 2003 as a worthwhile digitised “add on” to the AWM Honour Roll computer record of those members concerned. My particular thanks go to Kerri Leech, Assistant Curator, Published & Digitised Records, at AWM for her expert and ready assistance in developing and testing the necessary computer systems and providing computer short cuts designed to make the task easier and help overcome my lack of computer skills. Kerri has also maintained an oversight of and provided continuing advice on the project. From an initial examination of the RAAF WW2 Registers of Deaths and Burials, AWM 237 (63) Airmen and AWM 237 (64) Officers, with cross checks to AWM237(62) and (65), it was established that there were 1423 RAAF members who fitted the above project criteria of ‘missing with no known grave’ and comprised 511 Officers and 912 Airmen. The bulk of fatalities were among those serving on attachment with the Royal Air Force. To put the above number of fatalities in context, there were overall 11061 RAAF fatalities in WW2, of which 5944 fatalities occurred in RAAF Squadrons and Support Units, and 5117 fatalities were among RAAF members attached to the Royal Air Force or other Air Forces. It is from this latter figure of 5117 that this project identified the 1423 RAAF members missing with no known grave. Also included in the project are a small number of Australians who enlisted directly in the Royal Air Force either before or in the early stages of the war and are on the AWM Commemorative Roll as missing with no known grave. 2. With some 1500 RAAF Casualty files to be examined, much of the research of necessity has taken place at Australian National Archives, East Block Canberra. The work has now been completed, and the information incorporated in the AWM Honour Roll computer record and is available for PDF purposes. In addition to this digitised “add-on” to the Honour Roll, whereby the information can be accessed on the AWM website www.awm.gov.au, a printout of this same information for each member concerned is filed in alphabetical name order in Volumes 1 to 2 (Officers) and 3 to 6 (Airmen) which are held for research purposes in the AWM Research Centre. AWM Call Number R 940.544941 S886r V.1 to 6 refers. As a volunteer at the Australian War Memorial it has been a personally rewarding work and one that it has been a privilege to undertake. I always felt that there was a story to be told, and I appreciate the opportunity given to me and the facilities provided by the War Memorial to undertake the work. Having completed the project there are two things that stand out in my mind. One is the variety of aircraft types being flown in various theatres of war when reported missing – from single or twin engine fighters, to multi-engine light, medium or heavy bombers as well as multi-engine transports, flying boats or patrol aircraft. The other is the ages of these men, how young they were – many just lads really. One can only wonder at their skill and bravery, when one can see as an example, a young RAAF lad who has completed his pilot training in Australia or Canada or Rhodesia. He then proceeded to UK, is attached to the Royal Air Force, does various Conversion and Operational Training Courses, and finds himself at the early age of 20 years and 8 months with the awesome responsibility of being Captain (Pilot) of an RAF Lancaster bomber, responsible not only for his own life but that of the six other crew members on board, taking off at night in UK mid-winter with a full load of bombs and fuel, to undertake the hazardous trip of bombing Berlin or some other daunting target, and on one of these missions the aircraft and crew did not return. This project I trust honours and pays tribute to their memory. Alan Storr (Volunteer), Published and Digitised Records. Australian War Memorial, Canberra. 14 November 2004 3. MISSING WITH NO KNOWN GRAVE EXPLANATORY NOTES VOLUME NO. SUMMARIES OF MISSING CIRCUMSTANCES (Filed in Aphabetical Name of Member order) 1 Officers Letters A to K 2 Officers Letters L to Z 3 Airmen Letters A to E 4 Airmen Letters F to K 5 Airmen Letters L to P 6 Airmen Letters Q to Y OTHER AIR FORCES INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT RAAF personnel serving on attachment with the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, South African Air Force, Indian Air Force and US Army Air Force. SOURCES. AWM 237(63) Airmen and (64) Officers : Register of Deaths and Burials of RAAF Personnel who died on service 1939-1947. AWM 237 (62) and (65) AWM Roll of Honour AWM Commemoration Roll RAAF Casualty files held by National Archives, Canberra. Series A705. RAAF Service Record files held by Archives, Canberra Series A9300 or A9301. AWM 65 Honours & Awards Citations RAAF WW2 Nominal Roll AWM Call No. RF 358.41310941 J45r : RAF Squadrons by Wg Cdr Jefford, C.G. 4. MISSING INCLUDES Missing in Action Missing in Air Operations Missing Lost at Sea Missing in Flying Accident SUMMARIES OF MISSING CIRCUMSTANCES : This information is as recorded in the relevant RAAF Casualty File for the member concerned. This source covers over 95% of the summaries which are filed in alphabetical name order in these Volumes. In the remaining cases where no Casualty File exists, reference was then made to the members Service Record file, where there is invariably only a one line entry that the member is missing and the presumed date of death, but no information as to the missing circumstances. RANKS OF CREW MEMBERS : These are as recorded at time aircraft was reported missing. It includes promotions which have been promulgated posthumously but back dated with effect prior to the date the member was reported missing. Rank abbreviations are as per the Honour Roll format. MUSTERINGS OF CREW : These are shown only when recorded in the Casualty File and appear in the order as recorded in the Circumstantial report. PARENT AIR FORCE OF CREW MEMBERS : These are shown as and when recorded in the Casualty file. If uncertain then left blank.