Operation: Anti-shipping

Date: 07/08th April 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 458 Squadron RAAF (motto: 'We find and destroy')

Type: Wellington XIII

Serial: JA408

Code: FU-K

Base: Ghisonaccia, Corsica

Location: Tyrrhenian Sea

Pilot: W/O. Donald Albert Anderson Aus/401756 RAAF Age 25. Killed

Pilot: F/O. Bayan Francis Lawler Aus/409466 RAAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. William Scott NZ/415211 RNZAF Age ?Survived

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Malcom Thomas Foster Knox Aus/415537 RAAF Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Alexander Edward McGee Aus/420032 Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Ronald Wilfred Gould Aus/415523 RAAF Age 23. Survived

REASON FOR LOSS:

JA408 took off on the night of 7/8th April 1944 to carry out a armed shipping recce off the Italian Coast between Cape Corse and Genoa. At 23:04 hrs. the crew sent a message to base but nothing was heard after this message.

In a post action report Fl/Sgt. Scott said ‘at 00:30 hrs. the aircraft flew over the western tip of Gorgona Island and set course for Leghorn (Livorno). Soon after leaving Gorgona the starboard engine cut and gave several violent shudders.

After failing to restart the pilot feathered the propeller, shut down the engine and jettisoned the bombs. The pilot then turned back for Base but almost immediately the pilot stated they would have to ditch and the crew took appropriate action.

Shortly thereafter the aircraft made a relatively soft ditching and all the crew got out before the aircraft sank. Five crew members clinging to one K Dinghy and Fl/Sgt. Knox to another. Before day break the pilot and 2nd pilot lost consciousness and slipped away from the raft similarly, Fl/Sgt. Knox slipped away from the other raft. As the dawn broke there were three survivors in the dinghy - Fl/Sgt. Scott, Fl/Sgt. Gould and Fl/Sgt. McGee.

Sometime during the morning Fl/Sgt. McGee complained he could no longer see or hear and soon after fell off the dinghy and disappeared. The two remaining survivors realised they had drifted within 5 miles (7km) of Gorgona Island and began paddling toward it in earnest and, by 17:30 hrs, they managed to beach the dinghy.

They were then rescued by two American officers who had been watching their plight for some time. Indeed, by the time they beached the dinghy the Americans had organised blankets, hot coffee, transportation and an Italian doctor. They were then transported to the nearest hospital for treatment where they stayed until midnight on the 09th April when they were transported in an USN PT Boat to Bastia. After further checks at the US Military Hospital they were released on the 11th April and returned by road to Ghisonaccia.

The bodies of W/O. Anderson and W/O.Knox were washed up on the North West coast of Italy. The body of W/O. McGee washed ashore on the French Mediterranean coast. The body of F/O. Lawler was never knowingly recovered.

Fl/Sgt. Gould was born on the 13th December 1921 at Perth Western Australia. Lived at 26 Langroyd Street, Mount Lawley, Western Australia. Returned to active service after recuperating in hospital survived the war, left the RAAF on the 10th January 1946. Fl/Sgt. Scott survived the ordeal and also returned to active service after recuperating in hospital, survived the war. Home address listed as 40 Donald Street, Karopi, Wellington, New Zealand. Friend listed as Mrs B. Fish of Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Burial details:

W/O. Donald Albert Anderson. Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa. Grave III. A. 25. Born on the 14th March at Canterbury, Victoria. Son of James Gordon Anderson and Doris Rae Anderson, of Jeparit, Victoria, Australia. (Pharmaceutical Chemist). Grave inscription: 'Ever Remembered By Mother, Father And Barbara, Jeparit, Victoria, Australia'. Girlfriend listed as Miss J.M. McCann of 85 Oxley Road, Hawthorn E2, Victoria.

F/O. Bayan Francis Lawler. Malta Memorial. Panel 16. Column 1. Born on the 11th November 1919 at Mildura, Victoria. Enlisted on the 05th September 1941. Son of Ernest John and Alice Margaret Lawler, of Redcliffs, Victoria, Australia.

Malta Memorial

W/O. Malcom Thomas Foster Knox. Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa. Grave III. A. 21. Born on the 08th December 1920 at Leederville, Western Australia. Enlisted on the 09th November 1941. Son of Thomas and Myrtle Knox, of Greenhills, Western Australia. Grave inscription: 'For Our Tomorrow He Gave His Today. His Duty Nobly Done. Girlfriend listed as Miss Roma Bruce of 107 Humphray Street, North Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa Italy

W/O. Alexander Edward McGee. Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles. Plot 3. Row D. Grave 17. Born on the 05th December 1920 at Drummoyne, New South Wales. Enlisted on the 10th October 1941. Son of Edward Joseph and Olive Margaret McGee, of 341 Great North Road, Five Dock, New South Wales, Australia. Grave inscription: 'Son Of Edward & Olive McGee, Parkes, N.S.W. R.I.P'. Girlfriend listed as Miss J. Miller of 14 Cecil Street, Parkes, New South Wales, Australia.

Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles France

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below.

• Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive 458 Sqd Wellingtons
  
• Pages Related to Australia

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