Operation: Sweep

Date: 30th January 1945 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 17 Squadron (motto: Excellere Contende - 'Strive to excel').

Type: F40-1D Corsair

Serial: NZ5415

Code: YB-?|

Base: Green Island Fighter Strip, Bismark, Archipelago

Location: Rabaul area, New Britain

Pilot: F/O. Owen Walton Davies NZ/429153 RNZAF Age 22. Initially classed as missing

REASON FOR LOSS:

During a sweep in the Rabaul area dived to strafe Japanese trucks3 miles west of Vulcan Crater at 10:45 hrs. and failed to pull out.

The wreckage and the remains of F/O. Davies were not discovered until late 1948 by an American Graves Registration Unit. Buried at Port Moresby shortly afterwards.

Burial and personal details:

F/O. Owen Walton Davies. Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery. C8. A. 10. Born on the 19th September 1922 at Hastings. Served in the 12 Field Regiment of the NZ Army for 8 months prior to enlisting at Masterton on the 01st August 1942. Initial training at No. 3 Elementary Flying Training Schooljoining them on the 01st April 1943. then on to No. 2 Service Flying School on the 29th May 1943. Pilots badge awarded on the 02nd August 1943 and commissioned on the 25th September 1943. After serving with various units joined 17 squadron on the 27th November 1944. Moved to the South Pacific area on the 31st December 1944. A total of 700 flying hours logged, nu details on number of operational sorties carried out.

Son of Harold George (died 30th January 1976, age 87), and of Olive Annie Davies (nee Giles - died 27th April 1971, age 82), of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand and husband of Josephine Vera Davies (nee Faulkner), of Hastings.

Above: No. 1 Squad 'B' Flight, pilots course 39b, No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School, Harewood 08th April 1943.

L-R: Rear; Morris Raymond Croft NZ/4211650, Owen Walton Davies NZ/429153 - killed 30 January 1945, Valentine Richard Egglestone NZ/429998 - died 1 November 2009, NH Ellis, Claude Cuthbert Greenough NZ/429065, GR Grueber.

Front; MG Adams, BL Anderson, Macnab Bettjeman NZ/429134 - died 7 September 2017, DM Bloomfield, AN Ching, DE Clarke NZ/4210520.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks 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:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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