Operation: Photographic Reconnaissance in the Solomon Islands area

Date: 4th May 1942 (Monday)

Unit No: 20 Squadron RAAF, 96 Group

Type: PBY-5 Catalina

Serial: A24-18

Code: RB:?

Base: Port Moresby, New Guinea

Location: SW of the Island of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands

Pilot: Fg Off. Allan Leslie Norman MiD, 407006 RAAF Age 26. Murdered (1)

2nd Pilot: Fg Off. Frederick Arthur Donald Diercks 407708 RAAF Age 28. Murdered

Observer: Fg Off. Francis O’Connell Anderson 403118 RAAF Age 25. Murdered

Fitter IIE (Engines): Cpl. Alfred Harry Lanagan MiD, 6853 RAAF Age 28. Murdered (2)

Fitter IIE (Engines): Cpl. Alfred Roland Hocking MiD, 18005 RAAF Age 31. Murdered (3)

Wireless Op: LAC. Vernon Holloway Hardwick 17635 RAAF Age 21. Murdered

Wireless Mech: LAC. William Murdoch Parker 20343 RAAF Age 19.Murdered

Armourer: LAC. Ernest John McDonald 10253 RAAF Age 21. Murdered (4)

Fitter IIA (Rigger): LAC. John Joseph Burns MiD, 19574 RAAF Age 30. Murdered (5)

Above left to right: Cpl. Alfred H. Lanagan MiD, Cpl. Alfred R. Hocking MiD, LAC. Vernon H. Hardwick (From their Service Records).

Above left to right: LAC. William M. Parker, LAC. John J. Burns MiD (From their Service Records).

REASON FOR LOSS:

A24-18 took off from Port Moresby at 06:00 hrs on the 4th May 1942 to carry out a daylight reconnaissance in the Solomon Islands area.

At 12:17 hrs a coded message was received by an accompanying Catalina that A24-18 was being attacked by enemy fighters at position Lat/Long 08°S 155°E .

This Lat/Long is about 91 miles SW of the Island of Bougainville in the Solomon islands.

No further messages were received and it was presumed that the aircraft and crew were lost at sea.

In June 1950 the decapitated bodies of all 9 members were recovered and individually identified from the Japanese Internment camp at MATUPI near RABAUL. It was determined that they had been executed on or after 4th November 1942.

In New Britain and Australian New Guinea at least twenty RAAF members are known to have been the victims of war crimes by Japanese. The number of suspected victims is much greater but definite proof of their fate is lacking.

With one exception none of the Japanese directly responsible for the murders of RAAF airmen in this area were brought to trial. These known criminals can be divided into various classes:

Died or killed in action before end of war;

Committed suicide to avoid arrest, e.g. Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) FUJITA who was responsible for the murder of Flt Lt. William Ellis Newton 250748 RAAF VC and Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) KIYAMA who was responsible for some of the murders at RABAUL;

Because of the cunning with which the Japanese had covered their tracks sufficient evidence had not been obtained when investigations closed;

Criminals that were still alive and at large against whom sufficient evidence of guilt had been obtained.

(1) Plt Off. Norman was recommended to be awarded a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD). The recommendation reads:

“Pilot Officer Norman enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircrew trainee on the 29th April, 1940, and was promoted to temporary Sergeant on successful completion of the course of flying training on 17th December, 1940. He was appointed to a commission with the rank of Pilot Officer on the 16th June, 1941

Pilot Officer Norman has completed 590 hours operational flying including night bombing attacks on Japanese bases and reconnaissance’s to sea in search of enemy ships. On all occasions he has pressed home his bombing attacks with vigour despite adverse weather conditions and the presence of enemy fighters.

Due to the fact that Pilot Officer Norman was originally trained for general reconnaissance duties, the high standard attained as a captain of a night bombing aircraft is all the more commendable”.

His award of a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) was promulgated on the 18th January 1943.

Above: Fg Off. Allan Leslie Norman MiD reported missing (Courtesy of the News, dated 18th May 1942)

(2) Cpl. Lanagan was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD). The Citation reads:

“Corporal Lanagan was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircrafthand mechanic on 8th January 1940 and was remustered to Fitter IIE on 11th June 1940. He was promoted to Temporary Corporal on 1st July 1941.

When Port Moresby was attacked by enemy aircraft on 28 February 1942, a Catalina aircraft on dispersal moorings in the harbour was set on fire by cannon shells. Corporal Lanagan in company with Corporal Hocking and Leading Aircraftman Burns boarded the aircraft and extinguished the flames with sea water which filled one whole compartment burnt down to the water line. When the fire was under control cannon shell holes in the hull were plugged and further steps taken to keep the aircraft afloat until larger marine crafts arrived.

Due to the prompt action of this airman at considerable personal risk due to the possible explosion of petrol tanks and bombs, this aircraft was beached and engines and other valuable spares and metal were salvaged”.

His award of a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) was promulgated on the 18th January 1943.

(3) Cpl. Hocking was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD). The Citation reads:

“Corporal Hocking was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Fitter IIE on 16th July 1940. He was reclassified to Leading Aircraftman on 1st April, 1941. He was promoted to Temporary Corporal on 1st August 1941.

When Port Moresby was attacked by enemy aircraft on 28 February 1942, a Catalina aircraft on dispersal moorings in the harbour was set on fire by cannon shells. Corporal Hocking in company with Corporal Lanagan and Leading Aircraftman Burns boarded the aircraft and extinguished the flames with sea water which filled one whole compartment burnt down to the water line. When the fire was under control cannon shell holes in the hull were plugged and further steps taken to keep the aircraft afloat until larger marine crafts arrived.

Due to the prompt action of this airman at considerable personal risk due to the possible explosion of petrol tanks and bombs, this aircraft was beached and engines and other valuable spares and metal were salvaged”.

His award of a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) was promulgated on the 18th January 1943.

(4) The story of LAC. Ernest John McDonald as reported by Sean Murphy of The Border Mail, dated 30th April 1993.

(5) LAC. Burns was recommended to be awarded a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD). The recommendation reads:

“Leading Aircraftman Burns enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Fitter IIA on 13th November, 1940, and was reclassified to Leading Aircraftman on 1st October, 1941.

When Port Moresby was attacked by enemy aircraft on 28th February, 1942, a Catalina aircraft on dispersal moorings in the harbour was set on fire by cannon shells. Leading Aircraftman in company with Corporals Lanagan and Hocking boarded the aircraft and extinguished the flames with sea water which filled one whole compartment burnt down to the water line. When the fire was under control cannon shell holes in the hull were plugged and further steps taken to keep the aircraft afloat until larger marine craft arrived.

Due to the prompt action of this airman at considerable personal risk due to the possible explosion of petrol tanks and bombs, this aircraft was beached and engines and other valuable spares and metal were salvaged”.

His award of a Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) was promulgated on the 18th January 1943.

Burial Details:

Above: Rabaul (Bita Pita) War-Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Fg Off. Allan Leslie Norman MiD. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.10, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “LOVED ONLY SON OF MR. & MRS. S.A.L. NORMAN, UNDERDALE, SOUTH AUST”. Born on the 29th December 1915 in Torrensville, South Australia. Son of Stanley Allan Lindsay and Ethel May Norman of Underdale, South Australia. Husband of Una Constance Norman, of Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.

Fg Off. Frederick Arthur Donald Diercks. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.11, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “LOVED SON OF MR. & MRS. F. DIERCKS AND HUSBAND OF EDNA”. Born on the 29th March 1914 in Port Adelaide, South Australia. Son of Frederick Diedrich and Alberta Mary Pope Diercks. Husband of Edna Dorothy Diercks, of Plympton Park, South Australia.

Fg Off. Francis O’Connell Anderson. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.6, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “LIFE IS CHANGED, NOT TAKEN AWAY”. Born on the 26th October 1916 in Boggabri, New South Wales. Son of Alexander and Almora Anderson. Husband of Mollie Frances Anderson, of Cremorne. New South Wales, Australia.

Cpl. Alfred Harry Lanagan MiD. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.12, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON AND BROTHER”. Born on the 21st September 1913 in Bingara, New South Wales. Son of Herbert Thomas and Beatrix Lanagan of Old Burren, New South Wales, Australia.

Cpl. Alfred Roland Hocking MiD. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.14, Papua New Guinea. Born on the 3rd April 1911 in Eaglehawk, Victoria. Son of John William and Isabel Ada Hocking; husband of Jessie Adeline Hocking, of Prahran, Victoria, Australia.

LAC. Vernon Holloway Hardwick. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.15, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “DEARLY BELOVED SON OF GUY & HONSLOW HARDWICK OF MANDIGA, W.A...R.I.P.”. Born on the 5th December 1920 in Northam, Western Australia. Son of Harry Guy Vernon and Honslow Hardwick of Bencubbin, Western Australia.

LAC. William Murdoch Parker. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.9, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription:“DEARLY LOVED & SADLY MISSED BY LOVING MAM & DAD”. Born on the 30th October 1922 in Cabramatta, New South Wales. Son of William Copeland and Isabella May Parker of West Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.

LAC. Ernest John McDonald. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.4, Papua New Guinea. Born on the 13th June 1919 in Goulburn, New South Wales. Son of John and Margaret Claire McDonald; husband of Norma Veronica McDonald, of East Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

LAC. John Joseph Burns MiA. Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery H.C.5, Papua New Guinea. Grave Inscription: “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN...R.I.P.”. Born on the 29th July 1911 in Melbourne, Victoria. Son of Thomas and Elisa Marie Burns, of Preston, Victoria, Australia.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Nov 2024).

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