Operation: Patrol

Date: 20th September 1945 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 16 (NZ) Squadron

Type: Vought Corsair F41-1D Corsair

Serial: NZ5418 (1)

Code: 418

Base: Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, South Pacific

Location: Vunakanau, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Alec Walllace Terschner NZ/439269 RNZAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 06th September 1945 the Japanese surrendered all remaining Japanese Forces in New Guinea, New Britain and the Solomon Islands. The ceremony took place aboard HMS Glory.

Representing the Japanese was Imperial Japanese Army General Hitoshi Imamura, Commander 8th Army Area and Imperial Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Jinichi Kusaka, Commander South East Area Fleet.
Left:General Hitoshi Imamura

At the end of the Pacific War, it took two years to repatriate all Japanese Prisoners Of War at Rabaul back to Japan.
A war criminal trail was conducted at Rabaul by the United Military Law Office. Hitoshi Imamura was convicted as he and troops under his command were accused of war crimes, including the execution of Allied prisoners of war. Convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for ten years. Imamura served his imprisonment at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo until he was released in 1954. He considered his imprisonment too light with respect to his responsibility for the crimes of his subordinates, so he had a replica of the prison built in his garden, and he stayed there until his death in 1968, age 82.

While low-flying east of Vunakanau the pilot failed to notice some tall treason a hill until it was too late. Striking the tops of the trees trees at 10:40 hrs as he pulled up sharply., he stalled and the aircraft rolled and dived vertically into the ground about 300 yards away killing the young New Zealand pilot.

Fl/Sgt. Alec Walllace Terschner. Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery. Grave 6.14. Born in Gore on the 29th May 1925,. Worked as a clerk for Customs Department in Wellington prior to service. 1 year; at RNZAF Omaka as Aircrafthand on 18th June 1943. Remust as Aircrew u/t 12th November 1943. Remust as Airman Pilot u/t 06th January 1944. No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School 08th January 1944. No. 2 Service Flying Training School 07th April 1944.
Wings awarded on the 12th June 1944. Promoted to Sergeant on the 12th August 1944. Posted to Levin for NCO course on the 04September 1944, To Personnel Department on the 05th October 1944. Posted to 20 Operational Training Unit on the 25th November 1944 for training on the P-40 Curtis Warhawk. Joined 16 squadron on the 12th March 1945 flying the Corsair and to the South Pacific on the 13th August 1945 and completed 38 operational sorties, with a total of 334 flying hours.

Son of Carl Anton Teschner (MiD WW1) and of Elsie Mine Teschner (née Wallace), of Knapdale, Southland, New Zealand.

(1) NZ5418 - Built by Vought. Constructors number 5928. Delivered to the U.S. Navy as F4U-1D Corsair bureau number 57105. As part of lend-lease, shipped aboard USS Grand Mesa departing the United Sates on the 24th July 1944 bound for the South Pacific as part of defence aid. On the 11th August 1944 reassembled by Unit 60 on Espiritu Santo. Initially assigned to 15 Squadron on the 09th November 1944. During September 1945 assigned to16 Squadron coded 418 (last three digits of U.S. Navy bureau number). Information courtesy Pacific Wrecks.

Above: L-R: Rear; G.W Wendgal, George Martin Chapman, James Aaron Potter, Frederick Malcolm Silich, Norman Cecil Stanley
Centre; D,M Woodhead, Alec Wallace Teschner, James Oliphant Stewart, Hugh Halbert Lockie, Mundell Hall Thomson, Donald Benjamin Pollard.
Front; John Desmond Teehan, James David Watson, Lieutenant R.M Webb, Sergeant J.H Scott, Second Lieutenant W.A Yorke, Lieutenant G.H Twigden, Warwick Arthur Turner (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Wikipedia, Pacific Wrecks. .

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 25 February 2025, 12:09