ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 300602
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| Date: | Wednesday 16 June 1943 |
| Time: | 08:10 LT |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.84 Dragon Mk III |
| Owner/operator: | 1 RCS RAAF |
| Registration: | A34-40 |
| MSN: | 2029 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near KB Mission, 6 mi NE of Gurney Airfield, Milne Bay -
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Guerney Field, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (GUR/AYGN) |
12.42: Manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Mascot Airport, Sydney NSW as part of an order for 87 aircraft.
12.42: 1st Flight at Mascot Airport, Sydney, NSW
03.01.43: Received by No 2 Aircraft Park (2AP) at Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW and bought on charge as A34-40.
04.01.43: Allocated to Australian National Airways (ANA) Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria for transport/air ambulance conversion.
12.01.43: Received by ANA at Essendon, Melbourne.
13.01.43: Allocated to No 1 Rescue & Communication Squadron (1 RCS) at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea after conversion.
24.01.43: Received by 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton Victoria for weight and post conversion checks.
26.01.43: Received by No 1 Aircraft Depot at RAAF Laverton en-route to 1 RCS for upgrades.
16.02.43: Received by 1 RCS.
16.06.43: Departed Gurney Field, Milne Bay Papua New Guinea at 08:00 with a pilot and four passengers. At 0810 was caught in strong down currents close to a ridge line near the KB Mission, approximately six miles North East of Gurney Field. The aircraft clipped trees on top of the ridge then crashed 50 yards away on the side of the ridge. Two of the six persons on board were killed
O405961 (Pilot) Flying Offcier William Robert Edward ALEXANDER, married, of Brisbane, Queensland was killed. Flying Officer Alexander was buried in the Milne Bay War Cemetery on 18 June 1943. He has since been re-interred at the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Grave A3 B.24
COL R. Lee US Army Engineer Corps (Passenger) was also killed.
COL Andrew Thompson MacLean – 5th Australian Division;
Major Whitcombe – US Army Engineer Corp;
M/Sgt William Randolph GEORGE 565th Signals Battalion
All received non-lethal injuries. Gurney Field is located at 67 feet above sea level near Ladava at the eastern tip of New Guinea, two miles inland from Milne Bay. Prewar and during World War II located in the Territory of Papua. During World War II, known as No. 1 Strip and code named Fall River until renamed Gurney Field in the middle of September 1942. Also known as Gurney Airfield. Still in use today as Gurney Airport (Alotau) in Milne Bay Province (MBP) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Also known as Milne Bay Airport for nearby Milne Bay or Gili Gili Airport for nearby Gili Gili.
07.08.43: Aircraft wreckage recovered by No 15 Aircraft Repair Depot staff from at Port Moresby.
26.08.43: Wreckage converted to components, except engines which were recovered serviceable. Total time on airframe 203.45 hrs.
Sources:
1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH84.pdf
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus01.html
3. https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviation/dh84-pt2/dh84-dragon-pt2.htm
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a34.htm
5. https://pacificwrecks.com/airfields/png/gurney/index.html
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2192316/william-robert-edward-alexander/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurney_Airport
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Nov-2022 18:43 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 07-Nov-2022 23:35 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator] |
| 27-Jun-2023 00:39 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Operator, Narrative, Operator]] |
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