ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 351457
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| Date: | Wednesday 28 January 1942 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  de Havilland DH.60M Moth |
| Owner/operator: | 1 General Reconnaissance School RAAF Bainsdale |
| Registration: | A7-74 |
| MSN: | 8655/6 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Port Philip Bay, 2 miles South West of Point Cook, VIC -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAAF Point Cook, Victoria (YMPC) |
| RAAF Laverton, Victoria | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Sixth of Six DH.60Ms [Gipsy I] which were ordered in March 1934, under Contract No.OI.262 to be built by the Aircraft Construction Branch, Munitions Supply Board Ordnance Factory [Job No. MSB/S655]. Munitions Supply Board built the fuselages; they were fitted with spare Larkin-built wings and fittings and were finally assembled by the RAAF at Laverton, Victoria. No c/nos. allocated, just RAAF Serials A7-69 to A7-74, and they were referred to as "Metal Moths"
As A7-74 Taken on charge at 1 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Laverton 18.6.36. To RTS 31.5.37. To 1 FTS Point Cook, Victoria 7.11.38. To 1 EFTS Parafield, SA 14.2.40. To store at Canberra HQ 31.3.41. To 1 General Reconnaissance School, Bairnsdale 6.10.41.
Destroyed in crash into Port Philip Bay, 2 miles South West of Point Cook, Victoria, 28.1.42; both crew - Pilot Officer Melville Arthur "Tony" Challoner Olive (Service Number 405600, aged 24) & Pilot Officer Edward Miles Beaumont (Service Number 408791, aged 21) killed. As reported in a contemporary local newspaper (The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld.) Thursday 5 February 1942 Page 33 - see link #1):
"TWO PILOT OFFICERS KILLED
MELBOURNE, January 28.
When a single-engine training plane dived into Port Phillip Bay, two miles from Point Cook, today, Pilot Officer Melville Arthur Chaloner Olive, 24, married, formerly of Goomeri, Queensland, and Pilot Officer Edward Miles Beaumont, 21, formerly of Victoria, were killed. The cause of the accident, which occurred during a reconnaissance training flight, is obscure".
(Note that the above report was the subject of Wartime censorship restrictions. Hence the report was not published in the press until nine days after the incident)
Wreckage Salvaged and to 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF Laverton 1.2.42 for examination pending disposal. Struck off charge 13.2.42.
Sources:
1. The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld.) Thursday 5 February 1942 Page 33 TWO PILOT OFFICERS KILLED: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/76233111
2. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/dh60.pdf
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/CMS/raaf2/2a7
4. https://ozatwar.com/crashvic.htm
5. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2243901/melville-arthur-chaloner-olive/
6. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2247003/edward-miles-beaumont/
7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89299736/melville-arthur_chaloner-olive
8. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10322222
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=100100
10. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66235260/edward-miles-beaumont
11. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10309650
12. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/619488
13. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/642200
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Phillip
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Feb-2024 20:12 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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