Here is a story that may be of interest to the readers. It's a true story compiled from the actual flying log book of my Uncle and papers of the time with extracts from an excellent book by George Odgers, "Air War against Japan 1943 1945" Also a conversation with one of the crew who flew with my Uncle, recently located in Brisbane.
By end of 1942, the Japanese had dug in. They were defeated at Kokoda, Milne Bay and up further, but some advance was achieved at Guadalcanal and approx 600 miles East of PNG the largest most southerly island of the Solomon Chain, by US Army, Naval and Air force operations.
The US 5th Air Force under General Kenny had captured Henderson field and was plastering most of PNG and the other northern Solomon Islands occupied by the Japanese with long range Liberator Bombers. US forces also eventually won Bougainville Island. It was in close proximity of New Britain Islands, sandwiched in between there and the PNG mainland in the Solomon Sea.
0n the north eastern tip of New Britain was Japan's most southerly naval harbour and supply fortress, Rebaul, Simpson's Harbour was the forward Naval Base from Truck and Japan to the north. Most of Japan's supplies and equipment was rationed out of Rebaul to fight their stubborn resistance and their expected advance south General Macarthur had other ideas on this
By mid 1943 Macarthur with help of Admiral Halsey's ships and aircraft carriers and General Kenny's land-based airfields and his 5th US Air Force, the fight for Rabaul was to take place. The RAAF had 40 squadrons approximately in operation by then, but later built up to about 90 squadrons. No.9 group, which was one RAAF air force group, which helped take or neutralize Rebaul, was made up of seven squadrons, 3 Beaufort Bomber squadrons and 4 fighter squadrons commanded by Air Commodore Hewitt. They originally were based at Milne Bay approximately 200 miles east of Port Moresby, but moved to Vivigani, Air Field, Goodenough Island, about 100 miles north, then to a for ward base on Kiriwina Island, built by US Seabee's to refuel allied aircraft. It was a radar station also. It was mainly a northerly forward base to launch air attacks on New Britain Japanese bases, and Rebaul Simpson's Harbour. Japanese sub bases known were. Gasmata on the south coast and Talasea, Cape Hoskins on the north, and many Japanese fighter airfields dotted along the coast concentrated within a few miles of Rebaul Fortress.
General Macarthur planned to seize New Britain by Christmas 1943, but the War Chiefs meeting in Canada decided to neutralize Rebaul, and by-pass it. Isolate it by taking Trucks to the north, ambitious strategy indeed. They did not want to rob supply and equipment from the European Invasion planned by 1 June 1944.
Macarthur planned to invade New Britain from bases on New Guinea at Lae, Nadzab and Markham Valley on the western tip of the island, gradually working along to Rebaul to the east, and from Bouganville Island. But it was to become an air war to take Rebaul or neutralize it, not an all out marine invasion at all.
The British Beaufort bombers of No.9 group in particular 6,8, and 100 squadron were all built in the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) factories at Fishermen's Bend, Victoria and Mascot, N.S.W, a1so components were built at various railway workshops. The twin row Pratt and Whitney Wasp radial engines were made under licence also at Lidcombe N.S.W. You could say it was a 100% Australian operation indeed No 8 and 100 squadrons were torpedoes bombers. N o 6 squadron were bombers only. Some doubts existed whether torpedoes had much punch compared
too bombs on Beauforts.
Uncle Cliff attached to No.6 Squadron his Wing Commander was Colin Hannah, his Sqd Leader was Moreton. He was No.2 wireless operator gunner in a 4-man crew flying mainly with Sqd Leader Moreton. The log book states, "Sep. 8th 1943 A9-398 S/L Moreton travel Amberley Garbutt 4hrs; 9th similar but Garbutt Milne Bay 4hrs." That was a typical entry, brief but legibly filled in next day after the mission. For the next month it was similar, strikes, patrol, travel out from Milne Bay, Gurney, Turnbull, and Goodenough to New Britain Island. Japanese bases on strikes etc., but on the 8th Nov, it was interesting. The entry reads "8th Nov, A9-402, Sqd Leader Moreton, strike, Rapopo, Returned bad weather 3 hrs night flying" That sounds Typical but on referring to Odgers book "Air War against Japan" it reads a lot into just what actually occurred on these strikes.
And when you actually talk to someone there, it suddenly builds into an exciting story.
No.6 Sqdn with 8 Beauforts were to fly from Kiriwina Island to Rebaul to drop bombs on Rapopo airfield to stop Japanese Zero's from attacking No. 8 and No. 100 sqdn torpedo bombers as they torpedoed shipping in Simpson's Harbour that night, 8th Nov. It was usually a 2-1/2 hour flight across the water and similar time back, but as it is now mid summer and just south of the equator, huge thunderstorms develop daily. No.8 squadron sent out a reconnaissance Beaufort early that day Com/Lt Greentree, observer and F/Lt Nicholl pilot? They reported to Air Commodore Hewitt that storms and fighters were thick and heavy.
Hewitt thought it unwise to launch an attack that night, as it's dangerous to fly in formation at night through lightning storms Nicholl disagreed and thought No.6 squadron should bomb ships also that night. No XXXX could be reached. By 11.30pm that moonlit night tempers flared at Kiriwina. Other US aircraft had refuelled and took off during the day for Rebaul but also struck very bad weather. The US Liberators had plastered Rebaul from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal that day and Hewitt could not see why the raid could not still go on.
All hell broke loose pilots shouting waving arms, a map of Rebaul was flung across the bonnet of No.8 squadron Jeep and shouting occurred. The crews waited nearby for a decision. Hewitt phoned W/C Hannah. He replied "My boys in No.6 squadron will go regardless of the weather to our original targets, Repopo and Vanakanau air fields and it loo late to change bombs for shipping." They apparently left at midnight but returned 3hrs later because of severe storms.
No 8 squadron decided their torpedo Beauforts would go only, Ft/Lt Nicholl leading with volunteers of F/Lt Price and Quinn. On arrival at Simpson's Harbour the weather cleared, Nicholl dropped over Talali Bay into Simpson's Harbour with lot's of flack, but let his torpedo go, it hit something but the searchlights dazzled him to be sure. Price followed in the Vee formation. He was hit by flack and the plane blew to pieces, Quinn followed weaving turning and dropping his torpedo but it missed. The flack was so thick, cordite fumes filled the aircraft and the searchlights blinded them all.
On arrival back at Kiriwina Island at daybreak they waited for Price but two hours later posted Quinn, F/0 Harrison, F/Sgt Allen and Hooper missing. Two days later, Hewitt posted Nicholl to command No.7 sqdn in Townsville QLD. But a full report was sent to RAAF HQ in Melbourne and Nicholl was ordered to stay in PNG while Hewitt in charge of No.9 Group was himself back to his old job as Director Intelligence in Allied Air Force HQ in Brisbane. Apparently a lot of disharmony was reported previously and this was the last straw. Also promotions for Nicholl and Hannah occurred.
Eight days later on the log for the night of 16th Nov. is also interesting. Ft/Sgt Stanton was mentioned in dispatches resulting from the raid. It reads: "16th Nov. A9-402 F/Lt Oates, strike, shipping Simpsons Harbour, Masthead hits A/C damage 4.5hrs night (pilot rec. DFC)". I looked up Odgers book and it briefly states Hewitt sent 2 more strikes onto Simpson's harbour 16th and 17th night raids. F/Lt Oates scored 2 hits on 8000 ton ship. He singled out his target and made a gliding approach from 10,000 ft clearing Talali Bay by 400 ft dropping to 150 ft over Simpson's Harbour. His first 4 bombs entered the water running up to the side of the vessel, his last 2 struck and entered the vessel. I spoke to one of the actual crew in the plane that night in Brisbane and he said this: "one of our crew was out of action that day, Cliffy pestered (mighty) Moreton to go but S/Ldr Moreton had to attend to other business, though Cliffy could go with (Titus) Oates as their other air gunner wireless operator had a broken arm."
Cliffy was excited as it was a big raid, lots of action and other aircraft involved. The Japanese had a lot of ships in harbour, easy targets by reports and good weather. As (Titus) was a game bloke he dove down from high up, gliding in low, flat out at over 300 miles per hour. Smithy was up front in the nose aiming up, telling (Titus) to go a little left and straighten up so he could let go. In seconds the old 390 rose up a few hundred feet as Smithy dropped his bombs. I was on the side guns, Cliffy in the rear turret yelling we're hit. The next thing we shot up and (Titus) turned sharply right, Cliffy punched out several bursts into a searchlight, I shot at one also but missed, though the light dropped down. We hit lots of flack and debris from the explosion on deck. We were lucky to make it home, holes shot in everyplace, but by daybreak we limped into Kirwina, 4:30 sunup."
"We were very lucky to make it. Next thing we had our photo taken by the Brisbane Courier Mail and a party put on by the squadrons involved as a good result was achieved. Cliffy went back to (Mighty) Moreton's crew and 'it's amazing how it all blew up into some special incident. (Titus) got a DFC out of it and a promotion to Sq/Ld later on".
A few days later Cliff received bad news. His father passed away on the 15th, the day before the raid. Maybe there is some truth in ghosts as his father Albert, my Grandfather, may have flown with Cliffy that night also saving a few bits of shrapnel from hitting a fuel tank or engine.
Cliffs log goes on as usual for the next couple of months with sub patrol strikes on Simpson's Harbour, air supply drops, possibly dropping food to coast watchers on New Britain coastline. But Arthur Cane, who was the other w/o gunner in A9 390 night of 16th Nov, said old 390 blew up and burned a few weeks later at Vivigani Strip, Goodenough, by a Japanese raid. By the end Jan 1944 Cliffy had seen lots of action, strike after strike on sub bases, Japanese army camps and dumps. They bombed Gasmata sub base Cape Hoskins, Lakuni, dozens of places on the coast of New Britain Island. By March 6th, he was on his way back to Amberley on A9-403. He had his last flight in A9 398 on 8 2 44 to bomb Gasmata sub's base 398 saw out WWII to be scrapped in 1953 in Sydney.
On returning to Australia he was transferred to No.32 sqdn and flew with Sq/Ldr Barton on sub patrol up and down the cast coast from Nowra, NSW, Evans Head NSW, Lowood to Bundaberg, QLD for the next six months.
But General Douglas Macarthur had by then taken the war up to Midway isolating and neutralizing Rebaul but the RAAF was not finished in PNG yet. They had to get the Japaneses out of the north with a bit of a battle. Uncle Cliffy returned with S/Ldr Barton No.7 Sqdn to Tadji and Holandia, two US naval bases in Dutch NG and PNG north coast. They strafed Japanese camps, ships, subs for a couple of months. When Cliff was posted back to Australia for radar schooling by 23 11 44, he flew his last time ill A9 448 from Madang, to Tadji clocking up 560 hours (day) and 71 hours (night) in Beauforts. He made Warrant Officer by then.
WW11 ended a few months later. He left the RAAF and rejoined in 1947 as a driver on Archerfield, Amberley and Lowood strips with some interesting tales of how they scrapped and dumped good Kittyhawks and other fighters.
Air Commodore Colin Hannah later became Sir Colin the boss of RAAF 1971 and Governer of Oueensland 1972 77
A.J.R. Oates was killed in a crop duster in South Africa S/Ldr (Mighty) Moreton died in Dorrigo NSW a few years ago. F/Sgt Arthur Cane still lives in Brisbane, source of my verbal information. For the rest of Cliffy's buddies, their fate is unknown but maybe we drive them in our jeeps on ANZAC day parades.
But sadly Uncle Cliff passed away a few years ago. I have his log book and memories of wonderful stories he told over the years. The one how Sq/Ldr Moreton crashed a Beaufort near Iron Range 1943. A hot dusty dry hole top end of QLD. They had a load of potatoes in the bomb-bay which saved them from death as it was a wheels up landing, dirt, dust filled the plane and the noise was terrific. It was rebuilt and was scrapped after WWII In Sydney. And another time they lost an engine to shrapnel in Milne Bay PNG and force landed at Gurney, Milne Bay, 1943,
The old Beauforts no longer exist, out of 700 odd, only two complete ones remain but No A9-414 Cliff flew in crashed at Tadji it's remains were recovered in 1974 and shipped to California to a museum for restoration. And A9-13 is now under restoration in Essendon Victoria at a museum.
I don't know about you but I love hearing how it was from the war hero's who were actually there. It's so rare nowadays as most are sadly gone but their log's remain.