Australia’s War Diary

Italy

For the next few days 450 Squadron Kittyhawks give cab rank support to the 1st Canadian Corps in its drive through Cattolica and to Coriano, south of Rimini.

September 4 — Italy

Sgt E “Jimmy” James RAF of 450 Squadron is shot down and captured.

Philippines

To find what units of the Japanese Navy are located at Leyte Gulf, Mosquito A52-4 (S/Ldr Hermes & P/O A Kirley) of No 1 PRU is operating from Noemfoor Island, on detachment to the 5th USAAF. While returning after taking photographs, the aircraft runs into bad weather and force lands in the sea. After salvaging the water-logged camera magazines, the aircraft is burnt. Twenty-six hours later, Hermes and Kirley are rescued from Geelvink Bay by a USN Catalina. This is No 1 PRU’s last operation.

September 6 — Britain

S/Ldr Wiggins and F/Lt Pilcher leading 13 “Rockbeaus” of 455 Squadron, accompanied by Beaufighters of 489 RNZAF Squadron and escorting Mustangs, attack an enemy convoy off Heligoland. Two merchantmen and one escort are sunk and other ships set on fire. All aircraft return safely.

Italy

Half an hour after taking off in a formation of Kittyhawks to attack gun positions, W/O Hedger of 3 Squadron returns to base with his bombs still aboard. Without R/T communication to control his landing, Hedger crashes. The bombs explode on impact.

September 8 — Britain

The first V-2 rocket explodes in Chiswick, west London, after being launched from near The Hague in the Netherlands. It is actually the second to be fired, the first landing on the outskirts of Paris.

September 9 — Britain

At Langham Control Tower, W/Cdr J Davenport is watching 455 Squadron aircraft landing from a patrol when F/O Stanley’s Beaufighter suddenly bursts into flames. Navigator F/O K Dempsey struggles clear but Stanley is trapped. Davenport dashes to his car and is quickly alongside the blazing Beaufighter. Amid exploding cannon shells, Davenport pulls Stanley out and drags him clear. Stanley suffers severe burns but his life is saved. For his courageous action Davenport is awarded the George Medal.

September 10 — Australia

No 87 (PR) Squadron forms at Coomalie Creek giving squadron status to what was previously No 1 PRU. Aircraft on strength are Mosquito A52-2 (unserviceable) and two Wirraways, A20-178 and A20-605. 24 Squadron Liberators fly their first formation bombing mission, with the 380th Group USAAF. The target is Laha, Ambon.

New Guinea

The starboard tyre of 30 Sqn Beaufighter A19-210 blows out on takeoff. F/O L Jacobs manages to make a successful wheels-up landing on the airstrip. Both Jacobs and F/Lt H Roarty are uninjured but A19-210 is written off.

September 11 — Britain

Led by S/Ldr Wiggins, 455 Squadron, with ten “Torbeaus” of 489 Squadron, attack four minesweepers off the southern coast of Norway, sinking two. All aircraft return safely.

Italy

Nos 3 and 450 squadrons move to a landing ground at Foiano, south-east of Florence.

New Guinea

Reconnaissance reveals the Japanese are attempting to repair Wewak airstrip. 100 (Beaufort) Sqn launches a one day, all out offensive in an operation dubbed the “Wewak Welter”. Twenty-four aircraft make 40 sorties dropping 78,000lbs (35,380kg) of bombs. Eighty direct hits are recorded on the runway.

September 12 — Britain

A large Beaufighter force, including ten 455 Sqn aircraft, attacks shipping in Marsdiep harbour. F/O Steve Sykes returns home with part of a mast and mast cap embedded in the nose of his aircraft.

September 13 — Italy

On the last of three operations flown by 450 Squadron, they are directed to a convoy of eight tanks on transporters. Dive bombing destroys five and sets the other three on fire.

September 14/15 — Italy

458 (Wellington) Squadron flies its first anti-shipping patrols in the Adriatic as part of 323 Wing. Early in the month, the squadron moved to Foggia in Southern Italy.

September 15 — Sw Pacific

Landings on Morotai and Palau.

September 15/16 — Britain

462 and 466 Squadrons attack Kiel when 499 aircraft drop 663 tons (674 tonnes) of explosive and 788 tons (800 tonnes) of incendiaries. 466 Squadron’s F/Lt A Hutchison and crew in Halifax MZ915 fail to return.

September 16 — Britain

In a daylight Bomber Command raid on the airfield at Rhein-Salzbergen, two 460 Squadron Lancasters collide short of the target. F/O H Korsman jettisons the bombs and heads back to England. September is good to 460 Squadron; for the first time since February 1943, it will lose no aircraft during a month.

September 17 — Nw Europe

Operation “Market Garden”. Paratroops land to seize the bridges at Eindhoven, Grave, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. The British 1st Airborne Division fights its way into Arnhem and seizes the bridge.

September 18 — Holland

German V-2 rocket batteries withdraw eastwards as a direct result of “Market Garden”.

Australia

Beaufighter A19-163 crashes into the sea shortly after taking off from Broome. F/Sgt R Kerrigan and Sgt R Smith of 31 Squadron are lost.

September 19/20 — Britain

F/Sgts E Wicky and O Mountford fly 464 (Mosquito) Squadron’s 1000th sortie since D-Day.

September 20 — N Europe

XXX Corps combines with the US 82nd Airborne Division to take the Nijmegen bridge.

Australia

British built Beaufighters are being replaced by Australian built machines in front line RAAF units. For 31 Squadron the first, A8-6 and A8-13, arrive today.

September 21 — Northern Europe

The Germans recaptured the Arnhem bridge.

September 22 — France

The German garrison at Boulogne surrenders.

September 23 — Australia

During September, 42 Sqn lays mines in the Straits of Bangka, Boeton, Wowoni and Tiworo. It loses its first Catalina enroute to Tiworo when A24-94 (J “Cobber” Kane & crew) force lands with engine trouble. The crew is rescued next morning by Catalina A24-91.

September 25 — Britain

W/Cdr Davenport leads twelve 455 Sqn Beaufighters in a total force of 65. The target is over 20 enemy vessels in the harbour of Den Helder. Three Beaufighters are lost. This is Davenport’s last operational flight with 455 Sqn.

Italy

Twelve Kittyhawks of 3 Squadron attack a bridge across the Savio River. W/O Faria is hit by flak and his Kittyhawk crashes in flames.

September 26 — Nw Europe

Only 2000 out of 10,000 escape back across the Rhine from Arnhem. “Market Garden” had represented the Allies’ one chance of finishing the war in Europe in 1944.

September 27 — France

453 Squadron’s time is spent in harassing the retreating troops. Six Spitfires encounter 50 Luftwaffe machines. W/O Lyall, F/O N Marsh, F/O C Leith and W/O C Taylor all down a Bf 109 each while F/Lt W Bennett destroys another.

Australia

Two Beaufighters of 31 Sqn are lost while returning from an escort duty due to smoke haze from bushfires. S/Ldr W Wackett and P/O K Noble in A19-208, and W/O W Warner and P/O L Ritchie in A19-192. Warner lands safely. Searchers find wreckage but no trace of Ritchie or Wackett’s aircraft.

September 27/28 — Britain

464 Squadron Mosquitoes encounter night fighters near Munster. F/Lt J Nixon & F/O P Mosby in MM407/Y do not return.

September 29 — Australia

31 Sqn Beaufighters attempt to use rockets operationally for the first time.

September 30 — France

Calais is liberated by the Canadians.

New Guinea

77 Sqn flies its first operation from Noemfoor when 8 Kittyhawks join 10 from 80 Sqn to bomb Samate.