Loss of a B-24 Liberator near Timor on 23 January 1945

B-24L-1-CO Liberator, A72-70, #44-41392, of 24 Squadron RAAF was lost in action near Timor on 23 January 1945. It was probably shot down by the notorious anti-aircraft fire at Cape Chater airfield on Timor. This was the first loss of an RAAF B-24 Liberator. Another pilot, possibly McDonald saw smoke from the wreckage.

This aircraft was delivered to the RAAF in September 1944 and had initially served with 7 Operational Training Unit (7 OTU)

The following 24 Squadron RAAF personnel are commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial - presumably all crew of A72-70:-

415603 Wt Off Evelyn Bruce Baile, 24. Killed on operational flight, Timor area. Son of Evelyn Williams Baile and Constance Mary Baile, of Mosman Park, WA.

435651 Flt Sgt William James Cornes, 23. Killed on operational flight, Timor area. Son of Walter Percival and Ivy Ethel Cornes, of Croydon, NSW.

400053 Flt Lt Kenneth William Edwards, 30. Killed on operational flight, Timor area. Son of William and Jessie Edwards; husband of Lois Esme Edwards, of St Kilda, Victoria.

401186 Flt Lt Thomas Guy Evans, 23. Killed on operational flight. Son of Ivor W Evans and Stella Coles Evans, of Brighton, Victoria.

431625 Flt Sgt Graham Neil Head, 19. Killed on operational flight, Timor. Son of William Edward and Eleanor Margaret Head, of Bunyip, Victoria.

412142 Wt Off Jack Holt, 22. Killed on operational flight, Timor. Son of William Rupert and Irene Florence Holt, of Annandale, NSW.

6584 Sgt David Knox Kyle-Little, 24. Killed on operational flight, Timor. Son of John and Mona May Kyle-Little, of Caboolture, Queensland.

433734 Flt Sgt Noel Patrick Martin, 19. Killed on operational flight, Timor. Son of William Ewart Gladstone Martin and Irene Martin, of Manly, NSW.

407253 Plt Off Kenwyn Howard Richards, 29. Son of Charles Howard Richards and Olive M Richards, of Kent Town, South Australia.

425068 Flt Sgt Joseph Arthur William Stevenson, 30. Killed on operational flight, Timor Sea. Son of Henry Arthur and Katherine Frances Stevenson; husband of Valmai Louisa Stevenson, of Bondi, NSW.

405430 Plt Off Leonard King Teitzel, DFC, 31. Killed on operational flight, Timor. Son of Harry King Teitzel and Florence Mary Teitzel, of Yeronga, Queensland.

I'd like to thank Jim Thornton, Geoffrey Negus (of West Midlands, England), and Mike Nelmes (AWM) for their assistance with this home page.

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