Memorial Ceremony for Wing Commander Charles Learmonth DFC and Bar

On 8th December 2008, a memorial ceremony for Wing Commander Charles Learmonth DFC and Bar was held at RAAF Base Learmonth. Relatives attending included John Learmonth from UK, and Charles Learmonth’s niece Kathy Baulch, and nephew John Baulch, both from Victoria. The gathering included an RAAF contingent, Army, RSL, the Shire President, CEO, Councillors, and people from the Shire. Guests arrived to the strains of Andre Rieu’s emotive recording of Waltzing Matilda.

The ceremony was held at the Memorial Cairn at the north end of the runway, and was ably supported by the base caretaker, Flight Sergeant Les Johnston, who also acted as MC. The memorial was first dedicated in 1972, by Charles Learmonth’s widow, Marjorie Le Souef. The couple met in 1940, while Charles was based at RAAF Pearce. Marjorie joined up as a VAD nurse, and was due to be posted overseas, but Pearl Harbor changed all that, and the couple married in March 1942. A few months later, Charles was posted to New Guinea.

In a moving and emotional ceremony, retired airline pilot Charles Page said, “It’s now forty one years since I landed an MMA DC3 at Learmonth. Since then I have flown overhead many times in 707s or 747s, but only recently, did I learn why the airfield was so named. Charles Learmonth flew in the air search for HMAS Sydney, fought in the New Guinea air war, the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, and was killed in a tragic Beaufort accident near Rottnest Island in 1944. He inspired great loyalty, and it has been a privilege to write his story.” Charles Page is the author of Wings of Destiny, a biography of the famous WWII flyer.

In his address to the gathering, Wing Commander Murray described Charles Learmonth as a true hero. His views were echoed by Exmouth Shire President, Veronica Fleay, who made a gracious speech, and quoted from a eulogy by Air Marshal Sir Valston Hancock, and a letter by Korean War ace, Group Captain Les Reading. John Learmonth spoke eloquently of Charles Learmonth, and gave some readings from Wings of Destiny, while John Baulch told the gathering of his family’s pride in the memory of Charles Learmonth. The Reverend Alan McMahon then gave a moving recital of the aviator’s poem “High Flight”, after which the ‘Evening Hymn’, ‘Last Post’, and ‘Sunset’ were played. The ceremony concluded with wreath laying and a stirring flypast by Norwest Air Work.

The Learmonth relatives then made a memorial flight over the airfield, and around the North-West Cape. After returning to Perth, they visited the Aviation Heritage Museum at Bull Creek, which has a display and memorial to Charles Learmonth. The Learmonth relatives wish to thank the RAAF, Flight Sergeant Johnston, and the Shire of Exmouth for making their visit so special.

Ship "Florence D" sunk by Japanese on 19 Feb 1942 located off Bathurst Island

The wreck of of the 2600-tonne cargo vessel "Florence D" sunk by Japanese fighter-bombers has been found off Bathurst Island after 66 years.

It was apparently carrying 500,000 anti-aircraft rounds at the time. Its bow was severely damaged in the Japanese attack on Darwin on 19 February 1942. Four men died as a result of the Japanese attack oʠn the "Florence D".

Thirty survivors sailed to Bathurst Island in a lifeboat and camped on the beach for three days until they were rescued.

The wreck of the "Florence D" is apparently lying on its starboard side in about 10 metres of water near Bathurst Island.

Fisherman Wayne Keeping had found the ship by accident on his depth sounder in 2006. He tried twice to dive on the wreck in the following two years. Numerous jellyfish and strong tides forced him back on both occasions.

Former Northern Territory Chief Minister Marshall Perron put diver Jim Miles in touch with fisherman Wayne Keeping and within weeks, they had located and dived on the wreck.

Two Kittyhawk Crashes

I have updated this web page:-

Crash of a P-40 Kittyhawk at Wyong in New South Wales


and started a new one

Crash landing of a P-40 Kittyhawk at Batchelor airfield in the Northern Territory

Both aircraft were piloted by Lt Oliver Vodrey of 7th Pursuit Squadron, 49th Pursuit Group.

Queensland Memorial and Tributes

By Shirley and Trevor McIvor
A CD-ROM which records visually the hundreds of memorials and tributes to young men and women who, in times of conflict, left their Queensland homes or came from interstate or overseas to train and serve in Queensland. From large war memorials, the centre of remembrance each Anzac Day, to many personal and group tributes, each population centre has recorded its everlasting gratitude to those of you who served from or in their district and combined to ensure our priceless freedom.

The CD-ROM contains 4,763 colour/sepia photographs from 360 Queensland centres, plus 414 pages of text, an Art Gallery of 41 photos, 33 recorded verses/inscriptions, slide show, and music.

Tunnels and possible Bunker Complex in the Dandenongs

Mark Rawson has been exploring some tunnels possibly associated with a large bunker complex in the Dandenong Range area of Victoria.

Catalina due in Darwin 2 Dec 2008

The Catalina Flying Memorial Ltd is bringing back to Australia one of the last airworthy examples of a Catalina (VH-CAT) and it is to be based at Rathmines, Lake Macquarie NSW.

The ferry route was originally scheduled to take the aircraft from Seia in Portugal across the flat country of Spain and along the Mediterranean to Como in Italy, Brindisi, Cyprus, Bahrain, Muscat, Karachi (or Bombay, Colombo) – Singapore, Dili, Darwin, Cairns, Bowen, Brisbane, and Sydney.

The Catalina arrived in Bali today, 1 Dec 2008. Crew will have today off, and depart for Darwin tomorrow.

Estimated itinerary from Darwin is:-

Cairns, - Thurs, Coastal to Gold Coast - Friday, Kempsey - Saturday, Rathmines, Rose Bay, Bankstown - Sunday. Times of day not yet known.

Regards Peter Dunn

Catalina Flying Memorial

The Catalina Flying Memorial Ltd is bringing back to Australia one of the last airworthy examples of this aircraft and it is to be based at Rathmines, Lake Macquarie NSW.



The Catalina arrived in Bali on 1 Dec 2008. Crew will have today off, and depart for Darwin tomorrow.

Estimated itinerary from Darwin is:
Cairns, - Thurs, Coastal to Gold Coast - Friday, Kempsey (where Jim Hazleton lives) - Saturday, Rathmines, Rose bay, Bankstown - Sunday. Times of day not yet known.