Memorial to WW2 crash unveiled

A MONUMENT recognising an unfortunate part of Torquay’s military history was unveiled at the weekend.

A crowd of about 30 people gathered at Point Addis for the unveiling and dedication of the memorial to wartime action along the Surf Coast during World War II between 1939 and 1945.

The memorial’s inscription notes how the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) acquired Point Addis and forest land to the north for a bombing, strafing and gunnery range, with the area used by the RAAF and the Australian Army for defence training.

 

As well as RAAF and Royal Australian Navy patrols to detect any enemy activity, the coast also saw members of the Volunteer Air Observers Corps reporting the sightings of any aircraft or ships.

The memorial was established to commemorate not only wartime activities along the coast but also specifically the fatal crash of a B-25 Mitchell bomber nearby on December 11, 1944, and Sunday’s service took place exactly 78 years after the incident.

 

The bomber took off with five crew from RAAF Laverton at 10.45am for a weapons test at the Point Addis gunnery range.

According to the military records at the time, the Mitchell flew over Torquay at a “normal” height about 30 minutes later and flat dove towards the sea firing its front guns, but did not pull out of the dive and struck the water, bouncing once before hitting the water again, breaking apart, inverting and sinking about six miles east of Anglesea.

The pilot, second pilot and one of the test armourers on the aircraft were reported missing, presumed killed, in the crash. The two other crew members were injured and rescued not long afterwards by nearby Volunteer Air Observers Corps members.

Sunday’s service included a call to purpose and dedication by Chaplain (Flight Lieutenant) Abdul Kader, an address by No.21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron executive officer Squadron Leader Samuel Bartlett, and the official unveiling by RSL Victoria president Dr Robert Webster.