On 24 September 1945, barely a month after the end of World War Two, the RNZAF suffered its largest loss of life in one day when Dakota NZ3526 disappeared on its way home from the Pacific Islands.
Image: 1981-134.6
The transport aircraft from No. 40 Squadron took off from Pallikulo Field on Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) at 5.30am, bound for Whenuapai. On board were four crew and 16 passengers, all New Zealand airmen returning home from active service. At 9.06am, NZ3526 sent out a ‘standby, standby’ message, but radio contact was then lost.
Despite a large-scale search by Catalina, Dakota, Hudson and Liberator aircraft over several days, nothing more was heard or seen of NZ3526 or its crew and passengers.
The most likely explanation is that the Dakota suffered a catastrophic structural failure in turbulent air conditions, similar to weather described by an aircraft following 25 minutes behind, which was forced to climb to avoid the turbulence. No trace has ever been found of NZ3526 or the personnel on board, and they are commemorated on the Bourail Memorial in New Caledonia.
Top, l-r: LAC Oswald Ferguson Bath, Flight Mechanic (32); Flight Lieutenant Wilfred Francis Coulson, Signals Officer (38); Flying Officer Douglas Farr mid, Armament Officer (25); LAC George Firman, Armourer (22); Corporal Edmund Eaton Gossling, Fire Crew (34); LAC John Barnard Grenfell, Armourer (23); Corporal Frank Graham Haldane, Coppersmith and Metal Worker (35); Flying Officer Jack Hoffeins, Captain (24)*.
Bottom, l-r: Corporal John Douglas Jacobs, Flight Engineer (26); Pilot Officer Clifton Charles Kennedy, Wireless Operator (25); Flying Officer Alan Allister Macpherson, Intelligence Officer (28); Flying Officer Kenneth McArthur, Navigator (28); Flight Sergeant Reginald Bernard Russell, Disciplinarian (41); LAC Raymond Jonathan Taylor, Patrolman (22); LAC Douglas Stanley Thomas, Wireless Mechanic (20); Corporal Marshall Harry Wilson, Intelligence Clerk (21).
The Air Force Museum does not currently hold photographs of the following casualties: LAC Harry Faine, Driver (25); LAC Frederick John Kearney, Aircrafthand (22); LAC David John Reid, MT Mechanic (26); LAC Ralph Gordon Savage, Carpenter (36).
We will remember them.
*Pilot Jack Hoffeins had a lucky doll, which he failed to take on this fateful flight. This doll is now in the collection here at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. To read more about its story, see our ‘Lucky Charms and Superstition’ blog, here.
