Squadron: 458 (B) Sqn (RAAF)
Start Date: 1943-07-15
Completion Date: 1943-07-15
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific: armed reconnaissance off NE Sardinia
Base: RAF Protville, Tunisia
Take Off Time: 2100
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics: in sea between Palau and Maddalena
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
458 Australia Squadron (We Find and Destroy). Wellington aircraft MP631 was on an armed reconnaissance patrol north-east of Sardinia. At 2330 hours, the aircraft was diverted to attack a convoy sighted by another Wellington between Corsica and Sicily. Apart from a signal at 0216 hours saying it had sighted the convoy and requesting another Wellington to illuminate the convoy, nothing further was heard from Wellington MP631 which failed to return to base. Post-war inquiries with local inhabitants established that the aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed into the sea between Palau and Maddalena, a small island off the coast about 5 km north of Palau. Casualties included: RCAF F/O's G.H. Lawson (pilot), E.A. McCorkell (wireless air gunner), A.R. Pagan (wireless air gunner), A. Renton, and M.H. Tarrison; RAAF Flying Officer L.Y. Hazeldine; and RAFVR Sgt. R.E. Burrows (navigator).
6 Group Unavailable
458 Australia Squadron (We Find and Destroy). Wellington aircraft MP631 was on an armed reconnaissance patrol north-east of Sardinia. At 2330 hours, the aircraft was diverted to attack a convoy sighted by another Wellington between Corsica and Sicily. Apart from a signal at 0216 hours saying it had sighted the convoy and requesting another Wellington to illuminate the convoy, nothing further was heard from Wellington MP631 which failed to return to base. Post-war inquiries with local inhabitants established that the aircraft was shot down by flak and crashed into the sea between Palau and Maddalena, a small island off the coast about 5 km north of Palau. Casualties included: RCAF F/O's G.H. Lawson (pilot), E.A. McCorkell (wireless air gunner), A.R. Pagan (wireless air gunner), A. Renton, and M.H. Tarrison; RAAF Flying Officer L.Y. Hazeldine; and RAFVR Sgt. R.E. Burrows (navigator).
