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RAAF
CATALINA
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Based upon the
identification of the tail code number as A24-22 (below), this is a
BPY-5 which had been originally intended for the RAF but had instead
been allocated firstly (and briefly) to the RCAF, and thereafter to
the RAAF, as one of a batch of nine. These aircraft were delivered
to Australia from San Diego via the Pacific route in March and April
1942. These Catalina's joined 11 and 20 Squadrons in Papua-New
Guinea shortly after their arrival in Australia. The RAAF
received 168 Catalina's and the sequence number A24 was allocated to
the type. Thus A24-22 would be the twenty-second Catalina, delivered
30 March 1942. This aircraft was operated by 11 Squadron from
13 April, and then by 20 Squadron from 9 July 1942. It crashed
on 8 March 1943 at a point 50 km (31.3 mls)_ SE of Lae/Gasmata after
an on board fire, with all nine occupants killed. The wreck has
never been found. (Acknowledgment to the ADF-Serials
Team at
http://www.adf-serials.com ).
 In
the early hours of 8 March 1943, Wing Commander F. B. Chapman and
his crew (Flying Officer (F/O) SA Deacon; Sgt R Stephens; F/O JTD
Todd; Sgt JE Dewhurst, Leading Aircraftman (LAC) RG Docking, F/O M
Bradshaw, Flight Sgt LG Stanley and LAC CN Anderson) flying Catalina
A24-22 left Cairns for Fall River and Gasmata on a patrolling
mission. It was to be Chapman's last mission before being appointed
Wing Commander and moving south. The Catalina refueled at Fall
River, and radioed in an 'on patrol' report at 9:45 am. Twenty five
minutes later Chapman radioed a signal 'On fire. Forced to land.
Thirty miles south east Gasmata'. Nothing has ever been found of
Catalina A24-22, nor of the nine crew, despite a three day search by
11 Squadron immediately after they went missing. Both Chapman's wife
and mother followed rumours and reports of possible sightings of
Chapman in various POW camps and even incarcerated in post-war
Russia, but to no avail. Chapman was officially presumed dead in
March 1955. (Info from the Australian War Memorial.)
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