LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Kevin Joseph AHERN
Service No: 401754
Born: Melbourne VIC, 8 August 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1941
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Darwin NT
Died: Air Operations: (No. 2 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-172), Saumlaki Netherlands East Indies, 14 September 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James and Mary Ahern; husband of Olive Jean Ahern, of East St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia
Roll of Honour: Caulfield VIC
Remembered: Column 8, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 14th September three Hudsons of No. 2 led by McFarlane (1) dive-bombed a ship off Saumlaki. McFarlane’s bombs fell within 10 feet of the vessel. As the second Hudson was attacking, the third one, captained by Flying Officer McDonnell, was hit by anti-aircraft fire and hurtled into the sea. The other aircraft attacked again and one of McFarlane’s bombs hit the ship.
(1) Wing Commander Archibald Bertram McFarlane DFC (250207) was discharged from the RAAF on 11 June 1948.
Extract from Gillison, D.N. (Douglas Napier) (254475) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962 – Page 645
The crew members of A16-172 were:
Pilot Officer Kevin Joseph Ahern (401754) (Observer)
Sergeant Gilbert Stanley Dobbs (414292) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Kenneth Lewis McDonnell (406156) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Victor Treloar (416171) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Gerald Ward-Smith (413294) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/21/37