LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Robert Kelvin ALLEN
Service No: 404945
Born: Port Douglas QLD, 17 June 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 January 1941
Unit: No. 13 Squadron, operating from Ambon
Died: Air Operations: (No. 13 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-29), at sea near Ambon, 1 January 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert Hartley and Daisy Maud Allen, of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Column 9, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 100, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 1 January 1942, Hudson A16-29 crashed at sea to the north of Ambon while returning from a shipping search. The event was witnessed by the crews of two accompanying Hudsons. The aircraft’s bombs detonated on impact but miraculously Sergeant Hack survived and was rescued by a USN Catalina aircraft some 15 minutes later. The loss of A16-29 is recounted in detail in The 13 Squadron Story.
The crew members of A16-29 were:
Pilot Officer Robert Kelvin Allen (404945) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant Bernie Edward Hack (407102) (Wireless Air Gunner) Rescued, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 September 1943
Sergeant Walter John Lay (408079) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer John Turnbull (642) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/1/319 Part 3
Bibliography:
Grantham, S.R. (Sidney Richard) (6590) The 13 Squadron Story, S.R. Grantham, Dee Why NSW 2099, 1991