LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Donald James BASSETT
Service No: 406465
Born: Collie WA, 31 August 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 January 1941
Unit: No. 4 Communication Unit, Archerfield QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 Communication Unit Hudson aircraft A16-118), off Cairns QLD, 5 March 1945, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Bailey Bassett and Charlotte Elizabeth Norah Bassett, of Wembley Park, Western Australia. A.A.I.A.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 5, Sydney Memorial, Rookwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 111, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
After takeoff from Cairns enroute to New Guinea, at 1620 hours Hudson A16-118 crashed about 500 meters off shore in four metres of water and ended up resting on its back. Weather at the time was 9/10 cloud cover, no wind, ceiling 1,500 feet, visibility 8 kms, and no rain. An attempt was made to salvage the aircraft, but no survivors were found.
While on approach to Cairns Airport, Hudson A16-118 crashed at 1620 hours about 500 meters off-shore in four metres of water and ended up resting on its back. Weather at the time was 9/10 cloud cover, no wind, ceiling 1,500 feet, visibility 8 kms, and no rain. There were no survivors and attempts were made to salvage the aircraft over several days. A Court of Inquiry was convened.
Those on board A16-118 were:
Crew:
Flight Lieutenant Donald James Bassett (406465) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Berrol Samuel Frieze (409400) (Navigator)
Leading Aircraftman John Dudley Moore (77157) (Radio Operator)
Flying Officer Gordon Thomson DFM (400573) (Second Pilot)
Passengers:
Lieutenant Colonel George Anthony Bertram OBE MID (NX324) (Australian Army) Advanced Land Headquarters
Major General Rupert Major Downes CMG VD (VX57673) (Australian Army) Medical Corps
Corporal Edward Lewis James (NX4011) (Australian Army) HQ 6th Division
Flight Lieutenant John William Newell (404543) (Pilot) No. 5 Operational Training Unit
Lieutenant William Rigall (VX80932) (Australian Army) HQ 6th Division
Colonel Robert Heathcote Russell DSO MID (NX168) (Australian Army) HQ 2nd Australian Army
Major General George Alan Vasey CB CBE DSO and Bar MID (VX9) (Australian Army) HQ 7th Division
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 A9845, 135
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990