LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Jack William Robinson BOANAS
Service No: 417331
Born: Muston SA, 7 December 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Darwin NT
Died: Prisoner of War (Executed) (following the loss of No. 2 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-233 on 8 September 1943), Ambon, 31 October 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William and Willehmina Elsie Boanas; husband of Mary Berenice Boanas, of Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
At about 1300 hours on 8 September 1943, Hudson A16-233 took off to carry out a shipping reconnaissance in the Arafura Sea around the Tanimbar Island and the aircraft failed to return to base. A16-233 was shot down by a merchant ship, the Sugi Maru, north of Tanimbar Island. Three of the crew were killed in the crash and the other two were able to bale out and were taken prisoner. Both were taken to Ambon on the Sugi Maru and arrived on 17 September 1943 and were handed over to the Japanese Army. Graham was treated in a Japanese hospital for his wounded leg and after his discharge the two were imprisoned in Benteng for some days before they were both executed by the Japanese on or before the 31 October 1943.
The crew members of A16-233 were:
Flight Sergeant Jack William Robinson Boanas (417331) (Wireless Air Gunner) Executed 31 October 1943
Flight Sergeant Maurice Anthony Graham (410337) (Wireless Air Gunner) Executed 31 October 1943
Flying Officer Lynnton Ainsley Martin (408816) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Marcus Cedric Wettenhall (408818) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Pilot Officer Ralph Henry Williams (410391) (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, 166/6/267
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992