LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader William Geoffrey CAMPBELL
Service No: 261730
Born: 9 September 1911, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAAF Reserve: Date Unavailable
Unit: RAAF Reserve, Civil Aircrew
Died: Aircraft Accident (QANTAS Lodestar aircraft VH-CAB), Port Moresby, 26 November 1943, Aged 32 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert Henry and Daisy Eleanor Campbell; husband of Jean Isobel Campbell, of Marrickville New South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 23 January 1943, Squadron Leader Campbell was involved in an aircraft accident near Werribee, Victoria, in which Flying Officer Clarence James Harold Loft (3402) and two other RAAF members were killed.
At 0400 hours on 26 November 1943, Lockheed Lodestar aircraft registration VH-CAB crashed just after takeoff from Wards Strip enroute from Port Moresby to Townsville. The aircraft was operated by QANTAS. There were 4 crew members and 11 passengers on board, all of whom were killed.
The crew members were:
Squadron Leader William Godfrey Campbell (261730) (Pilot) RAAF Reserve
Flight Sergeant Neil Grosvenor Evan (417064) (Radio Operator) QANTAS Secondment
Pilot Officer John Randolph Fleming Henderson (410863) (Second Pilot) RAAF Reserve
Flying Officer Keith George Little (267726) (Purser) RAAF Reserve
The passengers were:
Captain John W Baish (O-0384600) (US Army)
Lieutenant Colonel John Benedict Bolger (NX462)
Second Lieutenant John E Brown (O-1798348) (US Army)
Colonel Frank O Dewey (O-11386) (US Army)
Lieutenant Colonel Clive Valentine Ferrey (37572) (British Army)
Flight Sergeant Leslie Harold Jenke (8868) No. 13 Aircraft Repair Depot, Breddan QLD
Mr Robert E Lewis (280) (US Civilian) (Red Cross War Correspondent)
Lieutenant Colonel Edward John Marston (VX39064) (Australian Army)
Major John Francis McCarthy (NX7195) (Australian Army)
Staff Sergeant Vincent W Novak (33362619) (US Army)
Mr Harry H Poage (202) (US Civilian) (Red Cross War Correspondent)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9300, CAMPBELL W G