LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Thomas MARSH
Service No: 411504
Born: Birtley, England, 11 March 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: 13th Bomber Squadron (USAAF)
Died: Likely Exposure: (from the loss of 13th Squadron B25 aircraft 41-12462 on 23 May 1942), Lae area, on or after 23 May 1942, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Marsh, of Portland, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 7, Lae Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Sergeant Marsh was the lower gunner and only RAAF member on USAAF B25 aircraft 41-12462 that was engaged in the bombing of Lae aerodrome on 23 May 1942. After dropping the bombs the US formation was attacked by eight Zero fighters and 41-12462 received a direct hit that forced the pilot to ditch the aircraft. All the crew members safely evacuated the aircraft and launched the life raft. Four Zeros began strafing the crew in the water and the pilot, in order to reduce the target, ordered the crew to separate. They were still safe and uninjured. Sergeant Murphy, the sole survivor, swam in the opposite direction to the rest of the crew and that was the last he saw of the crew, but he was of the opinion that they were still alive after he separated from them as he heard them yelling to each other after the strafing had stopped. Sergeant Murphy reached the shore after about 48 hours in the sea and was returned safely to his unit by the local PNG residents.
Post War searches of Japanese records gave no indication that Sergeant Marsh had been captured.
The crew members of Mitchell 41-12462 were:
Technical Sergeant George H Bengel (6705073) (USAAF) (Bombardier)
First Lieutenant Henry Arthur Keel (O-404018) (USAAF) (Pilot) Believed PoW
Sergeant Thomas Marsh (411504) (Radio Operator)
Sergeant Louis E Murphy (11013602) (USAAF) (Gunner) Only survivor, Safe
First Lieutenant Durward R Reed (O-431512) (USAAF) (Co-Pilot)
Sergeant Danforth Earl Wilkins (14006575) (USAAF) (Engineer)
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, 163/142/363
PacificWrecks.com Website