LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Ronald Kevin Critchley O’CONNOR
Service No: 411175
Born: Adelaide SA, 22 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 75 Squadron, Port Moresby PNG
Died: Air Operations (No. 75 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-19), New Guinea, 27 March 1942, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William George and Ruby Mary O’Connor, of Unley, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On 27 March 1942 a Fighter Section from No. 76 Squadron engaged Zeros some 40 kms north of Port Moresby. Pilot Officer Connor was shot down; Flying Officer Wood saw a parachute which he thought was that of Pilot Officer O’Connor but, despite extensive searches, neither Flying Officer O’Connor nor A29-19 was found.
The Fighter Section members were:
Sergeant Robert Summerson Bailey (401770) Killed in Air Operations: 28 March 1942
Pilot Officer Ronald Kevin Critchley O’Connor (411715)
Sergeant (later Flight Lieutenant) John Walter Wedgwood Piper DFC (250828) Discharged from the RAAF: 9 March 1945
Pilot Officer (later Squadron Leader) Jeffrey Woods (406064) Discharged from the RAAF: 15 September 1945
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, 163/50/48
Bibliography:
Wilson, D. (David) The Decisive Factor: 75 and 76 squadrons Port Moresby and Milne Bay 1942, Banner Books Brunswick VIC 3056, 1991
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Spitfire, Mustang and Kittyhawk in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1988