LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Lorne Allan John PASSMORE
Service No: 412675
Born: Wellington NSW, 1 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: 22nd Bomber Squadron (USAAF)
Died: Air Operations: (22nd Bomber Squadron Marauder aircraft 40-1508), near Salamaua, New Guinea, 9 June 1942, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur and Johanna Matilda Passmore; husband of Nancy Lillian Passmore, of Rose Bay, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Goulburn NSW
Remembered: Panel 6, Lae Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Goulburn-Mulwaree Honour Roll 1939-1972, Goulburn NSW
On 9 June 1942, Marauder 40-1508 took-off, detailed to carry out a bombing mission over the Lae and Salamaua areas of New Guinea. In an aerial combat engagement, the aircraft was seen to be hit by enemy fire and disintegrated in the air and crashed into the sea, about 30 miles south of Salamaua. There was no chance of survival of any of the crew.
The crew members of Marauder 40-1508 were:
Lieutenant Harold P Beck (O-434966) (USAAF) (Navigator)
Lieutenant Willis George Bench (O-420822) (USAAF) (Pilot)
Corporal Alex Makuch (13011250) (USAAF) (Bombardier)
Corporal George H Miles (13001411) (USAAF) (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Lorne Allan John Passmore (412675) (Co-Pilot)
Corporal Robert A Rockefeller (7071440) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Staff Sergeant Samuel Siegel (6905713) (USAAF) (Radio Operator)
Lieutenant Colonel Francis R Stevens (()-15779) US Army) (Supernumerary)
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 A705, 163/51/134
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
PacificWrecks.com Website