LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Sydney Norman TRUMPER
Service No: 413692
Born: Lindfield NSW, 11 December 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 4 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 4 Squadron Boomerang aircraft A46-111), Mindjin River Valley PNG, 30 October 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Sydney Charles and Gladys Trumper, of Lindfield, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Ku-ring-gai World War 2 Book of Remembrance, Gordon NSW
Remembered: St. Alban’s Anglican Church Roll of Honour, Lindfield NSW
On 30 October 1943 Boomerang A46-111 accompanied by Boomerang A46-118 flown by Flying Officer Ronald Archibald Dickson DFC (407115) (Discharged: 23 November 1945) was detailed to carry out a tactical reconnaissance in the Dumpu area, New Guinea. The object was to locate an enemy gun position believed situated in a gap 200 yards wide between the ridges lining the Faria and Madjim rivers. The reconnaissance was to be between 50/100 feet height. There were dense clouds on both sides of the ridges and the aircraft could not maintain sight contact sight due to the weather. Flying Officer Trumper was seen on three occasions making steep turns between the ridges near the gap. At this time Dickson was making his approach along the valley between the ridges and A46-111had disappeared from sight. Flying Officer Dickson searched the area with no result. Other searches on successive days were alos unsuccessful. A46-111 was later found by a patrol from B Company 2/12 AIF Battalion. The aircraft had crashed into a hillside and the Flying Officer Trumper’s body was recovered.
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, 166/40/97; A9845, 205
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line