LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader Ernest Victor BEAUMONT
Service No: 260
Born: Sydney NSW, 23 January 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 17 January 1938 (at RAAF Point Cook VIC)
Unit: No. 20 Squadron, Port Moresby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 20 Squadron Catalina aircraft A24-13), New Guinea, 24 February 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Nicholas Richard and Lynda Ruth Beaumont, of Bexley North, New South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 34, Rabaul Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Catalina Base Memorial, Rathmines NSW
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW
The demands made on the Catalina crews of Nos. 11 and 20 Squadrons continued, with repeated night attacks on Rabaul and long-range reconnaissance flights. On the night of 24th February Flight Lieutenant Beaumont and his crew failed to return from a raid on Rabaul and Flying Officer Bolitho (1) and his crew had a close call when the failure of one engine forced the flying-boat down to within 200 feet of the ground and it was saved only by jettisoning the bomb-load.
(1) Wing Commander William Keith Bolitho DFC (O4401 (407016)) was discharged from the RAAF in the post-war period.
Extract from Gillison, D.N. (Douglas Napier) (254475) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962 – Page 453
The crew members of A24-13 were:
Corporal Raymond James Adams (5463) (Fitter IIE)
Squadron Leader Ernest Victor Beaumont (260) (Pilot)
Leading Aircraftman Maxwell Dawson Raymond Berghouse (14840) (Fitter IIE)
Pilot Officer Michael Wetham Edwards (407056) (Second Pilot)
Aircraftman Class 1 Leonard Leslie Farrands (13829) (Armourer)
Leading Aircraftman George Lancelot Formby (9031) (Wireless Operator)
Leading Aircraftman Cyril Grainger (32040) (Fitter IIA)
Sergeant Raymond John Richardson (401017) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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, 163/23/107
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
McFarlane, C.C. (Cyrus C.) Tojo’s Fate: Australia’s secret war, Sid Harta Publishers Glen Waverley VIC 3150, 2009
McMillan A. (Andrew) Catalina Dreaming: rescues exciting missions and other stories about the famous Australian flying boats of WWII, Duffy and Snellgrove Potts Point NSW, 2002
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Catalina, Neptune and Orion in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1991