LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Edward Dawson CHALMER
Service No: 411744
Born: Kandos NSW, 30 June 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1941
Unit: No. 39 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations (No. 39 Squadron Beaufort aircraft DD936), off the Italian Coast, 16 May 1943, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward and Marion Dawson Chalmer, of Bondi Beach, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 11, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 120, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: NSW Department of Education Teachers and Trainees WW2 Honour Roll, Sydney NSW
At about 2317 hours on 15 May 1943 Beaufort DD 936 took off from Luqa in company with two other Beaufort aircraft to carry out a shipping search off the west coast of Italy. DD936 signalled to base at 0331 hours on a bearing of 060/070 deg Malta. Another Beaufort on the same mission reported the presence of twin engine night fighters in the target area. DD936 did not return from this mission. Aerial reconnaissance on 16 May sighted a large patch of oil off the south east coast of Sicily in position 36.58N 016.02E. There were no signs of any survivors. Following post war investigations and enquiries, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of DD936 were:
Warrant Officer Edward Dawson Chalmer (411744) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Gerard Farrell (1016730) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer II Francis Joseph Payne (R/111177) (RCAF) (Observer)
Sergeant James Ernest Taylor (1377099) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
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, 166/6/102
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line