LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Russell James GLUYAS
Service No: 13362
Born: Ballarat VIC, 6 July 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 March 1941
Unit: No. 334 Radar Station, Gusap PNG
Died: Drowned, Ramu River, 7 April 1944, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Bennett Gluyas and Irene Gluyas; husband of Lucy Marion Gluyas, of Parkes, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Footscray VIC
Remembered: Panel 7, Lae Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 114, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 7 April 1944, Sergeant Gluyas, a Wireless Operator Mechanic, set out from camp with two others to obtain paw paws known to be growing along the banks of the Ramu River. In trying to cross the river, the three got into difficulties, and Sergeant Gluyas drowned when he was carried away by waters in the flooded river. The other two managed to reach the bank safely.
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, 166/15/217