LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader Charles Raymond GURNEY AFC
Commanding Officer, No. 33 Squadron, 8 April 1942 – 2 May 1942
Gurney Field, Milne Bay, PNG is named in his memory.
Service No: 160
Born: Sydney NSW, 22 May 1906
Enlisted in the RAAF: 14 December 1925 (at RAAF Station Point Cook VIC)
Unit: No. 33 Squadron, Townsville QLD
Awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC), 11 June 1942 (Citation Title: No. 11 Squadron)
Died: Air Operations: (22nd Bombardment Group Marauder aircraft 40-1426), Kiriwina Island, New Guinea, 2 May 1942, Aged 35 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William B. Gurney and Ida Gurney; husband of Josephine Margaret Gurney, of Edgecliffe, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Cremorne NSW
Remembered: Panel 103, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Catalina Base Memorial, Rathmines NSW
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW
Remembered: North Sydney War Memorial, North Sydney NSW
Squadron Leader Gurney was a QANTAS staff member serving with the RAAF.
USAAF B26 Marauder 40-1426 was returning from an operational bombardment of Lae and crashed during a forced landing. Squadron Leader Gurney was flying as the Second Pilot. Killed were:
Squadron Leader Charles Raymond Gurney AFC (160) (Second Pilot)
First Lieutenant Christian Ihmsen Herron (O-046130) (US Army) (Pilot)
The remainder of the crew were USAAF members who were uninjured.
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, 163/34/177
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line