LEST WE FORGET
Corporal Terence Joseph HUTCHINSON
Service No: 8719
Born: Brisbane QLD, 25 September 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 February 1940 (at RAAF Station Laverton VIC)
Unit: No. 42 Radar Director Direction Finding Wing
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Communication Unit Dragon aircraft A34-25), Croydon QLD, 6 December 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Townsville War Cemetery QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Ahmed Cerne Hutchinson and Kathleen Hutchinson, of Brisbane; husband of Betty Ella Hutchinson, of Camp Hill
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 114, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 6 December 1943, Dragon A34-25 took off from Garbutt on a non-operational flight transporting radar equipment to No. 313 Radar Station, Mornington Island, Queensland. The Pilot refuelled at No. 29 Operational Base Unit at Inverleigh but the aircraft failed to arrive at Mornington Island. No trace of the missing aircraft was found until in 1950 the wreck of the aircraft and its crew were located near Croydon, North Queensland.
The crew members of A34-25 were:
Corporal Terence Joseph Hutchinson (8719) (Fitter II Engines)
Flying Officer Ronald Gilbert Thomas (402552) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/18/231; A9845, 211