LEST WE FORGET
Corporal Edward Lewis JAMES
Service No: NX4011 (Australian Army)
Born: Staffordshire, England, 25 July 1908
Enlisted in the Army: 3 November 1939 (at Homebush NSW)
Unit: Headquarters 6th Australian Division
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 4 Communication Unit Hudson aircraft A16-118), off Cairns QLD, 5 March 1945, Aged 37 Years
Buried: Cairns Cemetery QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward and Elizabeth James; husband of Marie Elizabeth James, of Ingleburn, New South Wales.
Roll of Honour: Ingleburn NSW
Remembered: Panel 10, Supplementary Panel 1, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Ingleburn RSL Sub Branch Memorial Garden, Ingleburn NSW
While on approach to Cairns Airport, Hudson A16-118 crashed at 1620 hours about 500 meters off-shore in four metres of water and ended up resting on its back. Weather at the time was 9/10 cloud cover, no wind, ceiling 1,500 feet, visibility 8 kms, and no rain. There were no survivors and attempts were made to salvage the aircraft over several days. A Court of Inquiry was convened. Those on board A16-118 were:
Crew:
Flight Lieutenant Donald James Bassett (406465) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Berrol Samuel Frieze (409400) (Navigator)
Leading Aircraftman John Dudley Moore (77157) (Radio Operator)
Flying Officer Gordon Thomson DFM (400573) (Second Pilot)
Passengers:
Lieutenant Colonel George Anthony Bertram OBE MID (NX324) (Australian Army) Advanced Land Headquarters
Major General Rupert Major Downes CMG VD (VX57673) (Australian Army) Medical Corps
Corporal Edward Lewis James (NX4011) (Australian Army) HQ 6th Division
Flight Lieutenant John William Newell (404543) (Pilot) No. 5 Operational Training Unit
Lieutenant William Rigall (VX80932) (Australian Army) HQ 6th Division
Colonel Robert Heathcote Russell DSO MID (NX168) (Australian Army) HQ 2nd Australian Army
Major General George Alan Vasey CB CBE DSO and Bar MID (VX9) (Australian Army) HQ 7th Division
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 A9845, 135