LEST WE FORGET

Sergeant James Vernon Stothard LAHEY

Service No: 405743
Born: Brisbane QLD, 28 March 1909
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1941
Unit: No. 20 Squadron, Bowen QLD
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 11 Squadron Catalina aircraft A24-36), Cairns QLD, 13 April 1943, Aged 34 Years
Buried: Cairns Cemetery, QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas George and Margaret Lahey, of Southport.
Roll of Honour: Canungra QLD
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Catalina Base Memorial, Rathmines NSW
Remembered: Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club, Rathmines NSW

At 0540 hours on 13 April 1943, A24-36 crashed in Cairns Harbour while attempting a forced landing, believed to have been caused by a fuel shortage. The crew members were:

Leading Aircraftman Murray Lockhardt Byham (51514) (Armourer / Air Gunner) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF 13 June 1944
Sergeant Lenard Carr (416206) (Second Pilot) No. 20 Squadron
Flying Officer Leslie Lancedene Henstridge (416497) (Wireless Air Gunner) No. 11 Squadron
Flight Lieutenant Arnold Hinchliffe (411106) (Pilot) No. 11 Squadron
Sergeant James Vernon Stothard Lahey (405743) (Navigator) No. 20 Squadron
Corporal Harold McGillivray (19268) (Fitter II Engines / Air Gunner) No. 20 Squadron
Leading Aircraftman Malcolm Frederick Merrett (19710) (Fitter II Engines / Air Gunner) No. 20 Squadron
Sergeant George Geoffrey Suckling (401056) (Wireless Air Gunner) Seriously injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 June 1945
Corporal Lawrence Edwin Webber (34830) (Fitter II Airframe / Air Gunner) Slightly injured, discharged from the RAAF: 15 February 1946

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, 146
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

Bibliography:

McFarlane, C.C. (Cyrus C.) Tojo’s Fate: Australia’s secret war, Sid Harta Publishers Glen Waverley VIC 3150, 2009
McMillan A. (Andrew) Catalina Dreaming: rescues exciting missions and other stories about the famous Australian flying boats of WWII, Duffy and Snellgrove Potts Point NSW, 2002
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Catalina, Neptune and Orion in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1991

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