LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ian Lerwick MAINLAND
Service No: 408815
Born: Warrnambool VIC, 11 June 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 23 May 1941
Unit: No. 8 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 8 Squadron Beaufort aircraft A9-262), New Britain PNG, 4 December 1943, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Paul Mainland and Gertrude Emily Mainland; husband of Katrine May Mainland, of East Melbourne, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 35, Rabaul Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
A9-262 was one of six No. 8 Squadron Beaufort aircraft detailed to conduct a torpedo strike against enemy shipping in St George’s Channel off the north coast of New Britain. In poor weather, three of the aircraft including A9-262 made the target area but contact with A9-262 was lost at about 1936 hours while making an attack on enemy shipping.
The crew members of A9-262 were:
Flight Sergeant Ian Lerwick Mainland (408815) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Donald McDonald (401714) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Ross Bryan O’Loghlen (400662) (Navigator Bomb Aimer) PoW, Died 14 January 1944
Squadron Leader Noel Thomas Quinn DFC & Bar (622) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 16 February 1971
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 A9845, 250