LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Ian Allison MARKWELL
Service No: 414054
Born: Nundah QLD, 19 October 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 20 July 1941
Unit: No. 452 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 452 Squadron Spitfire aircraft A58-519), off Morotai, 24 December 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Donald Allison Markwell and Edith Louie Lowe Markwell, of Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 8, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 24 December 1944, six Spitfire were on patrol duty at Morotai, Netherlands East Indies. Approximately 10 minutes after take-off at a height of 4,500 feet, Flying Officer Markwell flying A58-519 reported that his engine had stopped and his aircraft was seen to drop out of formation. A little later while at 2,000 feet, he again reported that he was unable to restart the engine and was preparing to bale out. He was seen to land in the water near where his aircraft crashed with his parachute fully opened. An Air Sea Rescue boat proceeded to the crash site half a mile from shore only to find portion of his harness, but no trace of Flying Officer Markwell or his aircraft. Other searches were also unsuccessful.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/27/699; A9845, 124
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002