LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Duncan MATHIESON
Service No: 2161
Born: 26 August 1906, Location unavailable
Enlisted in the RAAF: Date unavailable
Unit: No. 55 Operational Base Unit, Birdum NT
Died: Aircraft Accident (USAAF Transport C37 aircraft 5505 (VH-CCA)), 25 May 1942, Aged 35 Years
Buried: Alice Springs Cemetery, Northern Territory
CWGC Additional Information: Son of George Cowie Matheson and Lily Matheson; husband of Mabel Matheson, of Brisbane, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 113, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 25 May 1942, Flight Lieutenant Matheson (Administrative and Special Duties) was killed when a US Army transport aircraft C37/5505 VH-CCA crashed soon after take-off from Alice Springs. The aircraft was to travel to Archerfield, Queensland via Batchelor, Northern Territory. He was proceeding to take up duty at No. 55 Operational Base Unit, Birdum having being posted from No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School. Also killed in the crash was Leading Aircraftman James Emanuel Skillen (2669).
The US Army crew members who were all killed were:
Second Lieutenant Russell L Callison (O-403883)
Private Marlin J Law (14061708)
Second Lieutenant Aubrey Lawless Tobias (O-409780)
Second Lieutenant William A O’Neill (O-425102) (Pilot)
Sergeant Rolfe M Smith (17025104)
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, 163/144/143