LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Kenneth Lewis McDONNELL
Service No: 401656
Born: Dubbo NSW, 20 December 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 March 1941
Unit: No. 2 Squadron, Darwin NT
Died: Air Operations: (No. 2 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-172), Saumlaki Netherlands East Indies, 14 September 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward George and Lilian Anne McDonnell; husband of Lesley Joyce McDonnell, of Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 8, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Dubbo Memorial Drive and Rose Garden, Dubbo NSW
On 14th September three Hudsons of No. 2 led by McFarlane (1) dive-bombed a ship off Saumlaki. McFarlane’s bombs fell within 10 feet of the vessel. As the second Hudson was attacking, the third one, captained by Flying Officer McDonnell, was hit by anti-aircraft fire and hurtled into the sea. The other aircraft attacked again and one of McFarlane’s bombs hit the ship.
(1) Wing Commander Archibald Bertram McFarlane DFC (250207) was discharged from the RAAF on 11 June 1948.
Extract from Gillison, D.N. (Douglas Napier) (254475) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962 – Page 645
The crew members of A16-172 were:
Pilot Officer Kevin Joseph Ahern (401754) (Observer)
Sergeant Gilbert Stanley Dobbs (414292) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Kenneth Lewis McDonnell (406156) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Victor Treloar (416171) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Gerald Ward-Smith (413294) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 A705, 163/47/152
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Bennett, J. (John William) Highest Traditions: the history of No. 2 Squadron RAAF, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992