LEST WE FORGET
Leading Aircraftman Roderick John NANCARROW
Service No: 27601
Born: Stone Hut SA, 14 June 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 September 1940
Unit: Headquarters RAAF Station Port Moresby PNG
Died: Air Raid, Port Moresby, 28 February 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Richard Milton Nancarrow and Rachel Nancarrow; husband of Ethel Rosalie Nancarrow, of Woodville, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Woodville SA
Remembered: Panel 10, Port Moresby Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 97, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
On the 28th eleven bombers escorted by five Zeros attacked the Port Moresby Catalina base in daylight with serious result—three Catalinas (A24-3, A24-6, A24-7) were destroyed at their moorings and a fourth (A24-18) damaged and the flying-boat squadrons’ headquarters received a direct hit. When the bombers left, the strength of the base in serviceable aircraft on immediate call was three—two Catalinas and one Hudson.
Extract from Gillison, D. (Douglas) Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1962 – Page 453
There were two RAAF members on one of the Catalina aircraft at the time of the raid and these members were:
Leading Aircraftman (later Sergeant) William Ray Franke (33768) (Electrician) Seriously wounded, Discharged from the RAAF: 23 December 1946
Leading Aircraftman Roderick John Nancarrow (27601) (Electrician)
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, 163/147/190