LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Moreland James OXLEY
Service No: 435623
Born: Maryborough VIC, 26 September 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 13 July 1943
Unit: No. 5 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 5 Squadron Boomerang aircraft A46-216), off Bougainville PNG, 6 February 1945, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Gerald Roy Oxley and Jean Moreland Oxley; husband of Coral Joy Oxley, of Bentleigh, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Bentleigh VIC
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 99, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1530 hours on 6 February 1945, Boomerang A46-216 flown by Pilot Officer Oxley took off from Piva north airstrip, Bougainville Island, on a reconnaissance flight. A46-216 was detailed to lead in Corsairs of the RNZAF for a bombing attack on enemy artillery. On completion of the mission the aircraft was returning to base accompanied by another Boomerang flown by Pilot Officer Hurtle Tait Kidman (442350) (Discharged: 14 February 1946). The two aircraft were flying down the coast abreast, about 200 yards apart at approximately 50 feet height, and about 300 yards from the shore. When at position Bougainville Island north, A46-216 dived into the sea. Pilot Officer Kidman immediately informed base and an Army barge put out from the shore but only found a wing petrol tank.
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, 166/31/315; A9845, 209