LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Russell Bruce PONTIFEX
Service No: 422981
Born: Croydon NSW, 26 April 1924
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 June 1942
Unit: No. 75 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 75 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-1016), Celebes, 5 January 1945, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Charles Russell John and Beatrice Pontifex, of Concord West, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Concord West NSW
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Concord War Memorial, Concord NSW
At 0812 hours on 5 January 1945, Kittyhawk A29-1016 crashed at Ponkol plantation just north of Cape Pasirpoeth, Celebes. Flying Officer Ian David McLaughlan MID (417093) (O4982) (Discharged: 12 April 1946) was flying White No. 1 and Flight Sergeant Pontifex was White No. 2. The aircraft were engaged in a watercraft sweep from Cape Kalapa to North Cape, Celebes. The Section arrived on target at 0810 hours, and White 2 made the first run on the target. On making his circuit Flying Officer McLaughlan saw A29-1016 firing its guns. He looked away for a few seconds, and on glancing back, saw A29-1016 30 to 40 feet above the ground on its back and in a diving position. He did not see the aircraft strike the ground, but did several circuits over the area and saw no trace of the aircraft or the pilot. He called up Flight Sergeant Armstrong* and Flight Sergeant Robson* who were flying Black 1 and 2 and they searched the area for another 10 minutes without success. Later a Catalina searched the area but no trace of the missing pilot or aircraft was seen. In 1946 the wreck of the aircraft and the remains Flight Sergeant Pontifex were found
*Insufficient information available to further identify these members.
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, 166/33/275; A9845, 169
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line