LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant William Llewellyn SCANLAN
Service No: 406736
Born: Perth WA, 1 May 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 March 1941
Unit: HQ North Eastern Area, Townsville QLD – Attached to 2nd (Bomber) Squadron USAAF (United States Army Air Force)
Died: Air Operations (2nd (Bomber) Squadron Marauder aircraft 40-1529), New Guinea area, 17 December 1942, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Michael Joseph and Muriel May Scanlan, of Fremantle, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Marauder 40-1529 of No 2 Bomber Squadron together with two other B-26 aircraft took off at 1100 hours on 17 December 1942 from Laloki, on a bombing mission to Buna, New Guinea, but 40-1529 failed to return. Pilots of the accompanying aircraft reported that about 20 minutes after take off, the aircraft were approaching the mountains about 15 miles from the Kokoda Gap. The Flight Leader made a gentle turn to port, still climbing to gain altitude. After the turn Sergeant Scanlan’s aircraft which was in number 3 position, was not seen again. Both the accompanying aircraft called over the radio but no reply was received. Searches were carried out over the next four days but no trace of the missing plane or crew was found. RAAF search parties conducted further searches after the war but were unsuccessful. It was recorded that Sergeant Scanlan had lost his life on 17 December 1942.
The crew members of 40-1529 were:
First Lieutenant Franklin Joseph Anderson (O-421589) (USAAF) (Pilot)
First Lieutenant Edward H Hansen (O-432983) (USAAF) (Bombardier)
Sergeant John H McLean (13005296) (USAAF) (Engineer)
Sergeant Thomas R Powell (7021207) (USAAF) (Radio Operator)
Sergeant William Llewellyn Scanlan (406736) (Co-Pilot)
Sergeant George W Whitley Jr (13018743) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Second Lieutenant Sidney H Willoughby (O-662411) (USAAF) (Navigator)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/160/343
PacificWrecks.com Website
Bibliography:
Gaston, Bruce DFC (406646), Harry Horner DFC OAM (406595), Raymond Storer (406666) (Editors), Aircrew for the Duration: of and by members of RAAF EATS Courses 10, 11, 12 & 13, Gaston Horner and Storer, Nedlands WA, 1990