LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant David Charles TAIT
Service No: 425377
Born: Brisbane QLD, 12 February 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 February 1942
Unit: No. 8 Communication Unit, Goodenough Island
Died: Air Operations (No. 8 Communication Unit Walrus HD865), off Ferguson Island PNG, 31 March 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of David Hugh and Ethel Mary Tait, of Greenslopes, Queensland
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Walrus HD865 had to attempt a take-off in the open ocean as there were no suitable sites closer to Saramo, Ferguson Island, PNG. On take off, the port wing dropped and the port float struck the ocean and the aircraft swung, capsized and sank. All escaped from the sinking aircraft but Flight Sergeant Tait and was lost when all the floating debris has sunk and he was unable to remove his boots to tread water and drifted apart from the others. On board HD865 were:
Flying Officer Jack Gordon Laycock (405746) (Pilot) Exposure, Discharged from the RAAF: 9 November 1945
Warrant Officer William Pollack McCutcheon (426138) (Wireless Air Gunner) Exposure, Discharged from the RAAF: 2 August 1945
Flying Officer Ronald Stanley Smith (23957) (Supernumerary) (No. 10 Signals Unit) Exposure, Discharged from the RAAF: 19 November 1945
Flight Sergeant David Charles Tait (425377) (Second Pilot)
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 A9845, 275; A705, 166/39/253