FathomOz

The remains of a bomber where there was a Japaese seaplane base during WWII.  There is doubt as the the origin of this aircraft.  Originally believed to be a USAF  B-17 that was brought down by ground fire.

The other possibility is it is an Australian RAAF  (Royal Australian Air Force)  Hudson bomber missing from Rabaul, New Guinea.

“No. 24 Squadron had four Hudsons and 12 Wirraways in Rabaul.  In January 1942 the Hudson’s and the Catalina’s were engaged in long range reconnaissance of Kapingamarangi and Truk.

On 20 January 1942 Japanese carriers launched  100 bombers and fighters to attack Rabaul.  Wing Commander J. Lerew CO of No.24 Squadron had four Hudsons and 11 Wirraways to oppose this Japanese force.  (The Wirraways were virtually training aircraft and no match against the Japanese aircraft).  After the raid they were left with one Hudson and one Wirraway.

The Japanese invaded the next day outnumbering the Australian defenders by five to one.

Commanding HQ in Melbourne ordered the Australians to defend Rabaul.

The return message sent to Melbourne was in Latin “Nos morituri te salutamus”,  which is taken to mean “We who are about to die salute” – term used by the gladiators to spectators at the Colosseum in Rome about 2000 years earlier”.

Text W.J. Gibbs