6 July 1943 - Crash of a Beaufort bomber near Bohle River air strip

6 JULY 1943
CRASH OF A BEAUFORT BOMBER
NEAR BOHLE RIVER AIR STRIP

visits since 17 February 2005

beaufort.jpg (13398 bytes)
Bristol Beaufort

RAAF Beaufort bomber, A9-264, of 8 Squadron was destroyed by fire on 6 July 1943, after a forced landing 2 miles south west of Bohle River air strip near Townsville in north Queensland. The following crew members were killed in the crash:-

F/Off Daniel William Courtman
F/Off John Francis Goodisson
P/Off John Mitchel
F/Sgt David Llewellyn Cole

They were all buried at the Townsville War Cemetery.

In Memory of

DAVID LLEWELLYN COLE

Flight Sergeant
401419
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 6th July 1943. Age 24

Son of Lewis George and Amy Cole, of Toorak, Victoria.

TOWNSVILLE WAR CEMETERY, Queensland, Australia
Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.D.16.

In Memory of

DANIEL WILLIAM COURTMAN

Flying Officer
405347
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 6th July 1943. Age 28

Son of William Henry and Briget Angeline Courtman; husband of
Thelma Agnes Marion Courtman, of Upper Burringbar, New South Wales

TOWNSVILLE WAR CEMETERY, Queensland, Australia
Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.D.13.

In Memory of

JOHN MITCHELL

Pilot Officer
400994
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 6th July 1943. Age 27.

Son of John and Emily Jane Mitchell, of Elsternwick, Victoria.

Cemetery: TOWNSVILLE WAR CEMETERY, Queensland, Australia
Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.D.15.

In Memory of

JOHN FRANCIS GOODISSON

Flying Officer
401786
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 6th July 1943. Age 22.

Son of John Roy and Rubina Marguerita Goodisson, of Trawalla, Victoria.

Cemetery: TOWNSVILLE WAR CEMETERY, Queensland, Australia
Grave Reference/Panel Number: A.D.14.

REFERENCE BOOK

"Diary of WWII - North Queensland"
Complied by Peter Nielsen

"Aircraft and Markings of the RAAF 1939 - 1945"
By Geoffrey Pentland

NOTE:- I also received information on this crash from a list of aircraft crashes compiled by Bruce Stewart from a series of books called "Aircraft in Australian Service" by Stewart Wilson.

SOURCE:- Aircraft Crash Sites - Australia

Crash: No. 327 or 328

Position: 19.12 - 145.39

Department of Aviation Chart No: 3219

NOTE:- Crash Nos. 327 and 328 show the location as:- "Burnt out wreckage located near Black River Strip". I've assumed that this is meant to be the Bohle River Strip as I am unaware of a Black River Strip. I have shown both of these crashes against the above crash of RAAF Beaufort bomber, A9-264, of 8 Squadron at this stage.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

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