www.monumentaustralia.org.au

Vultee Vengeance A27-295 CrashPrint Page Print this page

The plaque commemorates the crash of a Vultee Vengeance aeroplane and its crew. The memorial was rededicated on the 16th August, 2008.

In 1944, a Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) Vultee Vengeance dive-bomber went missing on a training flight from Pearce near Perth. The aeroplane had apparently become lost and run out of fuel. A few days later a chance conversation between a commercial pilot and Squadron Leader Haber, the Commanding Officer of No. 7 Communications Unit at Pearce, revealed that the former had sighted what he thought was a tent in the bush east of Narembeen. Next morning a Beaufort bomber identified a parachute, but no sign of life and a large number of soldiers from Northam were sent for a ground search.

The pilot Warrant Officer J. Ingram was located at a remote farmhouse some four days after the crash and told his story. On realising that he was nearly out of fuel he had warned the navigator Flight-Sergeant C. L. King to bale out and went through the necessary roll to allow him to do so. He then climbed for height and baled out himself. There being no sign of King, he headed west and found the farmhouse, after fours days, during which he had only a goanna to eat. A huge effort was mounted to try and locate King and the aeroplane.

 The wreckage was finally found by a Tigermoth on the 2nd of September in extremely thick and inhospitable scrub. There was no trace of King or his parachute, it was believed that he had been hit by the large tailplane of the Vengeance as he bailed out.

Location

Address:Emu Fence Road, near Skeleton Rock, Marvel Loch, 6426
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -31.993974
Long: 119.356161
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW2
Actual Event Start Date:27-August-1944
Approx. Event Start Date:1944
Actual Event End Date:27-August-1944
Approx. Event End Date:1944

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 27th August, 1988
Front Inscription

This plaque commemorates the crash of Vultee Vengeance No A27-295 27th August 1944 and its crew P/O A J Ingram and P/O C L King

Ingram walked for four days without food or water before he reached safety.

A long search for P/O King was carried out but he was never found.

Parts of the aircraft have been used in the restoration of the Vultee Vengeance now in the Royal Australian Air Force Association Aviation Museum at Bull Creek.

Erected by the Yilgarn Shire Council

27th August 1988.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au