Dear Monument Australia visitors, we are a self-funded, non-profit organisation, dedicated to recording monuments throughout Australia. Over time the costs of maintaining this website have risen substantially (in fact they are probably larger than those of many companies who exist for profit). In the past we have borne all the costs associated with maintaining the website but we are now having difficulties in paying the monthly expenses.
30-November-2020 : We are aware that some organisations, individuals or companies may have received an email requesting donations to assist Monument Australia. These emails are not authorised by Monument Australia and we do not know the person who sent them. You should not make any payments to any bank account details in the email. We only use the Paypal “Donate” button on this webpage to accept donations.
If Monument Australia is useful to you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Home » Themes » Conflict » World War Two
Air Crash MemorialPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the four airmen who were killed near Tarlee while on a training flight from Mallala Royal Australian Air Force (R.A.A.F.) base during World War Two.
On the night of September 23, 1943, the residents of Tarlee were startled by the noise of a plane in difficulty, and then heard the crash in a nearby paddock on a training flight out of Mallala R.A.A.F. Base.
All four airmen were killed. They were the
Pilot, 19 year old, Sergeant Julian Rice, of Jardee WA,
Navigator, 27-year- old Flying Officer Ian Weston, from Adelaide,
and trainee pilots 19-year- old Cyril Lewis, of Elwood, Victoria and 19-year-old Donald McDonald, from Brisbane Queensland.
Location
| Address: | Main North Road & Hallett Street, War Memorial Garden, Tarlee, 5411 |
|---|---|
| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -34.272325 Long: 138.770206 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 23-September-1943 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 23-September-1943 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 22nd February, 2015 |
|---|
RAAF World War Two Crash Site
23rd September 1943
An Avro Anson W2095 from 6 Service Flight Training School, Mallalla, crashed into a field approximately 1.8km east south east of this site.
29990 284999 419836 429980
Sgt Rice Julian Patrick F/O Weston Ian Duncan LAC Lewis Cyril M LAC McDonald Donald Neil
Pilot Navigator Trainee Pilot Trainee Pilot
Jardee WA Adelaide SA Elwood VIC Brisbane QLD
Age : 21 Age : 27 Age : 19 Age : 19
Reports :
Official Summary :
The above aircraft took off at 2130 hours on 23 Sep 1943 on a properly authorised night dual cross country exercise. At 2305 hours, it crashed near Tarlee, S.A., killing all occupants, and was almost completely destroyed by fire. Weather deterioration, not predicted in the forecast, appears to have been the cause of the crash, but there was nothing in the wreckage to prove definitely the immediate cause.
Eyewitness :
Report 1 who was watching from his farm :
"It was a dirty night, between half ten and eleven, he came in low from the northwest towards our farm and circled the town. He then came low over the oval, and tried to pull her up, it lifted a bit then dove straight into the paddock, we all ran to see if we could help but it burned as soon as it hit the ground, the poor buggers. We only found three bodies at night, we found the fourth bloke the next day. I said to my mate that the left engine was on fire, but he said it was probably the exhaust, the engines were making a hell of a noise, really screaming they were. "
Report 2 who was watching from his house :
"It didn`t sound right, that`s why I went out in the front yard, you couldn't see him at first, he was up in the clouds flying around, he came out of the clouds and it sounded like his engines were flat out as he headed across
