Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 3789    Session 13 (2.30pm Thu 27th March)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,200

GROUP OF FOUR TO POW KILLED: 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. 417011 G R Thomas on all medals. Impressed. Good very fine - good extremely fine.

Together with;

1. Nearest Female Relative's badge with one star, reverse numbered 21861, with original delivery card.

2. Mothers and Widows Badge WWII with one star, reverse numbered AF 8709.

3. Memorial Scroll WWII commemorating Flight Sergeant G.R.Thomas, Royal Australian Air Force.

4. King's Letter of Sympathy and Gratitude for a life given in WWII service.

5. Dog tags.

6. Embroidered LAC badge.

7. A large quantity of various RAAF service related documents, personal letters and photos.

In a letter date 15 September 1943 the RAAF wrote: 'On 12th, September, 1943, your son was rear gunner of an aircraft attacking Gasmata in daylight. The aircraft was seen to make its attack by the pilot of an accompanying aircraft, Flying Officer P.C.Gunson, and appeared to leave the target area in a normal manner. However, on the return trip, F/O Gunson encountered the aircraft flying on one engine and losing height approximately 30 miles out from Gasmata. The pilot gave a call saying his aircraft had been shot up and that he was about to make a forced landing on the water.

The pilot carried out a most skillful landing and F/O Gunson observed all three members of the crew climb into the dinghy as the aircraft sank. They all appeared quite sound in body and there is no reason to believe that they suffered injury in any way. Chances of affecting a rescue when so far from base are remote and every effort expended by us proved fruitless. It is estimated that the dingy would have drifted onto the shores of New Britain within 24 hours and provided they landed where the Japs are not in occupation they will have moved into the jungle and will have every chance of escape.'

A later letter from the Casualty Section, Department of Air dated 8 January 1946 advised: 'A report has been received from an officer of the A.I.F., who was liberated from a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp at Rabaul that he saw your son and four other airmen at Rabaul in March 1944.

The report continues that the Prisoner of War Camp was destroyed by bombing on 5 March 1944, and the Allied Prisoners were confined into a tunnel for a few days. Later forty of the prisoners, including your son, were removed by the Japanese, in two parties, and nothing definite is known as to their fate. The officer stated that he was informed by some Japanese that the whole party had been killed by Allied bombing while they were being moved to Waton Island. Other Japanese told him that some of the prisoners had died from illness and the remainder were killed by bombing. These stories are inconsistent, inconclusive, and have not being corroborated.'

Another letter dated 1 August 1946 stated that the remains of Flt Sgt G.R.Thomas were reburied in the Rabaul War Cemetery, New Britain.

Gordon Ronald Thomas, born 24Feb1921 at Norwood, South Australia; Enl.08Nov1941 at 5 Recruit Centre Adelaide for aircrew training and to 4 Initial Training School, Victor Harbour; 28Feb1942 Leading Aircraftman (LAC); 05Mar1942 to 1 Wireless Air Gunnery School (1 WAGS), Ballarat; 24Aug1942 to 3 Bombing and Air Gunnery School; 17Sep1942 Sergeant; 18Sep1942 to 4 Embarkation Depot; 12Dec1942 to 2 Air Navigation School, Parkes; 01May1943 Flight Sergeant; 29May1943 to 1 WAGS; 24Jul1943 to 1 Reinforcement Pool; 26Jul1943 operations with 22 Squadron (Boston) as Wireless Operator and Rear Gunner based at Goodenough Island; 26Nov1943 to Kiriwina; 19Jul1944 to Noemfoor; 12Sep1944 operations in aircraft A28-15 including strikes on enemy targets on Gasmata Island, south coast of New Britain; aircraft damaged by enemy fire and successfully ditched 30 miles south of Gasmata. The aircrew later located by natives and handed over to the Japanese at Malinglo Island on 15Sep1944 and taken to Gasmata as POWs; 08Oct1943 transferred to Rabaul and later interred at POW camp at Talili in early 1944; 05Mar1944 believed wounded as a result of Allied air raids while a POW (see details in RAAF correspondence above). Between 33 and 40 Allied personnel were killed in or as the result of the air raids. The airmen killed in these raids were cremated by the Japanese at Toma and the remains held until located by the Allies. They were then interned at Rabaul (Bita Paka) Military Cemetery, collective grave E.C5-11.

With research including copies of full investigation reports into capture and death and copies of unit operational logs.