AUSTIN, Rhubert Mellor
Service No: 405169
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF
Date of Death: 3 August 1943
Age: 23
Son of Augustus Gregory Douglas and Edith Emily Mary Austin, of Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. H. 43.
Cemetery: CATANIA WAR CEMETERY, Sicily
BLOM, George Henry
Service No: 420525
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF
Date of Death: 11 September 1944
Age: 25
Son of Pieter and Emma Hayward Blom, of Glen Iris, Victoria,
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. K. 20.
Cemetery: ANCONA WAR CEMETERY, Italy
OUR WAR GRAVES
Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book
Iesi LG Italy
11 September 1944
Aus 420525 W/O Blom G H., RAAF, pilot, who was transporting pilots’ kit to the new LG., in a 15cwt vehicle, was accidentally killed in
a road accident near
Gualdo Tadino.
ANCONA WAR CEMETERY, ITALY
Photograph courtesy of COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES
CATANIA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY (April 2009)
Photograph by courtesy of Sandi Nipperess & Rod Brooker
UDINE WAR CEMETERY, ITALY (October 2007)
Photograph courtesy of Gianni CRISCUOLI whose home is a few kilometers from Lavariano A/F the last base of 450 SQN in Italy.
MALTA MEMORIAL, VALETTA, ITALY (April 2009)
Photograph courtesy of Sandi Nipperess and Rod Brooker
Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book
Medenine LG Tunisia
26 March 1943
No. 1 Operation
Kittyhawk III - FL 729
One of our pilots failed to return (P/O A.J. Blackburn)
P/O Blackburn’s crashed aircraft was located and his burial was arranged. His grave is alongside his crashed aircraft at Map Reference, Pisida No. 1 Sheet.E.6376
Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book
Agnone L.G. Sicily
03 August 1943
No. 4 Operation
Kittyhawk III - FX 251
Visibility hazy. No enemy aircraft were sighted all day. Aus. 405169 F/SGT AUSTIN R.M. failed to return from the last operation. His aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target. He has been posted as "Missing".
Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book
Cervia L.G. Italy
25 February 1945
No. 1 Operation
Kittyhawk IV - FX 578
Lt J W Bailey was shot down and reported missing believed killed.
Lt Bailey’s a/c was seen to explode at 2000’ and went in, in flames at B.7604
BAILEY, J W
Service No: 542869V
Regiment/Service: South African Air Force (SAAF)
Rank: Lieutenant (Pilot)
Nationality: South African
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF
Date of Death: 25 February 1945
Age: 24
Son of William J and Edna Bailey; husband of Florence M Bailey, of Cape Town, South Africa.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. C. 7.
Cemetery: UDINE WAR CEMETERY
BLACKBURN, Adrian John
Service No: 403210
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF
Date of Death: 26 March 1943
Age: 27
Son of Michael Adrian and Jessie Louise Blackburn; husband of Pattie Edith May Blackburn, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:
Panel 11, Column 1
Cemetery: MALTA MEMORIAL