SALVAGING AEROPLANES IN NEW GUINEA. LITTLE IS HEARD OF THE GROUND STAFF OF THE RAAF - THE MEN WHO ...

Place Oceania: New Guinea1
Accession Number 014056
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Maker Bottomley, Clifford
Place made New Guinea
Date made 11 January 1943
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

SALVAGING AEROPLANES IN NEW GUINEA. LITTLE IS HEARD OF THE GROUND STAFF OF THE RAAF - THE MEN WHO WORK ALL HOURS AND UNDER ALL CONDITIONS, KEEPING OUR PLANES IN THE AIR, AND STILL LESS IS KNOWN OF THE MEN OF THE RAAF WHO SALVAGE MACHINES FORCED DOWN THROUGH A VARIETY OF CAUSES. TRAVELLING AS FAR AS 650 MILES, THESE MEN USING MAKESHIFT HOISTS, AND ASSISTED BY NATIVES, HAVE SAVED MANY PLANES WHICH OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS LOST. THIS SERIES OF PHOTOS SHOWS HOW THEY SALVAGED TWO OF THE MANY MACHINES WHICH THEY PUT INTO COMMISSION AGAIN. THE REPAIR AND SALVAGE UNIT READY TO LEAVE. THOSE ON BOARD ARE: SGT. R.S. COOPER, IN CHARGE OF THIS PARTICULAR UNIT, LAC. P. CALDWELL A RADIO OPERATOR, CPL. J. JOHNSON (MECHANIC) LAC. L.R. O'SHEA (SKIPPER OF THE LAUNCH). GEORGE KERO, A NEW GUINEA NATIVE PILOT WHOSE KNOWLEDGE OF THE REEFS AND SHOALS WAS INVALUABLE. LAC. C. ELLIOTT (COOK FOR THE UNIT) CPL. W. PHILLIPSON (MECHANIC) SGT. T. PEAREY AND RIGGER LAC. R.J. BROWN. LIFTING THE AERO ENGINE FROM THE NATIVE BOAT TO THE SHORE. (NEGATIVE BY BOTTOMLEY).