| Accession Number | P10256.001 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 1943 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Portrait of 424162 Sergeant (Sgt) Maxwell Dunbar RAAF, wearing a Sidcot training suit,a leather ...
Description
Portrait of 424162 Sergeant (Sgt) Maxwell Dunbar RAAF, wearing a Sidcot training suit,a leather helmet fitted with Gosport speaking tubes and goggles. Sgt Dunbar, a postal clerk from Dubbo NSW, enlisted in 1942 and trained in NSW. He qualified as an air gunner and in early 1944 he was posted to 630 Squadron RAF (Lancaster bombers) in England. On the night of 24 April 1944 his aircraft was severely damaged during a raid on Munich and the pilot tried to fly to the safe haven of neutral Switzerland. Unable to climb high enough to fly over the Alps they headed south, aiming for the US airbase at Borgo on the island of Corsica. On the morning of 25 April, on its final landing approach, the two remaining engines cut out and the aircraft crash landed. Six of the crew were saved but the newly promoted Flight Sergeant Dunbar, the rear gunner, died aged 21.