Australia Service Medal : Flying Officer W V D White

Australia Service Medal. Engraved around edge with recipient's details.

624 Flying Officer William Vyner Duckett White enlisted in the RAAF in January 1940, and qualified as a pilot. He was posted to 2 Squadron, RAAF, in Darwin, in August 1940, flying Hudson aircraft. In December 1941 the squadron moved to Ambon. From their base at Laha the squadron flew continuously against the advancing Japanese forces. By late January 1942 the invasion force was closing in on the island. Most members of 2 Squadron managed to escape but White chose to stay in an attempt to repair his plane, damaged by repeated Japanese attacks, so that he could fly out as many remaining ground staff as he could. This proved impossible and White, the commanding officer, Scott, and ten ground staff made their way north over the mountainous centre of Ambon. They were escaping by canoe when they were captured by the Japanese. After interrogation they were executed at Laha, together with B Compnay 2/21 Battalion and some other troops, between 17 and 20 February 1942, a total of 234 men. White was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for 'skill and daring... whilst flying against the enemy...[an] epic story of courage, determination, skill and devotion to duty'.