The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (403161) Sergeant James William Carnley, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (403161) Sergeant James William Carnley, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

403161 Sergeant James William Carnley, No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force
KIA 23 September 1942
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 14 July 2016

Today we pay tribute to Sergeant James William Carnley, who was killed on active service with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Born in Mittagong, New South Wales, on 19 August 1919, James Carnley was the son of Edward Henry Carnley and Ellen Mary Carnley of Cessnock. As a young man James – known to everybody as Jim – attended Cessnock High School, where he was awarded the title of champion athlete in 1938. That year he represented the school in the Rugby League team that won the University Shield. He was also champion in the 440 yards (in which he set a record) and the high jump. He came second over 100 yards and third over 220 yards. On top of all this he was a renowned district cricketer and an accomplished musician, playing piano at local dances.

In December 1940 Carnley enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He began aircrew training and soon embarked for overseas service. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, he was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers who joined squadrons based in Britain throughout the course of the war.

Once in Britain Carnley undertook further specialist training before being posted on to No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, as part of the RAF’s Bomber Command.

On the night of 23 September 1942 the squadron’s bombers were participating in a raid on Wismar, a port town on Germany’s Baltic coast. While returning from the target, the four-engine Avro Lancaster
heavy bomber in which Carnley was a crewmember exploded and crashed into the Baltic Sea off the Danish island of Lolland. Carnley and all six of his fellow crewmembers were killed. They included fellow Australians Sergeant Rex Gotts, Sergeant Harold Phillips, and Sergeant Charles Watson, Britons Flight Sergeant Henry Wade and Sergeant William Trottier, and South African Flight Sergeant George Dickenson.

Carnley’s body was recovered and buried alongside Watson in a churchyard in the small village of Svino in Southern Zealand, overlooking Dybso Fjord, some 90 kilometres south-west of Copenhagen.

Sergeant Carnley was 23 years old.

The other bodies could not be recovered, and their names are commemorated on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, overlooking the River Thames. The memorial lists all British and Commonwealth airmen with no known grave.

The local newspaper from Carnley’s home town, on hearing of his fate, recalled that Jim Carnley “was a splendid type of lad, and deservedly popular with everyone with whom he came in contact”.

Carnley’s name is listed here on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 others who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant James William Carnley, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Dr Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section