Two RAAF personnel on guard duty at the crash site of a RAAF Lockheed Hudson near Canberra, on a ...

Accession Number P02295.001
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Film copy negative
Maker Unknown
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra
Date made August 1940
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Two RAAF personnel on guard duty at the crash site of a RAAF Lockheed Hudson near Canberra, on a hill between Duntroon and Queanbeyan. The men are cooking breakfast over the remains of a bonfire, which would have provided heat during the night. The guards were armed with .303 Lee Enfield Rifles, one with a bayonet attached. Note the pet dog at left. The RAAF Hudson crashed on 13 August 1940, killing all passengers and crew. The crew were Flight Lieutenant R.E. Hitchcock RAAF (Aircraft Captain), Pilot Officer R.F. Wiesener RAAF (Second Pilot), Corporal J.F. Palmer, and Aircraftman C.J. Crosdale. The six passengers were Brigadier G.A. Street (Minister for the Army), General Sir Brudenell White (Chief of the General Staff), Lieutenant Colonel F. Thornthwaite (Army liaison officer), Mr J.V. Fairbairn (Minister for Air), Sir Henry Gullett (Vice President Executive Council), and Mr R.E. Elford (secretary to Air Minister).