Informal group portrait of member onboard HMAS Armidale. On 1 December 1942, Armidale was sunk by ...

Accession Number P03773.003
Collection type Photograph
Object type Negative
Place made At sea
Date made c 1942
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Informal group portrait of member onboard HMAS Armidale. On 1 December 1942, Armidale was sunk by Japanese aircraft south of Timor in the Arafura Sea. Two boat loads of survivors managed to make their way toward the Australian coast and rescue. Identified, left to right, back row: PM4055 Ordinary Seaman (OD) Victor Raymond ‘Ray’ Leonard (probably), in the whaler, rescued eight days later; unidentified; B2424 Leading Signalman Arthur Lansbury, manned the motor boat and later rescued; PA2618 OD Stanley Don Axford, assisted in constructing a raft but died on 8 December 1942 at sea; unidentified (slightly back from others); 22327 Leading Seaman Charles Henry ‘Charlie’ Pankhurst, in the whaler, rescued eight days later; S5399 OD Frederick Francis ‘Fred’ Smith (seated), on of the youngest crew members. Whilst in the water was subjected to heavy machine gun fire by enemy planes and died of wounds on 1 December 1942. Front row: unidentified; unidentified; unidentified; 20198 Able Seaman (AB) William David ‘Bill’ McKellar, rescued eight days later; PM4622 Assistant Cook Geoffrey Clive ‘Geoff’ Sanderson, in the whaler, rescued eight days later; unidentified (sitting back); unidentified (sitting forward); W1331 AB Roy David Cleland, rescued five days later; PM966 Signalman George Richardson Devlin, in the whaler, rescued eight days later.

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