12 May 1942 - Crash of a Wirraway 12 miles west of Taggerty in Victoria

RAAF Wirraway A20-592 crashed about 12 mile west of Taggerty in Victoria on the 12th May 1942. The pilot, according to the ADF Serials web page was Sergeant R. W. Henshaw, from 1 AD Ferry Flight abandoned the aircraft in bad weather and walked towards Yea before being found. There is no R.W. Henshaw in the WWII Nominal Roll.

The aircraft was not found until 1st March 1954 by woodcutters - see the newspaper article below which gives the pilot's name as Sgt. R.W. Elsham. There is also no R.W. Elsham in the WWII Nominal Roll.

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Rick Hanning

Photo taken in 2000

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Rick Hanning

Photo taken at the scene of the crash in 2000

The West Australian (Perth) Saturday 27 Feb 1954

Wreckage Of A
Plane Found
After 12 Years

MELBOURNE, Fri. - Aircraft wreckage found in a heavily-timbered country near Taggerty, in the Black Spur Range, has been identified as that of a Wirraway training aircraft lost in May, 1942.

It was one of three Wirraways on a delivery flight from Laverton to the R.A.A.F. training base at Uranquinty (N.S.W.).

The pilot, believed to have been Sgt. R. W. Elsham, had to parachute from the aircraft in bad weather.

He landed unhurt, but the wreck of his aircraft was not located.

Note:- There is no Sgt R. W. Elsham listed in the WWII Nominal Roll.

I'd like to thank Graham Clayton and Rick Hanning (Churchill, VIC) for their assistance with the details on this crash.

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