Tribute to the fallen

Warrant Officer Rod Court, Squadron Leader Olindo Gargano, Claremont Taylor, DFC, and Warrant Officer Derek Martin at the 25SQN Liberator Memorial at Cunderdin Airport.

By Squadron Leader Paul Falconer-West

NO. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron’s past and present members have returned to the squadron’s former Heavy Bomber Base at Cunderdin Airfield for an airshow and to dedicate a memorial to fallen World War II comrades.

Former Flight Lieutenant Claremont Logie Taylor – one of the few survivors of a 25SQN Liberator that crashed on take-off on February 14, 1945 – dedicated the memorial during a moving ceremony at Cunderdin airport.

The bomber, which was fully fuelled and included an extra 600 gallon tank, had been tasked to search for survivors in the Indian Ocean for a ship believed sunk by a Japanese submarine. The aircraft gained about 10m in height before crashing and exploding on impact.

Squadron Leader Olindo Gargano and Warrant Officers Rod Court and Derek Martin represented 25SQN at the ceremony. Among those to attend were the sons of two other crewmen, members of the Royal Australian Air Force Association (WA) and No. 708 Squadron AAFC, who formed an honour guard.

25SQN was also represented at the airshow, held the day before the memorial dedication.

FLTLT Mike Hill attended as a member of the Bunbury Aero Club, CPL Brad Hilton as an aviation student of Edith Cowen University, AC Ben Jones as an instructor with 708SQN and OFFCDT Fabio Miranda was on duty with the WA Police.

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