DAKOTA GHOSTS NOW AT PEACE

By Corporal Simone Liebelt

* A military funeral was held at Bomana War Cemetery for the 29 crew and passengers of Dakota A65-61, which crashed on September 18, 1945. More than 50 of the victim’s relatives attended the service on August 10.

AFG members fold the Australian flag during the ceremonial burial of an Air Force victim.

Photos by LACW Kim Eager

At the gravestone of her aunt, Sister Marie Craig, Nurse Dorothy Wall reflects on the funeral service with fellow nurse SQNLDR Ian Greer.

Photo by CPL Simone Liebelt

The firing party from the AFG fire three rounds of volleys over the graves at the end of the service.

Photos by LACW Kim Eager

THE ghosts of Dakota A65-61 have finally been laid to rest, 60 years after vanishing on their way home from World War II.

It is the worst single air disaster in Air Force history – 29 passengers and crew killed when the Dakota, call sign Charlie Uniform Tango, crashed in the Carstensz Ranges of Papua, Indonesia, on September 18, 1945.

The medical evacuation flight was bringing home wounded diggers from the battlefields of Morotai, near Borneo, only weeks after the war had ended.

There was no trace of the aircraft for 25 years until it was spotted on the side of a 14,100ft [4270m] mountain range.

More than 50 of the victim’s relatives were flown by Hercules to attend the funeral service at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetary at Bomana in Port Moresby on August 10.

It followed the successful recovery of the final remains from the crash site in June this year by a team from the RAAF and Indonesian Air Force. Continuing from two previous recovery attempts in 1970 and 1999, the team found a significant quantity of remains and other personal effects including identification tags, watches and glasses.

Among the relatives was Barbara Schirrmeyer from Melbourne, who was just three when her father, Flight Sergeant Keith Wiles, went missing.

“This is just pure emotion for me,” she said. “I don’t remember my father, but my mother kept his memory very vivid, so to me he was always a living creature. I’m very fortunate that I can be here for both my mother and my father and finally close the chapter in this story for us.”

Dorothy Wall from Melbourne attended because of her strong connection to her aunt, RAAF Sister Marie Craig, who was the only female on board.

“Marie was revered by my father because she was his special little sister,” she said. “When I became a nurse I wanted to join the Air Force like Marie, but because of what happened to her, my father wouldn’t allow it.

“To see her personal effects, like her lipstick, still intact after all this time, is absolutely amazing and very emotional for me.”

During the service, eight Army and three Air Force victims who had been positively identified were buried, along with a communal coffin containing the remains of the other victims.

The Air Force, Army and Indonesian Defence Force provided honour guards and members of Australia’s Federation Guard fired volleys over the graves. There was a fly-past by a C-130 and a lone bugler played The Last Post.

Also present was Commander Air Lift Group Air Commodore Glen Steed, representing CAF, and members from Air Combat Group, who were escorting veterans for the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay.

Air Force Chaplain Group Captain Noel Williams read a verse from the Bible of Warrant Officer Allan Campbell, who was a crewmember on board the fateful flight. His nephew, who had been named after him, brought his uncle’s Bible from Christchurch in New Zealand to the service.

“The Bible had been all around the world with him, until he thought his war was over,” Mr Campbell said. “For the chaplain to read a passage from it during the service was just wonderful.

“Being here has given me so many things that I can take back to my family … it’s been a very moving time.”

After the service, Wing Commander Rowley Tompsett – who was in charge of the recovery effort – presented an Australian flag and garrison cap to a family representative of each Air Force victim. He had also previously handed out identification tags and other recovered possessions to family members.

“I don’t think there could have been a better ending to Charlie Uniform Tango,” Wing Commander Tompsett said.
“We had brothers and sisters, sons and daughters and nieces and nephews present and it’s pretty humbling to realise how much it meant to these folk, even 60 years after the event.

“I didn’t expect the raw emotion, particularly when I handed out the ID tags. It was very touching, and I’ve got to say, one of the most significant things I’ve had to do in my 20 years service.”

Finally laid to rest – the story of the recovery mission.

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