BLACKBURN, Adrian John

Service No: 403210
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF

Date of Death: 26 March 1943
Age: 27

Son of Michael Adrian and Jessie Louise Blackburn; husband of Pattie Edith May Blackburn, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:

Panel 11, Column 1

Cemetery: MALTA MEMORIAL

MALTA MEMORIAL, VALETTA, ITALY (April 2009)
Photograph courtesy of Sandi Nipperess and Rod Brooker

AUSTIN, Rhubert Mellor

Service No: 405169

Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF

Date of Death: 3 August 1943
Age: 23

Son of Augustus Gregory Douglas and Edith Emily Mary Austin, of Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. H. 43.
Cemetery: CATANIA WAR CEMETERY, Sicily

No. 450 Squadron RAAF

Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book

Medenine LG Tunisia
26 March 1943
No. 1 Operation
Kittyhawk III - FL 729

One of our pilots failed to return (P/O A.J. Blackburn)
P/O Blackburn’s crashed aircraft was located and his burial was arranged. His grave is alongside his crashed aircraft at Map Reference, Pisida No. 1 Sheet.E.6376

BAILEY, J W

Service No: 542869V

Regiment/Service:  South African Air Force (SAAF)
Rank: Lieutenant (Pilot)
Nationality: South African
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF

Date of Death: 25 February 1945
Age: 24

Son of William J and Edna Bailey; husband of Florence M Bailey, of Cape Town, South Africa.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. C. 7.
Cemetery: UDINE WAR CEMETERY

OUR WAR GRAVES

BLOM, George Henry

Service No: 420525
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Nationality: Australian
Unit: 450 SQN RAAF

Date of Death: 11 September 1944
Age: 25

Son of Pieter and Emma Hayward Blom, of Glen Iris, Victoria,

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. K. 20.


Cemetery: ANCONA WAR CEMETERY, Italy

ANCONA WAR CEMETERY, ITALY
Photograph courtesy of COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES

Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book

Iesi LG Italy
11 September 1944

Aus 420525 W/O Blom G H., RAAF, pilot, who was transporting pilots’ kit to the new LG., in a 15cwt vehicle, was accidentally killed in
a road accident near
​Gualdo Tadino.

Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book

Cervia L.G. Italy
25 February 1945
No. 1 Operation
Kittyhawk IV - FX 578

Lt J W Bailey was shot down and reported missing believed killed.
Lt Bailey’s a/c was seen to explode at 2000’ and went in, in flames at B.7604

Desert Harassers®

Extract from 450 Squadron RAAF Operations Record Book

Agnone L.G. Sicily
03 August 1943
No. 4 Operation
Kittyhawk III - FX 251

Visibility hazy.  No enemy aircraft were sighted all day. Aus. 405169 F/SGT AUSTIN R.M. failed to return from the last operation. His aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target. He has been posted as "Missing".

UDINE WAR CEMETERY,  ITALY (October 2007)
Photograph courtesy of Gianni CRISCUOLI whose home is a few kilometers from Lavariano A/F the last base of 450 SQN in Italy.

CATANIA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY (April 2009)
Photograph by courtesy of Sandi Nipperess & Rod Brooker