RAAF Hudson Bomber

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An Air Force team arrived in Papua New Guinea to search for the remains of four RAAF airmen whose Hudson bomber was lost during WWII.

A team of nine, including two Air Force Reserve forensic specialists, have travelled to an isolated mountain ridge inland from Gasmata, New Britain, where the wreck of Hudson A16-126 was located in thick jungle earlier this year.

Flying Officer Graham Gibson, Pilot Officer Frank Thorn, Sergeant Barton Coutie and Sergeant Arthur Quail were lost with the aircraft on 11 February, 1942 during a sortie against Japanese shipping at Gasmata harbour.

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Pilot Officer Frank Thorn (left) and Flying Officer Graham Ian Gibson pictured here circa 1941. Both were part of the four man crew of the Hudson aircraft A16-126, that was shot down by Japanese aircraft over Papua New Guinea on 11 February, 1942.

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Sergeant Barton Coutie, pictured here circa 1941, was part of the four man crew of the Hudson aircraft A16-126, that was shot down by Japanese aircraft over Papua New Guinea on 11 February, 1942.

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Another view of the wreakage showing what is left of the fuselage and the roundel.