Bomb explodes No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School

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Fairey Battle K4926

RSL (Port Pirie Sub Branch) Inc.

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In the early stages of the Empire Air Training Scheme, it was planned to allocate some 900 aircraft to Australia for training purposes including 500 Avro Ansons and 400 Fairey Battles. In the end, while the scheme was expanded enormously, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was allocated 367 Fairey Battles from Royal Air Force (RAF) stocks of which 365 were received and taken on RAAF charge. 

While the arrival of the early Fairey Battle consignments in 1940 were announced to the Australian public as having a secondary combat capability, the reality was these aircraft were overwhelming used for training purposes. 

The Fairey Battle is probably best known for being one of the worst aircraft ever to serve in the RAF. On operations, it suffered the highest loss rate of any plane in the RAF's history, and the missions flown by its brave crews became a byword for hopelessness and futility. Born out of muddled thinking, condemned before it even reached the squadrons, and abandoned after the briefest of operational careers, the plane seems to thoroughly deserve its reputation.

The RAAF received 49 of the older K serialled Fairey Battles from the first and second Fairey Battle production batches. Most of them had seen extensive service with the RAF prior to being prepared for shipment to Australia with the majority of them being dispatched via 47 Maintenance Unit based at RAF Sealand in Flintshire, Wales, UK. The Battle served as a trainer with the RAAF and most were used for bombing and gunnery training, observer and navigation training with a small number equipped as target tugs. 

On the 23rd November 1942, Fairey Battle K9426 was received at Mascot Airport in Sydney ex the United Kingdom where it was assembled over the next two months. Its Record Card showed that its hydraulic system was checked and its electrical system was ‘under overhaul’. It was issued to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Port Pirie on the 14th January 1943.

At 1015 on the 19th November 1943 Fairey Battle K9426 returning from an aerial bombing exercise landed at Pirie Aerodrome (No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School).

As the aircraft came to a stop, a 20 lb bomb that had failed to drop on the exercise immediately dropped and exploded on the tarmac. The fuel tanks also exploded and the aircraft caught fire and burned.

Pilot Officer C. Earl V36029 received second degree burns and shock; Leading Aircraftman P. D. Lane 436506 and Leading Aircraftman R. D. Johnson 436621 both trainee navigators, received first degree burns and shock. Also injured on the ground by bomb shrapnel were two Flight Riggers, Aircraftman 1 K. Tresize 82978 who received abdominal and chest injuries (listed as dangerously ill) and Leading Aircraftman D. Cahn 121903 who received a fractured leg and shock (listed as seriously ill). All airmen were taken to Port Pirie Hospital and later recovered. 

A Court of Inquiry was conducted stating that the Probable Cause was “unknown”. 

The remains of Fairey Battle K9426 were issued to No. 6 Service Flying Training School Salvage Section and converted to components.

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