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Edward was 2nd pilot of Catalina A24-50. The A24-50 was one of a number of Catalinas based at Cairns. The Catalinas were used for surveillence, delivering surplies and laying mines.

Some of the Catalinas would fly to Groote Eylandt where they would refuel. Having done that some would fly towards Timor and beyond, theothers would fly north. Those that went north would usually follow the western side of the New Guinea mainland then swing west towards Fak Fak until they reach Micool Island at point the would fly north once again. Having done that they would return passed Sorong, refuel once again at Lake Pananui then return home down the east coast of New Guinea

The reason for flying past Micool was to lay mines in hope of stopping Japanes supply ships that were heading south. Lake Pananui was a large lagoon behind enemy lines. The fuel for the Catalinas was taken into Lake Pananui by American seaborne units.

Ten days before it was lost the a24-50 was damaged by ground fire off Maduro Island; the action resulted in almost half the crew being wounded. On the day it was lost the A24-50 and two other Catalinas left Cairns for Groote Eylandt.

The flight plan was to fly north from Groote Eylandt until within range of the Aru Islands at which they would swing west then a bit later turn north keeping the Aru Islands on the right and when they reached the New Guinea mainland they would return to the usual course

Having refuelled at Groote Eylandt the other two Catalinas headed for Timor and beyond. The A24-50 carrying a full load of mines, about 50 mines, and a crew of ten went north alone.

The coast watcher in the vicinity of Wei Peninsula reported hearing a plane about the time the A24-50 should have been there but because of cloud cover could not possibly identify it. The coast watcher at Sorong said no plane arrived that day, there was one a couple of days before and another a few days after but none on that day

Within 24 hours of the A24-50 being declared lost a group of 7airmen rowed ashore on the north-west side of the Aru Islands. Even later still 2 eye witnesses saw 7 Australian airmen captured by the Japanese in a small native village and later executed in the vicinity of Dobo but the Japanese only ever admitted executing 6. Later reports indicated that the captured airmen were American. 

Subsequent flights north found no plane wreckage on the New Guinea mainland nor on the Aru Islands. Coastwatchers said there was no wreckage found on the New Guinea mainland and the Japanese denied ever finding any on the Aru Islands

*Please note, this has been extrapolated from the service record of Flight Sergeant Richard Hobbs, who was also on the A24-50. His service record can be accessed here (recordsearch.naa.gov.au). 

See this story for further detail: wma.org.au/research/home-page-archives/mystery-of-the-black-cat (/research/home-page-archives/mystery-of-the-black-cat)

See the personal story about the discovery of the wreckage of this aircraft in 2019.

Son of Robert Norman and Muriel Matilda Carington Smith, of Perth, Tasmania. A.C.1.A.