GRAHAM, Maurice Anthony
| Service Number: | 410337 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 December 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 2 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 6 January 1923 |
| Home Town: | Thornbury, Darebin, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Presser |
| Died: | Executed (POW of Japanese), Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 31 October 1943, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ambon War Cemetery, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia 2. B. 14. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, No 2 Squadron RAAF Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 410337 | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, No. 2 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 6 Dec 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 410337 | |
| 8 Sep 1943: | Wounded Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 410337, No. 2 Squadron (RAAF), Air War SE Asia 1941-45, Fractured leg suffered in the shooting down and crash of Lockheed Hudson aircraft A16-233. | |
| 9 Sep 1943: | Imprisoned Air War SE Asia 1941-45, Captured by Japanese along with 417331 Flight Sergeant Jack William Robinson Boanas following shooting down of Lockheed Hudson aircraft A16-233 near the Tanimbar Islands, west of Timor. Later executed. | |
| 31 Oct 1943: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 410337, No. 2 Squadron (RAAF) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
RAAF Lockheed Hudson aircraft A16-233 of Number 2 Squadron was shot down into the Timor Sea near Tanimbar Island while attacking a Japanese armed Merchant vessel - two crewmen were able to bail out and were taken prisoner by the crew of the ship they had been attacking (8 September 1943). Eventually the two survivors were handed over to the Kenpeitai (Kempei Tai - Japanese Special Police) and were executed by beheading at Ambon sometime in October 1943
Extensive post-war investigations and interrogations led to the recovery of their remains and the killers being brought to trial. Buried in Ambon War Cemetery are:
Flight Sergeant Morris Anthony Graham 410337 - Son of James and Violet May Graham of Thornbury, Victoria
Flight Sergeant Jack William Robinson Boanas 417331 - Son of William and Willehmina Elsie Boanas & Husband of Mary Berenice Boanas of Darlinghurst, NSW
The other three crewmen were KIA and are commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial to the Missing located at Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT -
Pilot Officer Ralph Henry Williams 410391 - Son of David Alexander and Edith Williams & Husband of Nancy Williams of Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Flying Officer Lynnton Ainsley Martin 408816 - Son of James Lewis Martin and Mary Jane Martin & Husband of Norah Martin of Mornington, Victoria
Pilot Officer Marcus Cedric Wettenhall 408818 - Son of Marcus Edwy and Leila Wettenhall & Husband of Ada Marion Wettenhall of Rosedale, Victoria
Click images to start slideshow.