LOCKYER, Arnold Alexander
| Service Number: | 80471 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 May 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 24 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Port Hedland, Western Australia, 4 May 1915 |
| Home Town: | West Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Roebourne State School |
| Occupation: | Carrier |
| Died: | Killed (Chloroformed - POW of Japan), Celebes, Dutch East Indies, Celebes, Netherlands East Indies, 21 August 1945, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ambon War Cemetery, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 5 May 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 80471, Perth, Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 May 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 80471 | |
| 6 May 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 80471 | |
| 27 Jul 1945: | Imprisoned Liberator Aircraft No. A72-92 which was engaged in a photographic reconnaissance in North Celebes on the 27th July 1945. The Aircraft was struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Tomohon in the Manado area | |
| 21 Aug 1945: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 80471, No. 24 Squadron (RAAF), Prisoners of War |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Edwards
"Sergeant Arnold Alexander Lockyer... lost his life whilst a prisoner of war on the 21st August 1945. ...A wireless operator air gunner on Liberator Aircraft No. A72-92 which was engaged in a photographic reconnaissance in North Celebes on the 27th July 1945. The Aircraft was struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Tomohon in the Manado area... Three members of the crew bailed out successfully... He (Sgt. Lockyer) and one other member of crew were imprisoned in the Japanese Military Prison in North Celebes until the night of the 20th August 1945, and that some time after midnight on that night they were killed by being chloroformed. This took place some days after the Japanese government had surrendered but Australian troops had not yet occupied North Celebes and either the Japanese in Celebes did not knowof the surrender or they determined to take a last opportunity to kill members of the allied forces.
The Japanese endeavoured to conceal their crime by stating that all the prisoners in the Manado area had been sent by sea to Macassar some time prior to the surrender. This was proved to be false and the Japanese responsible for the crime have now been condemned to death and executed..." - from his NAA Casualty Report (p.11) (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)
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