Wing Commander Charles Learmonth DFC & Bar
Charles Learmonth died with his crew (Navigator FO GG Moore, WOp/AG FO DR Cullen, AG PO FE Chidlow) on 6 January 1944 when their Bristol Beaufort, A9-346 of No 14 Squadron RAAF, crashed into the sea some 18 miles north-west of Rottnest Island, near Perth in Western Australia.

Learmonth, a decorated veteran of Douglas Boston operations over New Guinea, was aged 26. The accident was caused by a jammed elevator trim tab, which forced the aircraft into an irrecoverable dive. Charles Learmonth calmly described the condition over the radio. His action, with the close observations of other members of his formation, helped identify the cause of a worrying number of Beaufort crashes which, when corrected, helped save many lives.

At the time of his death, Charles Learmonth was CO of No 14 Squadron, at Pearce in WA. He had previously flown with the squadron in the search for HMAS Sydney in November 1941. In 1942 he had married Perth girl, Marjorie Chapple.

In New Guinea, he had flown with No 22 Squadron in Douglas Boston A28-9 DU-K She's Apples from Ward's Strip for example. He took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and rose to command No 22 Squadron. Highly regarded as both pilot and commander, his DFC Bar citation remarked in part 'He has displayed tactical ability amounting to genius'.

In Wings Of Destiny, Charles Page records the RAAF service of W/C Learmonth. Published in April by Rosenberg, Page's book is a well-presented and carefully researched account, beautifully and lavishly illustrated in line art, maps and photos. The book is well-supported with full Source notes, Bibliography and a very serviceable Index. 416pp, paperback, 225x150mm, AUS $35.00

After the war, Marjorie married prominent local surgeon and academic Dr Leslie Le Souef, who passed away in 1996. Herself very active in the War Widows Guild, Marjorie Le Souef gave the fullest support to Charles Page in his research, contributing a kindly and graceful Foreword to his book. Wings of Destiny was published in April but sadly, Marjorie did not live to see the book in print.

When I've had time to read the book with more care, I'll put down a more detailed review. Learmonth's war service is commemorated at Exmouth, WA, in the naming of the local Airport (of which there is more to relate) and RAAF base.

Charles Page previously published Vengeance of the Outback in 2001, his account of the loss of 25 Squadron Vultee Vengeance A27-295 on 27 Aug 1944 near Burakin in the WA wheatbelt. The crew, pilot PO AJ Ingram and his navigator WO CL King, took to their parachutes. Ingram walked to safety four days later, but King was never found.

In drafting this brief, I've drawn freely from Charles Page's material in various forms.

This post has been edited by Don Clark on May 10 2008, 04:02 PM