AWM caption : Australia: Northern Territory, Darwin. Informal group portrait of the crew of a RAAF <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina" class="extiw" title="en:PBY Catalina">Catalina</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._43_Squadron_RAAF" class="extiw" title="en:No. 43 Squadron RAAF">43 Squadron, RAAF</a>, captained by Flying Officer (FO) Armand Andre Etienne of West Perth, WA, discussing a rescue they carried out on a sister Catalina aircraft, serial number A24-100, code number RK-L of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._42_Squadron_RAAF" class="extiw" title="en:No. 42 Squadron RAAF">42 Squadron, RAAF</a>, which had force landed in the open sea south of the South Western Celebes Peninsula after being damaged by anti-aircraft fire on a mine laying operation in Macassar (Celebes) Harbour. The rescue operation entailed a round trip of 1800 miles, mainly through enemy held territory.<br><p>Identified, but most positions unknown:
</p>
<ul><li>415632 FO (later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt, DFC))</li>
<li>Armand Andre Etienne (Captain), of West Perth, WA (seated, second from left)</li>
<li>408409 FO (later Flt Lt), Ian McCallister Robson of Sandy Bay, Tas</li>
<li>428809 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) (later Warrant Officer (WO)), John Joseph Sweeney (Navigator), of Newcastle, NSW, (seated left wearing dark uniform with sergeant's stripes)</li>
<li>428832 Flt Sgt (later WO), Raymond Victor Tumeth of Haberfield, NSW</li>
<li>428360 Flt Sgt (later WO), Derek Fanshawe Robertson of Camberwell, Vic</li>
<li>12912 Sergeant (Sgt) (later PO), Robert Richard Tingman of Brighton, Vic</li>
<li>12223 Sgt (later Flt Sgt), Albert Leslie Warton of Sydney, NSW</li>
<li>A2398 Sgt, Thomas Roy Elphick of Bondi, NSW</li>
<li>33642 Corporal, James Francis Burgess Oliver of Glen Innes of NSW</li></ul>
Department of Air
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