CRASH OF A WALRUS
AT CAPE DON, NT
ON 6 DECEMBER 1943

RAAF Walrus I, Serial X9520, abandoned a take off at Cape Don in the Northern Territory and damaged the port float and lower mainplane.

Photo:- Gordon Birkett

Walrus I X9520

Photo:- ADF Serials via James D. Kightly

Walrus I X9520

On 8 December 1943, Warrant Officer John Philip McDonald (2985) left Darwin on board the supply vessel MV Sapphire with orders to locate the damaged aircraft at Cape Don to attempt to repair it or tow it back to Darwin.

When the MV Sapphire arrived at Cape Don they soon realised they could not repair the Walrus and despite adverse weather conditions and heavy seas it was towed 120 miles back to Darwin arriving there on 12 December 1943. The mainplane was replaced in Darwin and the Walrus returned to its base on 13 December 1943. Warrant Officer MacDonald was Mentioned in Despatches for his "initiative, expert seamanship and devotion to duty" during the recovery of the aircraft.

This aircraft was involved in a later more serious accident when it crashed  at Batchelor in the Northern Territory on 14 April 1944.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Daniel Leahy and James D. Kightly for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 8 July 2021

This page last updated 08 July 2021