Roll of Honour

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Name WHITEHILL
First names Maxwell Elliot
Rank F/Sgt
Service RAAF
Service number 407022
Crew position Air Gunner
Age 29
Date of death 07/06/42
Cemetery Sage War Cemetery Oldenburg Germany

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
Photograph courtesy of Graham Inns

The troopship in which Sgt Whitehill was sailing from Australia was torpedoed
(see the newspaper article below)

Photograph courtesy of Graham Inns
Colin Cripps (49Sqn Researcher ) has tracked down more
details of the attack on F/Sgt Whitehill's ship (the SS Memnon)

6/7 June, 1942; EMDEN:
In good weather conditions, a main force of 233 aircraft set out to
attack the German town of Emden. With only a slight ground haze over the target, successful bombing results were achieved by the crews. 49 Squadron detailed 7 aircraft for the operation, but only 5 managed to become airborne from Scampton by 23.30hrs. The price of success was paid for in the loss of 9 crews out of the total force - 3 Manchesters, 3 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings and 1 Halifax failed to return. Tragically, two extremely experienced aircraft captains and their crews from 49 Squadron were amongst those reported missing: Five crew members of the aircraft piloted by S/Ldr Peter De Mestre DSO DFC (L7469) were killed and the captain plus two others were reported missing.

Manchester L7469
S/L P.M. De Mestre DSO DFC Pilot (Missing)
Sgt A.F. Buttel RAAF 2nd Pilot (Killed)
P/O R.H.J. Thorndyke A/OB (Missing)
F/S M.E. Whitehill RAAF A/G (Killed)
Sgt G.C. Whitfield W/AG (Killed)
Sgt L.J. Jones W/AG (Missing)
Sgt D.S. Halliday W/AG (Killed)


Research by Graham Inns and his son, together with updated information from Bill Chorley (of 'Bomber Command Losses' fame) has provided the Association with a fuller picture regarding the loss of Sgt Buttel and F/Sgt Whitehill.
On Monday 22 June 1942, a German "Vor Patrouillenboot" (Advance Patrol Boat) recovered two bodies from the water, one being identified as that of Sgt Buttel, while the second was described as being 'Australian'.

Both were buried the same day in the Lutheran Friedhof on Borkum, graves 524 (Sgt Buttel) and 523a (unknown).

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All images courtesy of the Australian War Memorial website
The ceremony on Borkum
The funeral was attended by a Guard of Honour from the Luftwaffe headed by an Officer, a German Naval Band and two wreath bearers. The service began with a chorale played by the band. This was followed by an address by the Chaplain.
The ceremony was concluded by the firing of a salvo.

Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial Website
It is now accepted that the body exhumed postwar from grave 523a is that of F/S Whitehill. His and Sgt Buttel's remains, along with those of Sgts Whitefield and Halliday now rest in Sage War Cemetery.

There are 49Sqn links everywhere.
The troopship was SS Memnon. Five sailors were killed.
Three are remembered on the 'Chinese Sailors Wall of Remembrance'
at the CWGC cemetery at Stanley (Hong Kong)
Photographed by Malcolm Brooke

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
Stanley CWGC cemetery, Hong Kong