Mog - I was intending to post something on the (assumed) 75th anniversary of the Palembang murders. There are various versions of what happened and when but this is what is recounted on the FAAOA website. I hadn't heard of the same happening to Indefatigable aircrew.
Palembang Nine
The 'Palembang Nine' was a group of nine men from the Royal Navy British Pacific Fleet. The men were either pilots or crew members of HMS Victorious, HMS Illustrious or HMS Indomitable.
Claims emerged from surviving war veterans that a number of airmen survived the raid on the Palembang oil refineries and were held captive by the Japanese before being executed. The number of men is generally held to be by nine but research by the NZ FAA museum has cast doubt on this figure indicating it may be twelve.
The names of the 'Palembang Nine' on the plaque in the FAA museum are
Lt. John Haberfield (below)- Pilot from 1839 Fighter Squadron (HMS Indomitable)
Lt. Evan John Baxter - Pilot from 1833 Fighter Squadron (HMS Illustrious)
S/Lt. Reginald James Shaw - Pilot from 1833 Fighter Squadron (HMS Illustrious)
Lt. Kenneth Morgan Burrenston - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
S/Lt. John Robert Burns - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
S/Lt. Donald V Roebuck - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
S/Lt. William Edwin Lintern - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
Petty Officer Ivor Barker - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
Petty Officer J S McRae - Crew from 849 TBR Squadron (HMS Victorious)
The first two named were RNZNVR officers.