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Arthur Barnes being carried off Lincoln A73-64 on 31 August 1954 by Flt Lt "Doc" Buckingham, after a supply drop went wrong at Willis Island, a tiny piece of coral and sand barely 300 yards long, 500 miles north-east of Townsville. In those days there was a weather station on the island - its purpose to report cyclones. The dropping of mail, newspapers and supplies to the three lonely men who manned the isolated station was a regular, three-monthly task for the Lincolns of No 10 Squadron, using canisters with small parachutes and known as Storpedoes. The island was always covered with seabirds and gulls and a dummy run over it was inadvisable because it aroused thousands of birds into the air like a huge cloud.
The Lincoln captained by former wartime Halifax pilot Flt Lt K.K. Wilson, had found it necessary to make a trial run because of strong winds. It was being flown by the copilot Sgt Arthur Barnes from the left-hand seat. On the actual dropping run, it flew a huge flock of terns which rose from the island as the aircraft approached again. One of the birds shattered the front left-hand windscreen entering the cockpit like a bullet, hitting the pilot's head in a flash of blood and feathers and glass, before hitting the bare chest of the wireless operator (W/O Dinny Ryan) standing behind the two pilots and finishing up down his unzipped flying over-all.
Arthur Barnes was knocked unconscious by the blow, with a gaping wound over his eye. He was lifted into the rear fuselage by his crewmates as the captain took control and flew it back to Townsville. The story had a happy ending for Arthur Barnes, who was flying again within a month; he eventually married the nurse Yvonne who attended him in hospital.
In mid 1953 three newly graduated sergeant pilots from No 9 Post War Pilots Course arrived at 10 Squadron to take up their duties as Lincoln copilots. They were Arthur Barnes, Jim Chataway and Bill Fisher. Centaurus was already there as a Lincoln copilot when they arrived. Arthur, Jim and Bill stayed in the RAAF and became Wing Commanders. Centaurus eventually became an airline pilot. Bill Fisher passed away several years ago. Cent and Jim Chataway are still hanging on.. Arthur will be sorely missed by all those who flew with him.
Mods. Sorry if the picture is too big but being an amateur I had trouble transferring it into Pprune. Photobucket can be a pain in the neck at times.