Earlier in this thread there was speculation that a Bristol Freighter had participated in the relief operation. This has now been confirmed to have been the Air Express B170 Mk 31 VH-TBB. It also emerged that RAF Hercules XV199 operated relief flights and one of the RAF crew has provided this photo of VH-TBB at Darwin with the familiar water tower in the background.
Correspondence with the photographer, Arthur Osborne, has also brought to light details of an RAF Nimrod which evacuated 38 British subjects to Singapore.
Rgds