The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Italy. c. 1945. A view of the damaged armour plate fitted behind the cockpit of a crashed P-51 Mustang III aircraft, serial KH615, flown by 400944 Flying Officer Vincent Maxwell Thomas of No. 3 Squadron RAAF.
The pierced armour plating indicates that enemy ground fire from German 20mm anti-aircraft guns probably killed the pilot during an operation on 9 January 1945. Maxwell was born in Echuca, Victoria, on 9 November 1920 to Frederick Victor and Isabel May Thomas. He enlisted into the RAAF on 11 November 1940. Whilst in the role as 'blue leader' in a formation of 12 aircraft detailed to bomb a well defended road bridge north-west of Ravenna, Italy. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was directed at the aircraft, and whilst flying low at approximately 2,000 feet his Mustang was seen to spin down and crash. No parachutes were seen by his colleagues to indicated that he may have bailed out of his stricken aircraft.
At the time of his death Vincent was aged 24. His body remained in the aircraft from 9 January until the end of the war in May 1945.
With the cessation of hostilities and the ability to now move into areas formerly occupied by the Germans, the Padre of his unit, Squadron Leader Frederick 'Fred' McKay and others from 3 Squadron RAAF sought to find Vincents remains. They were successful and a photograph of this recovery at the crash site is held in the AWM collection as image MEA2264.
Padre McKay performed the burial service on 11 May 1945. A photograph of this initial gravesite is held by the Australian War Memorial with the collection number of MEA2279.
Post-war he body was carefully moved and reburied at the Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy. His name is commemorated on Panel 98, of the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial.
The grave of 400944 Flying Officer (FO) Vincent Maxwell Thomas, from East Malvern, Victoria, pilot of No. 3 (Mustang) Squadron, RAAF. FO Thomas was killed in operations over Alsonine, Italy on 9 Janua
Italy. c. 1945. Casualty work in the field. Padre Fred McKay and a company of helpers investigate the scene of a crash.
The grave of 419704 Warrant Officer (WO) Ian Rennison, Pilot, a member of No. 3 (Mustang) Squadron RAAF, who was killed in an air operation at Casarsa Rail Diversion, Italy on 21 February, 1945. Padr
Fano, Italy. c. February 1945. Two days after having been shot up by ack-ack in northern Italy, 425749 Flying Officer I. G. S. Purssey of Clayfield, Qld, a member of No. 3 Squadron RAAF, had to crash
The grave of 408363 Warrant Officer (WO) Robert Alexander Denholm, a member of No. 450 (Kittyhawk) Squadron RAAF, who was killed in an aerial operation at Corsara Rail Diversion in northern Italy on 2
Italy. May 1944. The grave of 424162 Flight Sergeant Maxwell Dunbar RAAF of 630 Squadron RAF who was killed in the crash of an Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft in Corsica. Aged 21 he was from Dubbo NSW.
