The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Satahib, Thailand. 1 June 1945. Low-level view from one of the attacking RAF Liberator aircraft showed the 250 foot merchant ship well on fire forward with a column of black smoke rising from the bows. The scum of a near miss can be seen alongside the boat. This ship sank in four minutes. RAAF aircrew who took part in this raid were Pilot Officer (PO) R. R. Temple-Smith of Roseville, NSW, PO Trevor De Nett of Stanthorpe, Qld, PO A. W. Hanmer of Waverley, NSW, PO M. C. Mazengarb of St Peters, SA. During a surprise attack on shipping in the naval anchorage, in the Gulf of Siam, RAF Liberator aircraft of Strategic Air Force, destroyed a 2,700 ton submarine depot ship, and a large merchant vessel. Among other craft which were attacked were a naval sloop, a destroyer, and small coastal boats. Aircrews on the return from this mission of over 2,300 miles said that their first bombs caused an explosion and started a small fire on the depot ship which spread rapidly as other bombers hit it from just above mast height. The vessel then exploded with a vivid orange flash, and sank. The 250 foot merchant vessel was destroyed by a direct hit, and sank in four minutes. Some of the bombers attacked from 6,000 feet while others attacked from 150 feet. There were many blazing vessels in different parts of the harbour when the attacking force started on its homeward journey.
Satahib, Thailand. 1 June 1945. High-level view from one of the attacking RAF Liberator aircraft showed the submarine depot ship 'Angthong' burning furiously with oil oozing from the doomed vessel. RA
Na Nien, Thailand. 19 March 1945. View through the beam hatch of one of the attacking aircraft shows an RAF Liberator aircraft flying over the target area, which is covered in smoke from the heavy att
Na Nien, Thailand. 19 March 1945. A low level oblique view from one of the RAF attacking aircraft showing the whole of the target area burning fiercely. To disrupt Japanese supplies reaching the Burma
Na Nien, Thailand. 19 March 1945. A Japanese train transporting oil has been hit in the middle of the sidings, and great clouds of blacksmoke billow skywards. To disrupt Japanese supplies reaching the
Chumphon, Thailand. 17 June 1945. Aircraft of No. 356 (Liberator) Squadron RAF of the Strategic Air Force, Eastern Air Command made a forty-mile sweep on the railway south of Chumphon on the Bangkok-S
Bangkok, Thailand. 18 April 1945. Bombs exploding on the west end of the lock gates on the Klong Phasi Charoen canal. Lock gates on the western canal system of Thailand between twenty five and fifty f
