453 squadron

Your father

Hello Greg

This has got to be the longest gap between entries on the forum (Aug 2004 – Apr 2008!!).

If you don’t already hold “Defeat to Victory” by John Bennett you might be interested in these entries about your father.

After a brief description of action on 13 December 1941 it says “The following day, 14 December, the priority was to halt the Japanese advance extending down from the Thai border. Five Buffaloes, led by Flight Lieutenant Max White of 21 Squadron, were tasked to strafe enemy convoys north of Alor Star. Two aircraft were forced to return, but Sergeants Geoff Seagoe and Greg Board pressed on with White. Enemy aircraft were encountered during the flight, and when White attacked a dive bomber he was shot down and killed by the rear-gunner. Board shot down a Navy Type 96 “Claude” fighter, and Seagoe damaged another. Seagoe took return fire from the convoy he attacked and had his shoulder shattered by an explosive round, but he was able to return to Ipoh.” for the 15th December it mentions how they intercepted 3 unescorted Mitsubishi Army type 97 “Sally” bombers over Ipoh – but apparently the Buffaloes were having problems with their 0.5 inch guns and it states “Of the twelve guns airborne in the three aircraft , only four functioned. One enemy bomber was accounted for by Board, the others escaped.”

His shooting down is described as “….Sergeant Board was also shot down in flames but successfully bailed out…”

If you don’t already have copies I know that you can access the Operational Record Book for 453 Squadron from http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts asp – I have read documents from their european period from this link and I believe the Far East period is held on the web as well via this link.

If you go to the Australian War Memorial website you can access photos from that period by doing a “collections” search – put in either 453 Squadron or Sembawang and quite a few come up of the Far East period of the squadrons life.
http://cas.awm.gov.au/TST2/cst.acct_master?surl=1364332220ZZEGPSLXLKPI74744&stype=2&simplesearch=&v_umo=&v_product_id=&screen_name=&screen_parms=&screen_type=RIGHT&bvers=4&bplatform=Microsoft%20Internet%20Explorer&bos=Win32

If you have any photos of your father in that period, before his return to Australia and being commissioned I would love to see them?

cheers

Allan

453 Squadron

Yes, my farther, Greg Board, was a pilot in 453 Squadron. He had 3 kills, including a Zero. He was shot down, spent 3 days in the Jungle getting back to base, and then “evacuated” to Singapore. (He stole a 1.5 litre drop head Jag for the trip.) After getting out of Singapore on 6th Feb, 42, he eventually made his way back to Australia, where he became the Test Piot for the Aussie built Bommerangs.

Hope this helps.

Woa!thanks guys, I didnt expect such a response

Allan, I’ll get back to ya, I’ll check with my Aussie mate
to see whats needed.

Thanks again.

Dave

453 squadron RAAF

Do any of you guys know anything about
RAAF Squadron 453, they were an Aussie
oufit active at Arnhem, an Aussie mate of
mine is interested………thanks Dave

Hi Dave – what do you need 🙂 – I have a lot of information about them – both pre, post and during their 125 Wing (Detling to Antwerp/Deurne) period.

I also have their semi-official RAAF History “Defeat to Victory” which covers their formation to disbanding. – cheers – Allan 🙂

Sir Tim Wallis’s Spitfire TB863 served in 453 Sqn RAAF.

http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/aircraft/mkxvi.htm

The Alpine Fighter Collection has over the years held several 453 squadron reunions I think so the aircraft’s former pilots could be reunited with it. Maybe an email to Ian Brodie at the NZ Fighter Pilot’s Museum will get you the info you seek? You’ll find all the details on the link above.

This looks like a good place to start:

http://453raaf.turma.net/main.shtml