Malaya Historical Group :: MHG
Aviation and Military Archaeology may cover almost any form of research into or collecting of artifacts connected with the history of aviation and military relics.

If you have any information about any war relics and air wrecks in our country, please send an email to me malayahg@gmail
 

On the 17^th August 1945 the aircrew and support staff serving on the Cocos island were informed that the war was now over.  Unfortunately certain planes and crew’s would be required to search and recover the thousands of men who had been taken prisoner by the Japanese.

It was a task they practically volunteered to do.

Several journeys had been made in this respect and all those based on the Cocos were further pleased to know that very soon they would all be transferred to other fields on their journey home.

KL654R IS MISSING

Little were the crew of Liberator bomber KL654R aware that today Thursday the 23^rd of August 1945 was to be their last mission. Everyone of 356 Squadron stationed on the Cocos Island were still celebrating the end of the second world war, as KL654R was making ready for what was to be their last S&D mission, On this occasion they were to ferry two of 2^nd Para officer, members of force 136, on a mission to locate small groups of British and allied prisoners of war to liberate, direct and assist them

On their homeward journey.

The Liberator was crewed by eight men of the RAF their skipper

F/L John Selwyn Watts.(Crofton Yorkshire) Pilot.24 yrs.

2^nd Pilot Edward Donald Mason,(Sheffield Yorks )22yrs, 

W/O Navigator William Kenneth Dovey, (Ludlow Salop) 21yrs, 

W/O Sergeant Arthur Turner (Dewsbury Yorks) 22yrs, 

Forward Gunner Sgt Raymond Arthur Towell( Welllingborough Northants) 21yrs, 

Rear Gunner Sgt William Ross( Gateshead Durham) 23yrs, 

Sgt F/O John Trevor Blomfield ( Cheam Surrey)20yrs, and

Sgt F/O Jack Blakey who was the father of the group ( Boston Lincs) age 31 years.

Their journey of 817 miles would take a maximum two hours outward and twohours return. Although fully armed it was not expected that they would become involved in any action.

On board the conversation was the usual chatter of friends and comrades anticipating completing their mission and hopefully returning home. The squadron itself was due to be dissolved within the next eight weeks. Cruising at around 10,000 ft they had not a care in the world. At 1554hrs twenty five minutes ahead of schedule the navigator gave the thumbs up signal for Trevor Blomfield to slide open the port passenger door. The two field officers of 136 force waved to the crew and leapt out. Dovey and Blomfield watched as their parachutes opened and the two agents dropped out of sight.

Before you do that , Pilot to navigator, “call base and give them our ETA as1830 hrs”.shouted the skipper

Turner nodded and lowering the volume transmitted the standard message verbatim.

Suddenly the plane began to shudder, it was as if they had been hit, but there was no explosion. “Shit shouted Watts as he watched the two port engines splutter causing the craft to dip heavily to port. Don Mason flicked the avometer indicators. While at the same time the two starboard engines spluttered their last.

Pilot to Radio, “send Mayday” Watts and Mason pulled hard to bring the ship onto an even keel, and as the ground rushed up to meet them The skipper managed to gain control. “Everyone stand by” he shouted as the plane began to shudder” “Brace yourselves for a heavy landing” at the same time the starboard wing dipped, taking the top of a large tree. With a loud swishing noise the big bomber crashed and blasted its way into the foliage and undergrowth. Within a few seconds, the B-24 Liberator bomber crashes - becoming one of 152 such bombers lost in the course of the war

We do not know what happened after this. It is more than sixty years since this brave crew crashed. Since that time several groups of people have reported where the wreckage lies. Yet this ungrateful government of ours insist that it is not feasible to send anyone out to recover the remains and give them a Christian burial.

Since 1945 the wreck has been reported to the British authoities on twenty separate occasions from 1949- 1960-1978-190-1993-1995-1997-2000-2002-2004-2006-2007-

And on each occasion the British government have refused to acknowledge or offer to send investigators.

Had this been a bomber downed over France or Germany . Allstops would be pulled out and parties of researchers would spend vast amounts of cash in recovering whatever remains/

Why do they ignore those who gave their lives in the Far East?

2006 Expedition

In 2006, we took two trips to the wreck site and the last one, we found the positive id of the B-24 KL654/R. The faded serial number was found near the SNAKE letter which reveals the identity and no doubt that it was KL654/R after all.

Most of her numbers were painted in black and after getting most of the worst tropical climate almost in 60 years, the paint were faded away. We have to draw a line and finally it show her true identity.

2007 Expedition

After an unsuccessful trip in early 2007, we took a month to re-organize again and make another trip with the Malaysian Army Museum team together with 2 British Army Officers. Some positive locations were found and checked. After some digging and clearing the slope where the front section was crushed and burned we found several positive personal belongings of KL654's crews. Two sets of rings, a dagger, and part of a watch burned into aluminum were found. Also, we traced down some serial numbers which bolted into her 4 engines. It is a difficult task to find it until I found her engine serial number plates on one of her engines. It shows the exact number and matches our records.

One of the engine where we found the serial plate	Two sets of silver rings were found	Positive ID of KL654/r!

Receive additional info regarding KL654 mission on the 23rd August 1945. 5 B-24s were flew to central Malaya to drop supplies. Approx 30 containers and 20 packages weight 7120lbs and 5980lbs were dropped by parachutes. B-24 "D", "A", "F", "P" and "R" were involved in this drop supplies mission. Mission carried out from 10.05am until all aircraft arrived at 01.21am. KL654/R was a fourth plane take off at 10.30am.

Two routes were carried out.

• Base - Taborjoeng - Kuala Selangor - Drop Zone - Kuala Selangor - Taborjoeng - Base
• Base - Taborjoeng - Cape Rachardo - Drop Zone - Cape Rachardo - Taborjoenng - Base

3 Planes drop their loads into drop zone perfectly but later when R was missing, 'D' was flying for 3 quarters of an one hour searching the jungle although numerous fires were seen from the jungle. We assumed that the fires were from 'R' which already crashed and burned into flames.

Confirmation crew lists :-

• Flight Lieutenant John Selwyn Watts, ( Pilot )
• Flying Officer Edward Donald Mason, 166082 ( 2nd pilot )
• Flying Officer William Kenneth Dovey, 166352 ( Navigator )
• Flight Sergeant Jack Blakey, 1582692 ( Flight Engineer )
• Flight Sergeant William Ross, 2213814 ( Rear Air Gunner )
• Flight Sergeant Raymond Arthur Towell, 1624252 ( Front Air Gunner )
• Flying Officer BROMFIELD, JOHN TREVOR 166369 ( Air Bombardier )
• Flight Sergeant TURNER, ARTHUR 1621393 ( Wireless Operator )

2009 Expedition

A successful mission was carried out with the help of Army Museum Port Dickson and volunteers from the United Kingdom. A search pattern under scrutinized observations on several positive locations near the wreckage. The crashed site was cleared and digging commenced on the second day to determine positive human remains and personal effects. Then, fragments believed to be human bones were removed and collected before being taken out on the 12th day to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Forensic Unit. After confirmation, the bone fragments were handed over to the British Army Defense Adviser, Captain Kenneth Taylor.

2012 Burials

On 18 October 2012, bone fragments of the KL654 crew were brought with respect at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Cheras. British High Commissioner Simon Featherstone, British Defense Adviser, Captain Kenneth Taylor, next of kin, and representatives from the Malaysian government were invited to pay their last respects to the crew of the KL654 aircraft. It was a turning point for us to solve a mystery and the loss of the B-24 KL654/R crew. Eventually, they were found and buried with honor.