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Hi all, I am not sure if this is the right spot on this forum for this story, but it is a true story that needs to be told nevertheless and is a good example that proves that it doesn't matter how thorough you are, you can still hit a brick wall......
Since 1999 I have researched numerous stories and events about missing Australian servicemen from World War Two. As a result of this research I have been able to prove the location of a missing Wirraway aircraft, number A20-506 with its missing RAAF aircrew. The names of the missing crew are Arthur Ruge and George Moore. The events of their demise are as follows;
On Tuesday 23 June 1942 Ruge took off from Mildura (Victoria) airbase with Moore as his rear gunner for a training exercise over Lake Victoria (NSW). A short time after arriving over the lake Ruge encountered problems with the aircraft and was last seen crashing into Lake Victoria with Moore. A search of the lake at that time failed to locate the missing aircraft or the men. Both have been listed as having no known grave since.
Ruge was the son of a Queensland Cane farmer. At the outbreak of war he enlisted into the RAAF and gained his wings. He was transferred to Singapore shortly before the Japanese invaded. Ruge escaped and returned to Australia were he underwent further training at 2 Operational Training Unit at Mildura. Moore was an Irish immigrant who came to Australia just before the outbreak of War in Europe. He was one of two children, his younger brother being a Catholic Priest and working in remote areas of western NSW.
Since 2000 I have made numerous attempts to gain permission from the traditional owners of the Lake to conduct a search and possible recovery of these men. Over several meetings with Elders and State government representatives, who collectively make up the Advisory Committee, I developed a recovery proposal that was finally submitted to this committee in May 2002. Our proposal was refused for “Cultural Heritage” reasons, although this has never been explained to me. Essentially the committee has said it is not prepared to allow me onto the Lake because we would need to travel across the Lakes foreshore, which, in some areas, is said to contain significant burial sites.
While I have argued that a search of the lake using electronic sonar’s would not adversely impact on these burial sites I have been advised, “these two fellas are not important enough”. This response has made me absolutely furious and the treatment I have received from state government representatives can only be described as disgusting. To simply say these men are insignificant is most disturbing and, I believe is an attack on the very principals of what we are about in this country, mateship. These men have been forgotten and left for 60 years and until this research came along the committee was happy to ignore the historical connection that exists between the Lake and the Mildura air base. We have gained support from the living next of kin yet this is not enough. We then got told we needed the approval of the Department of Defence, we got that too and still this was not good enough. Then the committee said we could go on the lake provided we did not cross the foreshore. I addressed this and still they said no. Each time I have been to the committee they have changed the criteria.
As mentioned, in May 2002 I attended a meeting with the committee and during this meeting, I was informed that the committee believed that should I be successful in recovering the missing Wirraway aircraft, its market value would be in the vicinity of about $1 million Australian Dollars. Several members then asked who I would sell it too and how much money I would make. This clearly identified to me the focus of their intentions. In addition to this, during this same time period, an environmental impact study was completed for use by the lake management committee, in this report are photographs of wirraway wreckage located by several anthropologists. I was given assurances that this information, along with photographs of the wreckage, would be forwarded to the Department of Defence - Airforce so that they could consider the evidence. To my knowledge this has never been done and this information and location of this wreckage has been withheld.
It is clear to me and my associates that we have been exposed to some double standards. The lake is less than 30 feet deep, I have the electronic equipment available to conduct the search at no cost to any Government Departments. We have gained written support from the National President of the RSL and the Chief of Air Force. All of this obtained as ongoing requests by the committee however; the most disturbing contradiction was, that if we got the permission of the families then they would not object to the proposal. Now, after months of trying to rally Federal Government support I once again discover these men have been neglected. Still I will continue to push this story with the hope that there maybe a change in mindset that will one day allow these men to be recovered.
This is not meant to be an attack against any individuals but an attack against a system that is only prepared to acknowledge the rights of the most powerful groups. These men deserve an honourable burial. The families have indicated quite clearly their desires to have their loved ones returned to them.
If anyone can assist me with this situation please contact me via this forum.
Thanks
Digger
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