Flight Lieutenant Edward Manton Christensen
- Rank
- Flight Lieutenant
- Service number
- 406559
- Unit
- Royal Australian Air Force 100 Squadron
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Yaurang, New Guinea
- Date of death
- 23 January 1945
- Age
- 29
- Plaque number
- L154B
- Co-located plaques
- L154 - FLGOFF Ernest Negus
- L154A - FLTLT Harry Fowler
- Dedicated by
- Daughter and Family on 14 November 2020
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Flight Lieutenant Edward Manton Christensen of 100 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, was born in Northam in July 1915, the son of Edward and Annie Christensen and brother to sisters Gladys and Effie.
Edward spent his formative years in Northam, including attending school there. Gregarious by nature and an active sportsman, he had a great love of outdoor activities, particularly motorcycle riding and camping. In later years his wife, Betty, travelled with him in the motorcycle sidecar. His leisure interests included playing the violin and his strong Christian faith involved active participation in the local Church of Christ.
Edward’s civilian work experience was with the Northam grocery company of ‘Beavis Brothers’, where he progressed from shop assistant and counter hand to salesman and, eventually, to manager. His time there also included truck driving associated with supply and delivery of groceries.
Edward enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1941 as a basic trainee but rapidly progressed to be an airman pilot.
Edward and Betty were married in May 1941 at Northam. During Edward’s training, Betty relocated to her hometown of Geraldton. They had one daughter, Bethany, born in May 1942.
Following his initial service training, Edward commenced pilot training in April 1941, culminating in him being awarded his flying badge in August 1942. He was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer in October 1942.
For the next two years he consolidated his skills and in September 1944, was posted to 100 Squadron - then located at Tadji in New Guinea. Now a flight lieutenant and an experienced pilot he flew his first combat mission the day after his arrival.
100 Squadron operated Bristol Beaufort Bombers and conducted missions against Japanese facilities throughout New Guinea and surrounding islands. Edward was involved in 40 of those strikes.
On 23 January 1945 Beaufort aircraft A9-627, captained by Edward, whilst over the mission target area in poor visibility, emerged from cloud cover simultaneously with another RAAF Beaufort A9-626. The two planes collided and crashed. Only one member of the combined crews survived.
Flight lieutenant Edward Manton Christensen, service number 406559 of 100 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, was killed in action at Yaurang, New Guinea, on 23 January 1945. He is buried, with his crew in the Lae War Cemetery. He was 29 years old.
His plaque is placed alongside Flying Officer Ernest Negus and Flight Lieutenant Harry Fowler, who were in the same 100 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force and died within months of each other.