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31 MARCH 1945 - Flight Lieutenant Walter R. Mills, RAAF pilot of "Playmate Four One", attached to the 2nd ERS for operations, departed Morotai at 0545 for the Southeast coast of Borneo. At 0800, he received a message that a Beaufighter crew was down at 03°34'S, 128°21'E. F/L Mills was instructed to proceed at once and effect the rescue of the survivors. He arrived just off the Jap airstrip of Liang on the Northeast coast of Ambonia Island at 1045 and sighted two men in a dinghy, 300 yards off shore from Weal Village. F/L Mills approached the raft, encountering heavy anti-aircraft fire from five shore batteries. He missed the raft on the first pass, circled and came in very low, landing near the survivors. As soon as he landed the heavy guns ceased firing but being close inshore, he was subjected to heavy rifle and machine gun fire. The survivors abandoned their raft, swam to the rescue ship and were hurriedly taken aboard. During the time, the heavy fire continued and was returned by guns on the rescue ship. Fighters continually strafed the beach without noticeable effect. F/L Mills gunned his engines and took off but as soon as he left the water, the heavy guns opened up again without effect.

During the time it was on the water, the rescue ship was holed in several places, one bullet striking Flight Officer Hastie in the lower abdomen, passing thru his body and out his back just to the left of his spine above the kidney. The Surgical Technician administered first aid and morphine to the wounded Officer. Flight Lieutenant Mills set course for Morotai, arriving at 1355. Flight Officer Hastie was transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to the 155th General Hospital. He was immediately given a transfusion of plasma and whole blood and taken to surgery. Operations disclosed that the bullet had pierced his small bowel in five places, passed thru the stomach, but missed the liver, spleen and kidney. is condition was critical but the prompt surgery will probably save his life.

Flight Lieutenant Mills exhibited great skill and courage in effecting the rescue of W/O P.E. Roberts and First Sergeant B.W. Phillips, RAAF pilots, while under heavy enemy fire. The Japs made repeated attempts to capture the two pilots during the rescue operations but were driven back by Beaufighters. One Beaufighters had an engine shot out during the battle but safely made his base. The two rescued pilots had been shot down at 0800, while strafing Liang Strip.

Rescued Beaufighter pilots: W/O P.E. Roberts and F/SGT B.W. Phillips, RAAF  

AIRCRAFT: PBY- 5A  
RAAF SERNO: RAAF A24-109 
CALLSIGN:  "Playmate Four One" 
CREW: (Pilot) Flight Lieutenant Walter R. Mills (gunner) Flight Officer Hastie, (ST) Sgt Arvie O. Mayberry

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