Major General George Alan VASEY CB CBE DSO [11832] ^{7388,7389,8694}

  General Notes:

Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW : 1915 - 1954) Wed 7 Mar 1945 Page 3 General Vasey Missing In Plane Crash

General Vasey Missing In Plane Crash
CANBERRA, Tues. - Major-General G- A. Vasey, C.B., D.S.O., and Major-General "R.M. Downes, C.M.G., V.D., medical historian,, are believed to have lost their lives when a service aircraft crashed into the sea a few miles north of Cairns, about 4 p.m. yesterday. This announcement was released to-night by the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin.

The search for the plane was continued to-day. Also in the R.A.A.F. Hudson plane were nine others, who are also reported missing, believed killed.
. They are: -
Colonel R; H. Russell, A.A.M.C.; Lieut. W. Riggall. aide to General Vasey, and NX40U1 Cpl. E. L. James. Flt.-Lieut. J. W. Newell, Flying Officers D. Eassett, G. Thompson arid S. B. Freize and L.A.C. J. D. Moore.

Mr. Curtin said another army officer was in the plane and it had rot been possible to locate his next of kin. - When that was done a further announcement would be made.
' Mr. Curtin said this loss was a shocking blow to Australia and the Australian army. General Vasey's record in' this war, particularly in the New Guinea campaigns, made him outstanding as perhaps Australia's most brilliant divisional leader in this war.

Mr. Curtin said General Downes was one of Australia's most distinguished medical men. and had given valuable service to the Australian army since his first appointment to the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1908. He was at present compiling a history of the medical services of this war.
Mr. Curtin said that advice had been received about 4 p.m.' yesterday that an R.A.A.F. Hudson plane crashed' into the sea a little over two miles north of the air strip at Cairns. Weather conditions were extremely bad at the time. R.A.A.F. crash boats set out immediately in search of the personnel from the plane and found traces of the aircraft, but no signs of survivors.
ON WAY NORTH.
General Vasey, after a period spent in highly important staff work at land headquarters, was on his way north to take over an operational appointment, said Mr. Curtin. Through the last war and this he proved himself a magnificent soldier and inspiring leader. All troops who ever came under his command had been inspired by his leadership and personal courage, and by the example of his great ability as a commander.

General Downes was one of Australia's most distinguished medical men and had given valuable service to the Australian army since his first appointment, to the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1908, said the Prime Minister. His active army career ended only recently, but his association with the army continued through his appointment as war historian for medical services.

On behalf of the Australian Government I offer to the next of kin of all the brave men who have been lost the deepest sympathy. It will be, I hope, some consolation to them that their loved ones were lost in the service of their country when setting out to confront the enemy, i know the whole nation will join them in their proud sorrow," said Mr. Curtin. '

Guinea Gold (Papua New Guinea : 1942 - 1945) Fri 9 Mar 1945 Page 1 BODIES OF GENERALS VASEY, DOWNES FOUND
BODIES OF GENERALS VASEY, DOWNES FOUND
CANBERRA, Thurs. - The bodies of Major-Generals G. A. Vasey and R. M. Downes, and that of an unidentified RAAF officer were recovered from the sea off Cairns yesterday. The search for nine other Army and RAAF personnel, victims of Monday's tragedy, is being hampered by choppy seas and dirty water. The Army officer whose name was withheld in the first announcement of the Hudson crash pending notification of nextof-kin, has been identified as Lieutenant-Colonel G. A. Bertram. He was 31.
Funeral of Major-Generals Vasey and Downes will be in Cairns today, and will be attended by General Sir Thomas Blamey and Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Morshead.

The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) Mon 12 Mar 1945 Page 3 MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR GENERAL VASEY
MEMORIAL SERVICE
FOR GENERAL VASEY
Somewhere in the South-west Pacific area yesterday men of the 7th Division attended a requiem
mass, followed by a memorial Church of England service, for Major-General G. A. Vasey, who
was killed In an air crash near Cairns last Monday.

The services were conducted by Padre C. W. J. Cunningham, assisted by Padre J. Skehan. An ad
dress was given by Padre Redding.

Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954) Sat 21 Apr 1945 Page 5 GENERAL VASEY'S ESTATE.
GENERAL VASEY'S ESTATE.
MELBOURNE, Friday. - Gen. Vasey's estate In Victoria was sworn at £1681 gross value, all personalty. General Vasey was killed in an air crash near Cairns. His widow is the sole beneficiary and executrix.

George married Jessie Mary HALBERT BA. CBE [11841] [MRIN: 4029] in 1921. (Jessie Mary HALBERT BA. CBE [11841] was born in 1897 in , QLD, Australia,⁸⁶⁹⁵ died in 1966 in , NSW, Australia and was buried in Lilydale, Vic, Australia.)