Mosquito MM-178

[Laurent Rizzotti]

When there was an Australian airman lost in the aircraft you're interested in, go to the Australian National Archives website: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/

Then log as a Guest, you arrive on the search page and type the service number of the airman (if known) or the name in the field "Keywords".

For most airmen, the result of the search will be 2-3 files. One of them is usually the casualty file, that will be between 40 and 80 pages. Most of them are about the communication with the family, dealing with the belongings of the missing airman, etc... but included will be some pages giving the circumstances of the loss and the handling of the body when if was found (first burial, etc...).

A good part of these files have been scanned and are available on the Net. Click on the link "View digital Copy" at the left right of the document description. Documents are scanned as images and so not searchable.

In your case the file for Hines is available. A quick reading of the file shows that it includes his loss on 19/Oct/44, and also report of his injury in a crash in January 1944. Now you have to search for a page showing where and how it crashed.