Donald Jack Hookings

Role: Son of Walter John Hookings and Eva Agnes Farrow — RAAF Flight Lieutenant, killed in a flying accident off Bowen, Queensland, in 1943.

Born: 26 March 1916 — Port Lincoln, District of Flinders, South Australia
Died: 8 February 1943 (aged 26) — Stone Island, near Bowen, Queensland (killed in an aircraft crash; buried Townsville War Cemetery)
Service: Flight Lieutenant, Service No. 407173, No. 9 (Fleet Co-operation) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force

Family

Life Summary

Donald Jack Hookings was born at Port Lincoln, South Australia, on 26 March 1916, the younger of the two children of Walter John Hookings and Eva Agnes Farrow — making him a great-grandson of the Telfer line through his grandmother Elizabeth Hannah Telfer.

He joined the Royal Australian Air Force and was serving as a Flight Lieutenant with No. 9 (Fleet Co-operation) Squadron at Bowen, north Queensland, when he was killed on 8 February 1943, aged 26.

That day, Supermarine Seagull V A2-9 (known in RAAF service as the "Walrus") crashed into the sea during dive-bombing practice in poor weather with heavy rain. Two other officers were also killed: P.O. Edward Charles Sherwood Seller of No. 9 Squadron and Lt. John Henry McWhae of the Royal Navy. The hull of A2-9 was located with grappling irons and raised three days later; all three officers were buried in Townsville War Cemetery.

At the time of his death he was married, his widow recorded as of Broadview, South Australia.

(The family book records his death simply as "Townsville, Qld" — the burial place has been confused with the crash site, which was off Stone Island near Bowen.)

Timeline

Sources

• Source: Australian War Memorial — Roll of Honour: Donald Jack Hookings, Service No. 407173 — F/Lt, No. 9 Squadron RAAF, died 8 February 1943, panel 99; source AWM148 Roll of Honour cards — accessed 11 September 2026
• Source: Australia @ War (ozatwar.com) — "8 February 1943: Crash of a Seagull (or Walrus) in the Bowen area" — Supermarine Seagull V A2-9, 9 Squadron RAAF, crashed during dive-bombing practice in bad weather; F/Lt Hookings, P/O Seller and Lt. McWhae killed; all buried Townsville War Cemetery — accessed 11 September 2026
• Source: Aviation Museum WA — RAAF Roll: HOOKINGS Donald Jack 407173 — crash at Stone Island near Bowen, 8 February 1943 — accessed 11 September 2026
• Source: A Telfer Family Tree (Supplement to From the Borders to the Bush, 2008), p.67 — birth 26 Mar 1916 Pt Lincoln; death 8 Feb 1943; son of Walter John & Eva Agnes (Farrow) Hookings — accessed 11 September 2026