The only Australian buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Although he is honoured on Anzac Day and lies with other "warriors" I wish I knew someone who could place some flowers and a Aussie flag on his grave at Christmas. MILNE, FRANCIS DEBENHAM Pilot Officer 33516 6 Troop Carrier Sqn 1 Administrative Wing USAAF 26/11/1942 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 34. Coll. Grave 4754. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY USA Virginia Pilot Officer Milne died on a World War II air mission while serving with a U. S. Aircrew on November 26, 1942. He was a member of a multinational flight crew whose remains were discovered in New Guinea in 1989. Since his remains, and those of the United States Army Air Corps Technical Sergeant (Joseph E. Paul), were individually unidentifiable, they were buried together in the same casket in grave 4754, Section 34, Arlington National Cemetery. This information was researched, and then located, due to a number of inquiries received from Australian citizens in November 1997. As far as can be determined, he is the only Australian thus far buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Each ANZAC Day 25 April, (our equivalent of the American Veterans Day) there is a small ceremony at the site by the RAAF staff in Washington, D.C. following the Commemorative Service in the National Cathedral. The Prime Minister of Australia joined in the tradition and visited the gravesite in 1997 during an official visit to Washington Commonwealth War Graves Commission LOGO In Memory of Pilot Officer FRANCIS DEBENHAM MILNE Royal Australian Air Force who died aged 25 on Thursday, 26th November 1942. Pilot Officer MILNE was the son of Francis Rupert and Mignonette Milne; husband of Nance May Milne, of Southport, Queensland. Remembered with honour ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Virginia, United States of America. I will place crosses and a Aussie flag next year for the RAAF lads that are the only Commonwealth burials in cemeteries in France.
