Patricia Skehan

Whispering Death

For military history buffs and aeroplane enthusiasts alike, this fascinating story of the World War II Beaufighter Squadron is a must. Whispering Death is the story of the Australian-built Beaufighters, their pilots and their remarkable feats in World War II, and others who contributed to the story of the 'Green Ghosts' - the legendary 93 Squadron. Several years ago former World War II Beaufighter pilot Warrant Officer Lerryn Mutton OAM arrived on the doorstep of history writer Patricia Skehan armed with twenty boxes of official documents and photographs and asked her to write his wartime story. She was intrigued. The Beaufighter aircraft was unique, its silent motors earning it the nickname Whispering Death. She turned on her tape recorder. After that point she recorded dramatic memories of Mutton, his navigators and ground crew, and of other 93 Attack Squadron members, with their unique association in Sandakan and Borneo war operations. Copies of the unofficial squadron diaries, plus diaries from two other squadron flyers, tell a remarkable story of the Green Ghosts, as 93 Squadron is known. Whispering Death follows the squadron's formation in Narromine, NSW and training in Kingaroy, Queensland. Each of the main crew has a unique story to tell of how and why they volunteered to enlist, and each has their own chapter of diverse memories, their goal to stay alive. Meanwhile the Beaufighters were being built in Australia, an early part of our major aviation history.We also follow a group of women who are formed as the WAAAF and worked as codebreakers, helping Allied forces to victory in the Coral Sea and Bismarck Sea battles.