At 3.18pm on November 27, 1956 two Fairey 'Firefly' anti-submarine aircraft from 851 Squadron at HMAS Albatross, being flown by British pilots, Sub Lieutenant David Eagles and Sub Lieutenant Arthur Arundel with trainee navigators midshipmen Don Debus and Noel Fogarty were on navigational exercises, when they collided at about 2000 feet altitude, two miles east of Huskisson.

Arundel (20) and Fogarty (20), a trainee observer were killed. Their aircraft WD887, broke apart upon striking the water near the crash site.

Eagles (20) struggled to maintain control of his aircraft, VX381, after seven feet of the starboard wing, including the aileron, sheared off by the collision.

Eagles and his trainee observer, Debus (18) ditched in Hare Bay, Callala Bay about three miles from the crash site, launching their life-rafts before the aircraft sank.

They were winched to safety by a Sycamore helicopter of 724 Squadron.

Despite extensive searches of the area, including by divers, the plane and Arundel and Fogarty’s bodies were never recovered.

Keen North Nowra diver Greg Stubbs has dived on the wreck of VX381 for a number of years and after researching the crash learnt of the wreck’s story.

He even managed to track down the surviving pilot, David Eagles, now 81, in the UK and Don Debus in Canberra.

Through talking to Mr Eagles, Studds was able to gain more information about the crash and pinpoint a possible location.

In March, after 10 years of searching, he has located the crash site of WD887.

“The plane broke up on impact. And whatever may have been left has long been trolled over by the scalloping of the Bay. But we have been able to recover some debris and in that found a few items which identified it as the right plane,” he said.

Mr Stubbs made moves to have a memorial put in place on the Firefly in Callala Bay to tell its story.

With help from the Royal Australian Navy clearance divers, and Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Chris Smallhorn, from HMAS Albatross, a plaque was recently placed on the remaining Firefly crash site in Hare Bay.

A ceremony will be held on Sunday to dedicate the plaque and a service will also be held over the crash site of the other plane.

“We all get a lot of enjoyment out of diving the Firefly. It is a wonderful experience but we must also remember how it came to being. It was a tragedy that has given us this opportunity. Two young men gave their lives,” he said.