Plane was a Hudson A16-94 of the No.1 Sqd. RAAF. No. 1 Sqd. was the first squadron ordered into the air to mount sorties against the Japanese invasion fleet in the war in the Pacific. During the 17 sorties flown No. 1 Sqd. lost two Hudsons and three were badly damaged. Hedges plane was shot down crashing into a Japanese landing barge. He and three other RAAF crew were killed.