September 1944 – Crew of 6 formed at 27 Operational Training Unit, Lichfield. SATTLER and PARKER and PASS had all been posted TO 27 OTU on 5 September 1944.
December 1944 – Crew posted to 74 Base, and 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit, Marston Moor. SATTLER and PASS were both posted to 74 Base on 8 December 1944, and Parker on 12 December 1944. Differing dates may have been due to Leave, or may be recording errors. Flight Engineer joined to make a crew of 7.
31 March 1945 – Crew posted TO 462 Squadron Foulsham, "B" Flight, as follows .......
P/O Cairns; F/Sgts Mitting, Parker, Pass, Sattler, Scotland; and Sgt Barker
Pilot Cairns did not fly as 2nd Pilot with any crew. No doubt there were familiarisation flights after the crew's arrival and before their first Op, but these are not listed in the ORB.
Crew Ops at 462 Squadron – see later section
The crew most likely participated in post-war Cook's Tours over Europe, however those did not usually list names of Pilot or crew.
19 and 20 September 1945 – Crew of seven were posted FROM 462 Squadron, as follows, with their higher Rankings .......
F/O Cairns; W/Os Mitting, Parker, Pass, Sattler, Scotland; and Sgt Barker
Jack Marshall CAIRNS 10624 (later O31473) RAAF – Pilot
RAAF Service File not available – it remains closed with end date of 1989
A photo of "B" Flight Pilots of 462 Squadron Foulsham, includes "F/O Jim W Cairns", in the back row, 4th from left, as identified by the AWM. However he is more likely F/O Jack Marshall Cairns, but this needs to be verified. If you can assist, please make contact.
Jack Marshall Cairns remained in the RAAF after WW2
Date unknown, but before June 1951 – Promoted to rank of Flight Lieutenant
Award of Air Force Cross – London Gazette Number 39244, Thursday 07 June 1951, (2nd Supplement to Issue Friday 01 June 1951), page 3097
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards:-
Air Force Cross
Flight Lieutenants
Jack Marshall CAIRNS (O31473) Royal Australian Air Force
(one of 3 names in list)
Not yet known – Post War postings – however he was at 10 Squadron by April 1952
16 April 1952 – incident at Palm Islands
(Reference NAA Digitised File A9845, Lincoln A73 [Accidents Part 1] 1947-1953; pages 1, 33, 34.)
RAAF Form A.180
PRELIMINARY REPORT (INTERNAL) OF FLYING ACCIDENT OR FORCED LANDING
Aircraft – Lincoln, Number A73-10
Unit – 10 Squadron
Locality –
Palm Islands, 16 April 1952, 2247 hours Night
Pilot – Flt. Lt. J M Cairns, AFC, O31473 (usual)
Crew – of 5, not named (usual)
Nature of Accident – Extensive sheets of flame issued from exhausts of starboard outer engine
Probable Cause – Loss of Coolant
Report dated – 17 April 1952
Signed – Flt Lt V D Guthrie, for Director of Flying Safety
Later Postings – not yet known
Later Promotions
– to Squadron Leader, then Wing Commander, and finally Group Captain – not yet known
20 December 1968 – Discharged from the RAAF, final Posting at Headquarters Support Command Melbourne, and his Rank was Group Captain. (Reference – WW2 Nominal Roll online)
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Geoffrey Huey SATTLER 434807 (later O14183) RAAF – Bomb Aimer – information below transcribed from the available pages of his A9301 RAAF Service File, National Archives of Australia (no enlistment photo).
29 July 1942 – enrolled as Cadet in Air Training Corp, Number 20793, discharged on 29 January 1943 for enlistment in the RAAF
29 January 1943 – Enlisted in the RAAF at 3 Recruiting Centre (3 RC) Brisbane, Qld; aged 18; single; date of birth 25 December 1924; previous civil employment as Clerk; Church of England; next-of-kin was his father Arthur C SATTLER, of Toowoomba, Qld; nationality "British"
29 January 1943 – Mustered as Air Crew V, allocated Service Number 434807
29 January 1943 – Classified as Aircraftman 2 (AC2)
29 January 1943 – Posted to 3 Initial Training School (3 ITS), Sandgate (and/or Kingaroy), Qld
17 March 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew V (P) at 3 ITS
22 May 1943 – Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC)
22 May 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew II (P)
27 May 1943 – Posted to 5 Elementary Flying Training School (5 EFTS), Narromine, NSW
13 August 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew II (N) at 5 EFTS
13 August 1943 – Posted to 1 Air Observers School (1 AOS), Cootamundra, NSW
19 August 1943 – Commenced No 41 (N) Course at 1 AOS
13 October 1943 – Crew member in an incident at 1 AOS, Cootamundra
(Reference NAA Digitised File A9845, Avro Anson A4 [Accidents Part 1] 1939-1944; pages 02, 46, 47;
the type-written page 47 had the word "Training" across the page in red hand-writing.)
RAAF Form P.T.81
PRELIMINARY REPORT (INTERNAL) OF FLYING ACCIDENT OR FORCED LANDING
Aircraft – Anson, Number A4-33
Unit – 1 AOS
Locality –
Cootamundra, 13 October 1943, 1559 hours Eastern Australian Standard Time
Pilot – F/Sgt Mahony
Crew – Sgt Noble, P/O Stubbs, LAC Levy, and LAC G H Sattler
nature of Accident – Aircraft ground looped and crashed during forced landing
Probable Cause – Details not yet known
Report dated – 14 October 1943
Signed – A Stewart, for Director of Training
15 November 1943 – Completed No 41 (N) Course at 1 AOS, with "Pass" result
15 November 1943 – Posted to 1 Bombing and Gunnery School (1 BAGS), Evans Head, NSW
09 December 1943 – Posted to 1 AOS, Evans Head, NSW
09 January 1944 – Commenced No 41 (N) Course, Astro-Navigation at 1 AOS
02 February 1944 – Completed No 41 (N) Course, Astro-Navigation at 1 AOS, with "Pass" result
03 February 1944 – Promoted to Sergeant at 1 AOS
03 February 1944 – Re-mustered as navigator (B) at 1 AOS
04 February 1944 – Received "Navigation Badge" at 1 AOS (originally recorded as 4.3.44; date crossed out and re-written as 4.1.44; believed to be in error for 4.2.44 to match other entries)
04 February 1944 – Posted to 2 Embarkation Depot (2 ED), Bradfield Park, Sydney, NSW
01 March 1944 – Embarked form Brisbane, en route for the UK
07 April 1944 – Attached to RAF
07 April 1944 – Disembarked in the UK
08 April 1944 – Posted to 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre (11 PDRC), Brighton, UK
12 April 1944 – Admitted to Centre Sick Quarters; discharged on 16 April 1944
09 June 1944 – Attached to 50 Group, Pool, 3 EFTS, to 30 June 1944
27 July 1944 – Posted to 9 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit (9 (O) AFU), LLandwrog (Gwynedd, Wales)
04 August 1944 – Promoted to Flight Sergeant at 9 (O) AFU
05 September 1944 – Posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), Lichfield, crew of 6 would have formed, training in Wellington aircraft
08 December 1944 – Attached to Aircrew School
08 December 1944 – Posted to 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (1652 HCU), Marston Moor, Yorkshire UK, (with crew) where the Flight Engineer would have joined the crew; conversion to Halifax aircraft
31 March 1945 – Posted to 462 Squadron, Foulsham, with crew (Ops detailed in following section)
03 August 1945 – Promoted to Warrant Officer at 462 Squadron, Foulsham
19 September 1945 – Posted to 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (9 ACHU), Gamston
10 November 1945 – Posted to 11 PDRC, Brighton
14 November 1945 – Attached to 14 ACHU, to 04 December 1945
Undated – Embarkation from UK for repatriation to Australia
22 January 1946 – Disembarked at Melbourne, Vic
22 January 1946 – Taken on Strength, and posted to 1 Personnel Depot (1 PD), Ransford, Melbourne
04 March 1946 – Posted to 3 Personnel Depot (3 PD), Sandgate, Qld
11 March 1946 – Discharged from the RAAF on demobilisation at 3 PD
Service Medals:- Defence Medal; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939/45
Sattler may have re-enlisted in the RAAF, as he had a later Service Number O14183 (O for Officer). However the the RAAF Service File Series date was to 1948, and the file envelope marked as closed to 1998. At the time of writing this page for 6 May 2018, only six pages of his WW2 RAAF record had been digitised. Both numbers 434807 and O14183 are listed on his WW2 Nominal Roll record.
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Edwin James PARKER 428504 RAAF – Wireless Operator – transcribed from the Summary page of A9301 RAAF Service File, National Archives of Australia, received via John Dann, UK; enlistment photo in previous section.
(Complete file not digitised at time of writing, 06 May 2018)
04 March 1942 – enrolled as Cadet in Air Training Corp, Number 149, discharged on 06 November 1942 for enlistment in the RAAF
06 November 1942 – Enlisted in the RAAF at 1 Recruiting Centre (1 RC) Melbourne, Victoria; aged 18; single; date of birth 17 September 1924; previous civil employment as Clerk and Storeman; Church of England; next-of-kin was his father James Alfred PARKER of Windsor, Victoria; nationality "British"
06 November 1942 – Mustered as Air Crew V, allocated Service Number 428504
06 November 1942 – Classified as Aircraftman 2 (AC2)
06 November 1942 – Posted to 4 Initial Training School (4 ITS), Victor Harbor; South Australia
28 December 1942 – Re-mustered as Air Crew V (P) – at 4 ITS
27 February 1943 – Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC)
27 February 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew II (P)
04 March 1943 – Posted to 11 Elementary Flying Training School (11 EFTS), Benalla, Victoria
27 May 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew V (G) at 11 EFTS
27 May 1943 – Posted to 1 WAGS Ballarat, Vic
09 December 1943 – Re-mustered as Air Crew II (G) at 1 WAGS
10 December 1943 – Posted to AGS (location not named)
06 January 1944 – Received Air Gunners Badge at AGS
06 January 1944 – Re-mustered as Wireless Operator Air Gunner (WOAG) at AGS
06 January 1944 – Promoted to Sergeant at AGS
07 January 1944 – Posted to 2 ED, Bradfield Park, Sydney, NSW
15 January 1944 – Posted to 1 ED, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, Victoria
29 January 1944 – Embarked from Melbourne, en route for the UK
11 March 1944 – Re-mustered as Wireless Operator (Air)
12 March 1944 – Disembarked in the UK
12 March 1944 – Posted to 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre (11 PDRC) Brighton, UK
12 March 1944 – Attached to RAF
19 April 1944 – Attached to Satellite Station RAF Tatenhill, to 09 June 1944
04 July 1944 – Posted to 1 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit (1 (O) AFU), RAF Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway
06 July 1944 – Promoted to Flight Sergeant at 1 (O) AFU
05 September 1944 – Posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), Lichfield UK; crew of 6 would have formed, training in Wellington aircraft
08 December 1944 – Attached to Aircrew School, Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire (posted with crew)
12 December 1944 – Posted to 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (1652 HCU), Marston Moor, Yorkshire UK, (with crew) where the Flight Engineer would have joined the crew; conversion to Halifax aircraft
31 March 1945 – Posted TO 462 Squadron, Foulsham, with crew (Ops detailed in following section)
06 July 1945 – Promoted to Warrant Officer at 462 Squadron
20 September 1945 – Posted to 9 Aircrew Holding Unit (9 ACHU), Gamston
10 November 1945 – Posted to 11 PDRC, Brighton
30 November 1944 – Attached to 14 ACHU
Undated – Embarkation from UK for repatriation to Australia
03 January 1946 – Disembarked in Melbourne
03 January 1946 – Posted to 1 Personnel Depot (1 PD), Ransford, Melbourne
27 February 1946 – Discharged from the RAAF
Service Medals:- France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939/45
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Gordon Victor PASS 434006 RAAF – Rear Gunner – information below transcribed from the available pages of his A9301 RAAF Service File, National Archives of Australia; enlistment photo in previous section. The dates for the same event recorded on different documents may differ by one or two days.
09 October 1942 – Enlisted in the RAAF at 3 Recruiting Centre (3 RC) Brisbane, Qld; aged 20; single; date of birth 19 February 1922; previous civil employment as Bank Clerk; Church of England; next-of-kin was his father Albert Croydon PASS, of Collinsville, Qld; also listed for contact was his Fiancée Miss E Powell of Charters Towers; nationality "British"; Medical category A1B, A3B
09 October 1942 – Mustered as Air Crew V, allocated Service Number 434006
09 October 1942 – Classified as Aircraftman 2 (AC2)
09 October 1942 – Posted to 3 Initial Training School (3 ITS), Kingaroy, Qld
31 December 1942 – AC II, Aircrew V, Under Training, Character – Very Good
25 January 1943 – Re-mustered to Air Crew V (G) at 3 ITS
30 January 1943 – Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC)
30 January 1943 – Posted to 2 ED, Bradfield Park, Sydney
26 February 1943 – Posted to 1 ED, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, Vic
06 March 1943 – Embarked from Melbourne, proceeding to Canada
22 March 1943 – Disembarked in Canada
22 March 1943 – Attached to RCAF
26 March 1943 – Posted to 17 Service Flying Training School (17 SFTS), Souris, Manitoba, Canada
03 April 1943 – Posted to 2 Wireless School (2 WS), Calgary, Alberta, Canada (also listed as 2 WTS, Wireless Training School; and 2 WAGS, Wireless & Gunnery School)
05 April 1943 - Commenced Wireless Course at 2 WS
02 August 1943 – Sentenced to 48 Hours Detention, under Sec 11 (AFA), Calgary.
On his Service Conduct Sheet, further details are recorded. At #2 W.T.S., Calgary, Alberta, on 30 July 1943, LAC Gordon Victor PASS was charged with the Offence " W.O.A.S. gambling in Barracks. Sec 11 A.F.A." The Witness was recorded as "Documentary". On 02 August, the punishment of "48 Hrs Detn, and 7 Days C.B.", was awarded by S/Ldr O P Gosling.
(While On Active Service; Detention, Confined to Barracks; What was he gambling on? Who with? What was the "Documentary" witness? )
The same Service Conduct Sheet was stamped with "No Further Entry" on 5 November 1945
03 August 1943 – Admitted to Station Hospital, discharged 07 August 1943
(4 days, no further details; however the Admission was on the day immediately following his "Confined to Barracks", so it seems he may have spent 4 of those 7 days in Hospital.)
15 October 1943 - Completed Wireless Course at 2 WS
16 October 1943 – Posted to 2 Bombing and Gunnery School (2 B&GS), Mossbank, Saskatchewan, Canada
18 October 1943 - Commenced Air Gunnery Course at 2 B&GS
(On 19 October 1943, LAC Philpott, RAAF, and later in 462 Squadron, was posted to 2 B&GS Mossbank as Trainee Bomb Aimer. His Service File did not have a number recorded for his Course. Would Trainee Gunner LAC Pass also be in Philpott's Photo 3? Or would they have been in separate training groups?)
29 November 1943 – Completed No. 66 Wireless Air Gunner Course, at 2 B&GS RCAF, with "Pass" result
04 December 1943 – Received Air Gunners Badge
04 December 1943 – Promoted to Sergeant
07 December 1943 – Re-mustered to Wireless Operator Air Gunner (WOAG)
07 December 1943 – Posted to 8 Air Observer School (8 AOS), L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada
09 December 1943 – Admitted to Station Hospital, 8 AOS, discharged 14 January 1944 (no further details, however it must have been serious to have been hospitalised for 5 weeks)
11 March 1944 – Re-mustered to Wireless Operator (Air)
03 June 1944 – Posted to 1 Y Depot, Lachine, Quebec, Canada
04 June 1944 – Promoted to Flight Sergeant
15 June 1944 – Attached to RAF
16 June 1944 – Embarked from Halifax, Canada, en route for the UK
24 June 1944 – Disembarked in the UK
24 June 1944 – Posted to 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre (11 PDRC), Brighton, UK
19 July 1944 – Attached to RAF Whitley Bay, to 16 August 1944
19 July 1944 – Commenced Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) Course
16 August 1944 – Completed NCO Course, with "Pass" result
05 September 1944 – Posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), Lichfield UK; crew of 6 would have formed, training in Wellington aircraft
08 December 1944 – Attached to Aircrew School
08 December 1944 – Posted to 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (1652 HCU), Marston Moor, Yorkshire UK, (with crew) where the Flight Engineer would have joined the crew; conversion to Halifax aircraft
31 March 1945 – Posted TO 462 Squadron, Foulsham, with crew (Ops detailed in following section)
04 June 1945 – Promoted to Warrant Officer at 462 Squadron
19 September 1945 – Posted to 9 ACHU, Gamston
10 November 1945 – Posted to 11 PDRC, Brighton
14 November 1945 – Attached to 14 ACHU, to 30 November 1945
Undated – Embarkation from UK for repatriation to Australia
03 January 1946 – Disembarked in Melbourne, Vic
03 January 1946 – Posted to 1 PD, Ransford, Melbourne
18 February 1946 – Posted to 3 PD, Sandgate, Brisbane
22 February 1946 – Discharged from the RAAF, on demobilisation
Aircraft and hours flown
Training, Canada - 2 WS - Fort II-Norseman 29h 55m
Training, Canada - 2 B&GS - Bolingbroke 10h 55m
Non-Op, Canada - 8 AOS, L'Ancienne-Lorette - Anson V 42h 05m
Advanced Training UK - 27 OTU - Wellington X 75h 10m
Advanced Training UK - 1652 HCU - Halifax III 43h 30m
Advanced Training UK - 462 Squadron - Halifax III 38h 45m
Operational Flying 462 Squadron - Halifax III 5 Ops, 29h 35m
Total Flying Hours - 269h 55m
Service Medals:- France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939/45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Returned from Active Service Badge
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