Empire Air Training Scheme - The first 40 Australians

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by spidge, Feb 24, 2011.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Group portrait of RAAF members of No 1 Course, Empire Air Training Scheme in Ottawa, Canada. These were the first Australian trainee pilots sent on the scheme.
    Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery Shirtcliffe_WJ EATS No1 Photo.001.jpg

    18 would die / 5 were POW / 1 POW escaped

    One is remembered today. (Shirtcliffe)

    After each trainee's name is noted his rank, awards and fate, obviously at a date subsequent to this photograph. Identified are:

    407071 Richard Lyndon Barrett (Sergeant, killed 30 June 1941 on operations over Germany);

    407072 John Miller Bishop (Flying Officer);

    400024 Thomas Raymond Breheny (Flying Officer);

    408000 George Maxwell Briggs (Pilot Officer, killed 10 May 1942 on operations over Malta);

    400025 Robert Balmain Campbell (Flying Officer, killed 23 July 1941 on operations over the North Sea);

    406004 Selwyn McKenzie Clark (Flight Lieutenant, DFC);

    407041 Montague Charles Carrington Cotton (Squadron Leader, DFC);

    400051 Ronald Gustave Damman (Sergeant, Prisoner of War (POW));

    407018 Robert Lindsay Davies (Pilot Officer);

    402000 Frederick Agnew Vance Drummond (Sergeant, died 8 May 1941 in an accident in Scotland);

    400054 Patrick Field (Sergeant, killed on operations over the Middle East);

    402002 Clive Mayor Hall (Flight Lieutenant, POW);

    408012 Philip Francis Grant Harbottle (Flying Officer, died 12 July 1942 in an accident in Queensland);

    406027 Kenneth Marshall Hicks (Pilot Officer, killed 17 August 1941 on operations over France);

    406012 Alexander McBride Kerr (Sergeant, POW);

    407077 John Kinnane (Flying Officer killed 1 July 1941 on operations over Denmark, Mentioned in Despatches);

    402048 George Lloyd (Flight Sergeant);

    408001 Michael Mayne Maxwell (Flying Officer);

    402004 Joseph Michael McCullough (Sergeant, killed 18 August 1941 on operations over the Middle East);

    400044 John Philip McKechnie (Flight Lieutenant, POW, DFC);

    404007 Eric William McLeod (Pilot Officer, died 25 March 1941 in an accident off Scotland);

    402005 Allan Frank McSweyn (Flight Lieutenant, POW, MC);

    407078 Ian Arthur Lace Milne (Sergeant, POW);

    400045 David Knaggs Oak-Rhind (Pilot Officer, killed 21 May 1941 on operations over the English Channel);

    400030 Eugene Hugh O'Neill (Squadron Leader, DSC, DFC);

    400029 Laurance David Orbuck (Sergeant, killed 10 April 1942 on operations over Germany);

    407079 William Ronald Phillips (Pilot Officer, killed 28 May 1941 on operations over United Kingdom);

    402007 Alexander Cyffin Roberts (Flight Lieutenant, escaped POW, Mentioned in Despatches);

    400031 Keith Edward Robinson (Flight Lieutenant, DFC, AFC, Polish Flying Badge);

    407019 Maxwell Robert Ross (Sergeant, killed on operations over north west Europe);

    402008 Arthur George Schwager (Flight Sergeant, killed on operations over the Middle East);

    402041 Thomas William Scott (Flight Lieutenant);

    407021 Frank Gemmel Sheppard (Flight Lieutenant);

    400032 William John Shirtcliffe (Pilot Officer, died 25 February 1941 in an accident in United Kingdom);

    402009 Eric Blair Tainton (Flight Lieutenant);

    402011 Robert James Uhrig (Sergeant, died 10 April 1941 in an accident in United Kingdom);

    400033 Ernest Valentine Walliker (Flight Lieutenant);

    400048 Peter Frank Wilson (Flight Lieutenant);

    407023 Francis Ainslie Wood (Flying Officer);

    408003 Jack Steven Righards Woolnough (Flight Sergeant, died 17 January 1942 in an accident in United Kingdom).
     
    Martin G. Jackson likes this.
  2. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

  3. Bomb Disposal58

    Bomb Disposal58 Junior Member

    Dear All, I am doing some research into the EATS in Rhodesia and was looking for some information on both the Elementary and Advanced courses, what their duration and subjects covered and also the flying training itself. Could someone please steer me onto any sources on EATs, this particularly is applicable to the RAAF trainees who passed through Rhodesia on their way to the UK in 1941-1942 period. I would also wonder if there are photos and lists of trainees and where they were assigned to in each of the three locations in Rhodesia? Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Best,
     
  4. Sorry to have only seen this post now (over a decade later), as I could have assisted with much of what you needed. My father, P. Ray Jackson, 4001930, of 10 & 11 Draft, self-published the spiral-bound "Exclusive Brethren" around 1992, which included copies of the official full lists of each of the 12 Drafts to Rhodesia.
    I have entered these 674 trainees into an Excel file, and added information from NAA Files as to the trainees' postings to EFTS and, if passed, on to SFTS. I have also added the OTU postings too.
    While the majority of pilots were posted to OTU in the UK, a quite significant number did OTU courses in the Middle East (74 OTU, Palestine), and a small number in Kenya (70 OTU). A select number also were posted to George, South Africa, for the 61 AS/GRS Courses before posting to 1 (Coastal) OTU in the UK.
    I do have a few Course photos from Southern Rhodesia.
    I would be most interested in your progress with this.
    Martin
     
  5.  
  6. The RAAF trainees sent to Southern Rhodesia had not undertaken any Pilot training. The First Draft of 40 trainees were from 4 Course, Bradfield Park, N.S.W., and arrived in Rhodesia on 14 December 1940. Of the 40, there were 34 trained as Pilots, 2 trained as Navigators, and 4 scrubbed (with one training as an Air Gunner in Canada, and serving with 460 Squadron, RAAF). Of the 37 who became Aircrew, 18 were killed (11 Killed in Accidents, and 6 K.I.A., with Reg "Rusty" Kierath executed in "The Great Escape"). 5 were P.O.W.s, with Hank Wilson surviving as a prisoner of the Japanese in Burma in 1945.
    The majority of single engine graduates were posted to the Desert Air Force (with five helping in the formation of 451, and others going to 450, 459 and 3 Squadrons).
    This Draft comprised several notable figures, including "ace" Walter Mailey; Pete Frizell (who sank U-Boat, U-675, with an OTU crew); K.A.S. Mann; and, 'Jack' Redmond; as well as Colin Milson of 455 Squadron, RAAF.
    10 attained the rank of Squadron Leader (commanding 249, 450, 451, 453 and 455 Squadrons, amongst others), with 7 D.F.C. (two with Bars), 2 D.S.O. (one with a Bar), a M.I.D. and AFM awarded to 15 individuals.
     
  7. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    The author of Post 3 Bomb Disposal58 has not logged on since May 2011. Martin you could try sendng a PM, although it will go to the email address provided upon registration.

    Spidge the author of Post 1 has not been logged on since January 2022.
     
    Martin G. Jackson likes this.

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