Air Force Association in Hawthorn East, Victoria | Armed forces

Air Force Association

Locality: Hawthorn East, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9813 4600

Address: 24-36 Camberwell Rd 3123 Hawthorn East, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.afavic.org.au/

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• Non-profit organisation
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• Armed forces

25.01.2022 Congratulations to AeroPM who won the Veterans’ Employer of the Year Medium category as well as Outstanding Veterans’ Employer of the Year at this year’s Prim...e Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Awards. I had the privilege of presenting Emily and Adam Frizell of AeroPM with their awards at Parliament House earlier this year and hearing about their passion for veteran employment. Emily and Adam are both veterans, making AeroPM a 100 per cent Australian veteran-owned and operated Defence Industry professional consulting services company, with veterans also making up more than 90 per cent of its workforce. The company’s mission is to successfully transition veterans from Defence into Defence Industry, retain their knowledge, passion and dedication within the Defence community, and upskill them into industry leaders. Congratulations and thank you for your service. #TYFYS

24.01.2022 Tuesday 3 November 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the loss of No 2 Squadron Canberra aircraft callsign Magpie 91 over Vietnam. For almost 39 years, the whereabouts of the bomber and the crew - Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver - was unknown. This is the story of the loss and recovery of Magpie 91 - the perseverance of those men who would not give up the search for the lost aircraft and its crew, and their commitment to bringing home the two young airmen and closing the final two bracelets.

24.01.2022 Happy birthday to Florence Craig (nee Robe) who turns 100 today. Florence, born in Colac Victoria, joined the Royal Australian Air Force in July 1942 and was an... aircraftwoman. Florence was stationed in Adelaide when the war ended and she said it was ‘the best day you can imagine’. Florence’s advice for younger serving personnel is ‘do what you want to do set a goal and try your best to achieve it’. Florence developed some long-term friendships while serving, in particular with Marg Eck, Nettie Hinstan, and Betty Andrews. After the war, Florence raised her two children with her late husband Lesley, and she also enrolled in a cooking course, although admits she was not a very good chef. She wrote three small books detailing her life as a child. Her father passed away when she was ten and her mother raised Florence and her five siblings on her own. Florence donated all the proceeds from the books to cancer research as Lesley passed away from cancer in 2001. Florence credits her long life to good genes. Her older sister Belle is still alive today, aged 102. Happy birthday Florence and thank you for your service. #TYFYS #OurVeterans

23.01.2022 "Working as client support for people with mental health issues, terminal illness or transitioning out of Defence into the next phase of their life, though while challenging, can also be very rewarding." Watch Warrant Officer George Sutton's story. #OurPeople #TYFYS

22.01.2022 Lest We Forget. Our children will remember and honour their legacy.

21.01.2022 Happy birthday to Robert (Bob) Humphrey who was born in Lithgow, New South Wales, 100 years ago yesterday. Bob enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in Aug...ust 1941 and trained in Tamworth, then Canada and England. While training, Bob was involved in two plane crashes, one in which he was injured and three crew killed. As a result he was unable to be involved in active operations. While in hospital, Bob was cared for by nursing sister, Phyllis Joan Weldon. She later became his wife and they were married for 59 years. Bob has now been married to his second wife Yvonne since 2004. After recovering, Bob helped train bomber crews, and performed mock day and night attacks on trainees. Bob was serving as a flying officer with 14 Operational Training Unit at discharge in September 1945. He feels the best thing about serving was ‘broadening your horizons’. He also developed some long term friendships with Bill and Joy Johnson and Ted and Yvonne Templeton. After the war, Bob worked for Brown and Dureau Ltd (now AMTRADE) in the shipping department, in charge of export, shipping costs and cargo insurance. He then worked for East Asiatic Company as imports manager, and John Cook and Sons Timber Agency as assistant to the Director, then Company Director. Bob credits his longevity to two wonderful caring wives, daily walks and his tenacity to be independent. Happy birthday for yesterday Bob and thank you for your service. #TYFYS #OurVeterans

21.01.2022 Today is R U OK Day - a good opportunity to pause, check on each other and stay connected.

21.01.2022 On Friday 11 December 2020, we were very privileged to be at a small ceremony hosted by the War Widow’s Guild in South Australia for the presentation of a speci...al US Army Small Ships Association Medallion to one of our few remaining World War 2 WAAAF veterans, 98 year old Thelma Zimmerman. The Medallion was presented by AIRCDRE Brendan Rogers, Senior Air Force Representative South Australia, on behalf of the US Army Small Ships Association of Australia. The Award was given in recognition of Thelma Zimmerman’s support for the association in recognition of her former husband’s, a former RAAF member himself, ties to the unit during World War 2. While her husband, Alby served overseas with the RAAF in the Pacific, Thelma served in Adelaide and Melbourne as a Telephonist in the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force. The event was organised by President War Widows Guild (SA), Jan Milham, Service Voices Helen Meyer, Vice President US Army Small Ships Association, David Lloyd, and GPCAPT Greg Weller from RAAF Edinburgh. The US Army Small Ships Unit was raised in Australia, and consisted mainly of Australians who were too old, too young, or medically unfit to serve in the Navy, Army of Air Force. Almost 3,000 Australian’s served in the US Army Small Ships. They received no recognition for their service until recently, yet they were vital to the Allied success in the Southwest Pacific Area of Operations (SWPA). The unit supported the deployment and repatriation of Australian personnel and equipment, including Air Force units, in the SWPA. Did you know that the RAAF had its own small boats section? At the peaks of its operations, the RAAF Marine Section comprised over 600 powered vessels and 700 unpowered craft. The craft were used for a variety of roles including air sea rescue, seaplane and flying boat tenders, fire fighting and general supply and support. Following the war, the RAAF Maritime Section was greatly reduced to operate only 65 powered and 42 unpowered craft. This force was reduced further when the RAAF retired its seaplanes in 1952 and as helicopters replaced air-sea rescue boats. The RAAF Maritime Section was disbanded on 31 January 1993. Images of AIRCDRE Rogers presenting Thelma Zimmerman with the US Army Small Ships Medallion courtesy of Air Force Association images. Images of RAAF Marine Section vessels and staff courtesy of Australian War Memorial.

19.01.2022 Where are we as the Air Force going to be in 6 years time? - Air Commodore Gary Martin

19.01.2022 Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Air Force Fiona Grasby enlisted in 1987 as a 17-year-old from Gwandalan, NSW. During her career, Fiona has deployed to ...areas, including Afghanistan, Singapore, the United States and the Middle East region. Thank you for your service Fiona. #TYFYS

16.01.2022 As we move into 2021, our Air Force Centenary year...

16.01.2022 Thanks to the team at Channel 9 for having me on the program this morning with 96-year-old veteran Reg Chard. Reg served on the Kokoda Track and vividly remembe...rs enemy sniper fire killing two of his mates as they stood next to him. I first caught up with Reg two years ago as he was volunteering to teach young Australians about his experiences at Kokoda during the Second World War. It was an honour to (virtually) present him with his 75th anniversary commemorative medallion on the TODAY Show. The medallion is being made available to all living World War Two veterans as a small mark of respect in the lead up to the 75th anniversary commemorative events on Saturday, August 15. Thank you for your service, Reg. You are an absolute inspiration to everyone who knows you. #OneInAMillion #TYFYS

15.01.2022 The Spring edition of " Wings" is out now in pdf, flipbook and article view. Articles on "Wedgetail", the SR-71, the F-35 and more. In History, discussion of the P-40 and the "Battle of Darwin". https://www.raafapublications.org.au/

15.01.2022 29 years on, we remember them. No. 33 Squadron has established a memorial at RAAF Base Amberley complimenting the original memorial at RAAF Base Richmond, for t...he five crew members tragically lost in the crash of a Boeing 707 A20-103 'Wilberforce' on 29 October 1991. The crew was Squadron Leader Mark Lewin, Flight Lieutenants Tim Ellis and Mark Duncan, and Warrant Officers John Fawcett and Al Gwynne, all of 33 Squadron. The crew departed from RAAF Base Richmond with the call sign 'Windsor 380' for a training mission to Victoria, and were lost in a crash off the coast of RAAF Base East Sale after their aircraft departed controlled flight. Lest we forget. #AusAirForce #AirMobility

14.01.2022 Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. - Sir Winston Churchill.

14.01.2022 VALE AM SELWYN DAVID EVANS AC, DSO, AFC RAAF From humble beginnings, Air Marshal David Evans AC, DSO, AFC RAAF rose to be one of the most notable commanders in the RAAF’s first century.

14.01.2022 VP Day - 75th Anniversary We honour those brave men and women who served and who gave their lives so selflessly during the Second World War. And we remember our RAAF servicemen and women on VP Day with this video.

13.01.2022 On this day, we pause and honour the more than 4000 members of the RAAF who served in Vietnam between the years 1964 and 1971. (click to view video) Thank you to all the men from the AFA Victoria Vietnam Veterans branch who provided their photos for this video.

13.01.2022 Lest We Forget #WeRememberThem

11.01.2022 We are greatly saddened to hear of the recent passing of Douglas Raymond Leak, one of South Australia's few remaining World War 2 Bomber Command veterans. Doug ...Leak was born at Medindie, South Australia, on 17 June 1923. He enlisted in the RAAF in Adelaide on 12 September 1942 as an aircrew trainee. He completed basic training at No 4 Initial Training School at Victor Harbour, South Australia, before competing No 1 Wireless and Air Gunners School at Ballarat, Victoria, and then No 3 Bombing and Air Gunnery School, at Sale, Victoria. Qualified as an air gunner, he was promoted to Sergeant and posted to the United Kingdom where he completed heavy bomber conversion training. In March 1945, Doug Leak was posted to No 149 Squadron (RAF) which was based at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, and had transitioned to the Avro Lancaster in August 1944. Over 120 Australian’s served with 149 SQN(RAF) during the war including PLTOFF Rawdon Middleton, who received a Victoria Cross for his gallant actions with the Squadron in 1942. With 149 SQN (RAF), Doug Leak saw action in the last months of the war in the Combined Bomber Offensive, Operation MANNA (the dropping of food to starving civilians in the Netherlands) and the repatriation of allied POWs back to England from the continent. In April 1945, he was promoted to WOFF. Doug Leak was a long time member of the Air Force Association (SA) and a regular attendee at our ceremonies at Torrens Parade Ground. His attendance at these ceremonies in the future but particularly during the Air Force Centenary this year will be sorely missed. We offer our sincerest condolences to Doug’s family on the passing of this special World War 2 Bomber Command veteran who was such a part of our Association. Vale WOFF Douglas Raymond Leak. Lest we forget. Photo of Doug Leak at a Air Force Association / RAAF Edinburgh Ceremony at the Torrens Parade Ground’s Air Force Memorial in 2019, courtesy of Department of Defence.

10.01.2022 PRACTICAL STEPS TO SUPPORT VETERAN MENTAL HEALTH. General Practitioners (GPs) across Australia now have access to a new hotline to assist them in supporting the health and wellbeing of veterans. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Veteran Mental Health GP Assistance Hotline forms part of a $1.4 million investment in practical steps to meet the needs of the veteran community.... GPs play an important role in coordinating a patient’s care, requesting additional tests, treatment or assessment by other health professionals, and making referrals to relevant Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) services or programs, Mr Chester said. The new Veteran Mental Health GP Assistance Hotline will provide GPs with access to free expert advice on the unique mental health challenges that our veterans can face from health practitioners who are clinically trained in veteran mental health. The hotline is immediately available and GPs can access free expert advice on veteran mental health issues by calling 1800 VET 777 (1800 838 777). Read full media release below.

09.01.2022 Happy Father’s Day!

08.01.2022 Who remembers the F1-11 wheels up landing in 2006?

07.01.2022 What an honour to meet Reg today and present him with his Second World War 75th anniversary commemorative medallion. We are so fortunate to have around 12,000 o...f the some one million Australians who served in WWII still with us today, and the 75th commemorations on 15 August are a very important time to say thank you for your service to all who served. The medallions are for all living veterans who served in the Second World War. For more information visit: http://www.dva.gov.au/medallion #TYFYS #lovegippsland #OneInAMillion

06.01.2022 WWII Air Force veteran Jack Bell speaks with 3AW. An incredibly resilient, brave and generous man. Thank you for your service, Jack Bell.

05.01.2022 VP Day - 75th Anniversary (video) We honour those brave men and women who served and who gave their lives so selflessly during the Second World War. And we remember our RAAF servicemen and women on VP Day with this video.

04.01.2022 Sir John Carrick AC KCMG served with the Australian Army during the Second World War & spent more than three years as a prisoner of war of the Japanese. During... this period in captivity, he saw firsthand the brave and selfless work of the medical orderlies who worked within the prison camps. I think the most outstanding tribute should be paid to medical orderlies. #OneInAMillion #75Days75Stories

02.01.2022 This is Richard (Mick) Scott and today he turns 100 years old. Born in Muttaburra, Queensland, Mick joined the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940. He w...as deployed to Great Britain and assigned to 10 Squadron, serving in Coastal Command as a rear gunner on a Sunderland Flying Boat. He also spent a short time attached to 461 Squadron. Mick was based in Britain for the war’s duration and participated in missions to Europe, North Africa, Gibraltar, and the Mediterranean. Mick received the Atlantic Star for his service in Coastal Command. Mick felt the best thing about serving was meeting his late wife, Muriel, while in the United Kingdom. Mick also made some great friends, in particular Bob Thompson, who after the war was a mentor to Mick, assisting with his return to civilian life and helping him establish a pineapple and banana farm at Eudlo on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. Micks credits his long life to a good wife, working hard, keeping active, good food and good beer in moderation. Happy birthday Mick and thank you for your service. #TYFYS #OurVeterans

02.01.2022 A Christmas story...

02.01.2022 On 14 September each year, we remember and thank those Australian Defence Force personnel, civilians and police forces who have served on international peacekeeping operations.

01.01.2022 17 November 1943: Loss of 10 SQN Sunderland aircraft with all 11 aircrew including its South Australian Captain, FLTLT Ray Behrnt Did you know that on this day... in 1943, a 10 Squadron aircraft was shot down over the Bay of Biscay with all 11 aircrew? Initially formed at Point Cook in July 1939, No 10 Squadron became the only RAAF squadron to see continuous active service throughout the war when it was sent to England in late 1939 to ferry Sunderland aircraft back to Australia but ended up remaining in England after the start of the war. Operating primarily out of RAF Mount Batten at Plymouth, 10 Squadron was primarily used in maritime surveillance, convoy escort and anti-submarine operations. The squadron sank its first German U-Boat on its first squadron birthday 1 July 1940. The squadron would record a further five successful sinking’s of German U-Boats during World War 2 and in February 1944 set a record for the most patrol hours flown by a Coastal Command unit in one month 1143 hours. In doing so, 10SQN lost 19 aircraft and 161 personnel during the war mostly to German long range fighter aircraft. On this day in 1943, Sunderland aircraft DV993 departed RAF Mount Batten at 11am on a Bay of Biscay anti-submarine patrol. At 230pm the aircraft crew transmitted that they had sighted some aircraft which they assumed to be the enemy. No further transmission was received from the aircraft and crew. German radio later claimed that long range fighters on 11 November had shot down a British flying boat over the Bay of Biscay with the aircraft catching fire and that its tail plane had been shot away. The aircraft had crashed in flames with no survivors. Lost in the action were: FLTLT Ray Behrndt (Pilot/captain), an Adelaide boy from Unley. FLGOFF Allen Hartwig (Pilot) PLTOFF Clarence Furzer (Pilot) FLGOFF Alexander Davis (Navigator) SGT Alexander Brooking (Air Gunner) SGT Kel Coghill (Fitter) WOFF Herbert Hicks (Wireless Operator/Air gunner) SGT Jack Jones (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) SGT Harry Knights (Fitter) FSGT Charles Leggo (Air gunner) SGT Phillip Stanton (Armourer) Ray Behrnt was a teacher who had enlisted in the RAAF in June 1941. After completing initial training at VNo 4 Initial Training School at Victor Harbour, he completed initial pilot training at No 1 Elementary Flying Training School at Parafield, South Australia, and then No 2 Service Flying Training School at Mallala, South Australia. Receiving his Wings in January 1942, he completed seaplane conversion training before arriving at 10 Squadron in England in October 1942. On 3 August 1943, Behrnt was captain of 10 SQN Sunderland DD852 when it was attacked by three German long range fighter aircraft. On this occasion, he and his crew fought a fierce air battle where the Sunderland survived downing one of the German fighters. Unfortunately, several months later on 17 November, Behrnt was not so fortunate when he and his 10 other crew perished being shot down. Their aircraft was never found. Their bodies were never recovered remaining in a watery grave some of the more than 3,000 RAAF members whose bodies have never been located over the last 100 years. Lest we forget. Image of Ray Behrnt courtesy of National Australian Archives. Images of 10 Squadron Sunderland aircraft courtesy of Australian War Memorial Digital Online collection (Copyright expired, public domain).