Rees, Robert Maitland (Flight Lieutenant, b.1915 - d.1996)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 407339 Flight Lieutenant Robert Maitland Rees, 83 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia and the United Kingdom, 1941-1943.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains two folders of material relating to the service of Flight Lieutenant Robert Maitland Rees.

Folder 1 of 2 consists of one log book of Flight Lieutenant Rees, containing entries dated between 14 April 1941 and 27 January 1943. This log book covers the period of Flight Lieutenant Rees’ training in Australia and England, and service as a navigator with 83 Squadron. The log book records details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, pilots, and purposes of flights. Some of the recorded purposes of flights include air observer training, bombing and gunnery training, air navigation training, operational training, cross country flights, and pathfinding for bombing operations over Germany.

Folder 2 of 2 consists of three documents relating to the service of Flight Lieutenant Rees. It contains:
1x Letter from Squadron Leader P A Mackenzie to Wing Commander Gilman, Newark, England, [date unknown]. In this letter, Squadron Leader Mackenzie appeals for the reinstatement of Flight Lieutenant Rees’ Pathfinder Force Award. He writes of his experience of flying with Flight Lieutenant Rees, and of Flight Lieutenant Rees’ commitment to accurate navigation during operations, despite his struggle with airsickness.
1x Copy of citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross of Flight Lieutenant Rees, c 1943.
1x Newspaper clipping titled “D.F.C. Winner Returns”, The Advertiser, Adelaide, 10 July 1943.