British War Medal 1939-45 : Flying Officer E W Guy, RAAF

British War Medal 1939-45 with oakleaf clasp denoting Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air. Medal impressed around edge with recipient's details.

British War Medal 1939-45 with oakleaf clasp denoting Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air. Edgar Wesley (‘Wes’) Guy was born in April 1922, on the island of Samarai, Papua New Guinea. He was educated at Box Hill Grammar and Wesley College, Melbourne, going on to complete the Associated Teachers Training Institute Diploma. After two years teaching at Essendon Grammar School, he enlisted in the RAAF as an aircrew trainee in April 1942. Guy undertook flying training in Australia and graduated as a sergeant pilot. Initially selected for dive-bomber training, he was instead posted to the Elementary Flying Instructor’s course at Tamworth, NSW. Despite being grounded for six months for dog-fighting with a fellow student, he completed the course, and was commissioned and sent to Benalla Elementary Flying Training School, teaching student pilots. He excelled as an instructor, and in 1944 was sent to the Central Flying School (CFS) at Point Cook, VIC, to train potential new instructors. At the end of the war, Guy elected to remain in the service, and in August 1945 was posted to 33 Squadron, flying Dakota aircraft in the south west Pacific. After a further stint of instructing, he was selected to participate in the Empire Flying School course for instructors in the UK, and was also awarded the Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air, in recognition of his achievements. In 1952, Guy was posted to 77 Squadron in Korea, flying Meteor F.8 jets. During his six month tour, he became a flight commander, flew 178 operational sorties and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and US Air Medal. Back in Australia, he became Chief Flying Instructor of the Advanced Flying Training School at CFS. In 1959, with the rank of squadron leader, Guy resigned from the RAAF to join the Department of Civil Aviation, becoming Examiner of Airmen in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. He later managed a number of regional air services, including his own ‘Wesguy Aviation Services’, in Australia and New Guinea, and in 1981 established the Government Flying Unit (now the RAAF VIP Flight). Wes Guy’s last job before retirement in 1983 was as Superintendent of Flying Operations with the Civil Aviation Division in Papua New Guinea. The citation for the Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air reads as follows: "Flight Lieutenant GUY has been employed in flying training since he graduated in February, 1943, except for a short period in 1945 when he was a member of a transport squadron. During his instructional hours, he has flown 1,200 hours and holds A1(SE), A2(ME) (EL) gradings, and an "unlimited" instrument rating. He is now Officer Commanding Examining Flight, Central Flying School, and, in this capacity, has been largely responsible for the satisfactory introduction of the scheme for the annual flight testing of pilots. This officer is a fine example and is particularly keen and industrious. He is an exceptional pilot and is outstandingly capable as a flying instructor. His flying time is 1,800 hours, of which 243 hours have been flown during the last six months. He has trained 20 elementary pupils and a large number of students on all types of training and operational types of aircraft at Central Flying School. He was also responsible for post-graduate instructor training at No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School, in which capacity he flew 200 hours with 20 instructors."