Studio portrait of 290745 Flying Officer (FO) Francis Norman Meyer, 13 Squadron, of Maylands, WA. ...

Studio portrait of 290745 Flying Officer (FO) Francis Norman Meyer, 13 Squadron, of Maylands, WA. An engineer before enlisting, he started training as an Air Cadet on No. 2 Course at 1 Elementary Flying Training School at Parafield SA on 5 February 1940. On 6th May 1940 he was transferred to 21 Squadron at Laverton, Vic, for pilot training. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 28 June 1940. He received further training at 1 Service Flying Training School at Point Cook, Vic, and became a Staff Pilot at 1 Air Observer School at Cootamundra, Vic and then 4 Service Flying Training School at Geraldton, WA. After navigation training at the General Reconnaissance School, Laverton, Vic, he was transferred to an Operational Training Unit at Nhil, Vic, doing conversion training to learn to fly Lockheed Hudson bombers. On 19 January 1942 he transferred to 13 Squadron at Laha, Ambon, in support of Gull Force. Following the Japanese invasion of the island, he was captured while in a party who were trying to escape to Ceram. The party were executed by the Japanese at Laha around 6-8 February 1942. He is commemorated on the Ambon Memorial.