| Place | Africa: Rhodesia |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | P10129.004 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Rhodesia |
| Date made | c 1942 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Group portrait of recent graduates of an Empire Air training Scheme (EATS) pilot training course ...
Description
Group portrait of recent graduates of an Empire Air training Scheme (EATS) pilot training course in held in Rhodesia. The only identified man is 403215 (later O210106) Sergeant, David Valentine Paul, who, like all the new pilots standing in the rear and middle rows, is wearing his newly presented wings. Paul was later later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) and DFC. Flt Lt Paul enlisted on 4 January 1941 and trained with the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Rhodesia. Posted to No. 454 Squadron RAAF he was flying a Baltimore aircraft from a base in North Africa when he was shot down on 4 December 1943 during a sortie over the Mediterranean. Rescued from the sea he became a prisoner of war (POW) of the Germans, hed initially at Stalag Luft III before finally being released in 1945 from Stalag IVb POW camp in 1945 at Muhlberg, Germany. He joined the NSW Police Force after the war and joined the Citizen Air Force, (RAAF Reserves) in 1951, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader. The four men sitting are probably the course flying instructors.