Informal portrait of Cadet, later Second Lieutenant, Ralph Mervyn Mitchell Houston in typical ...

Informal portrait of Cadet, later Second Lieutenant, Ralph Mervyn Mitchell Houston in typical flying uniform used during flight training in the desert. Goggles, helmet, scar, gloves and boots are apparent, but absent is a fleece lined jacket and leather overcoat worn by pilots in Europe. 2nd Lt Houston was part of a small group of Australians who had qualified privately as pilots, mostly with the NSW Pilot School. Late in the war, and with government support, they were allowed to travel to Egypt and enlist in the RAF. After cadet training they were commissioned and most were posted to local units such as 23 Squadron RAF. Some flew on operations against the Turks in late 1918 and most were still on active service well into 1919.