| Accession Number | F02035 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Film |
| Measurement | 34 sec |
| Object type | Newsreel |
| Physical description | 35mm - safety/b&w/sound |
| Place made | Australia: Victoria, Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, North Africa: Libya, Cyrenaica, Tobruk Area, Tobruk |
| Date made | 2 September 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright unknown |
Lost leg at Tobruk fights in RAAF
Description
Newsreel item on Flying Officer Roberts Christian Dunstan, DSO, the one-legged rear gunner of Mount Eliza, Victoria, stepping from the Spirit of Progress on his arrival at Spencer Street railway station on Saturday 02 September 1944 after two years overseas with 460 Squadron, RAAF he was aided by a walking stick which had 29 notches one for each of his operational flights over enemy territory. Flying Officer Dunstan, 21 years of age, joined the AIF when he was 17 and lost a leg after being wounded by a shell splinter at Tobruk where he was serving with the 6th Division Engineers. He was discharged from the Army in February 1942. After several rejections he managed to persuade the Air Board that the loss of a leg would not hinder his training for air crew. He returned to Australia to take up duties as an instructor.