Coward, Ivan Fernley (Flight Lieutenant, b.1911 - d.1982)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 416415 Flight Lieutenant Ivan Fernley Coward, 13 Squadron, 2 Squadron, Heavy Bomber Replacement Training Unit and 24 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia and New Guinea, 1941-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one log book of Flight Lieutenant Coward, containing entries dated between 29 September 1941 and 8 August 1945. This log book covers Flight Lieutenant Coward’s period of navigation training, and service with 13 Squadron, 2 Squadron, the Heavy Bomber Replacement Training Unit, and 24 Squadron in Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, and New Guinea. The entries record details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, pilots, and purposes of flights. Some of the purposes include navigation training, service flying training, security patrols, operational training, reconnaissance, photography, search and rescue, transport of supplies, strikes on enemy positions, cooperative training with the Army and Navy, equipment testing, aircraft ferrying, and bombing operations.
Also in the collection is a booklet supplied by the Directorate of Intelligence Headquarters Allied Air Forces South West Pacific Area. 'Instructions to Air Crew: Notes on Living and Travelling in New Guinea, Papua and New Britain' and four newspaper clippings on awards given to the Hudson Bomber squadron and about 285147 Reginald William Stuart Gross.

Flight Lieutenant Ivan Fernley Coward enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 23 June 1941. He completed his training in Australia, and went on to serve as a navigator with 13 Squadron, 2 Squadron, the Heavy Bomber Replacement Training Unit, and 24 Squadron. Flight Lieutenant Coward was discharged on 13 February 1946.