Portrait of 420562 Flying Officer (FO) William Dudley Hemmings, born in Coolamon, NSW. FO ...

Accession Number	P03590.001
Collection type	Photograph
Object type	Black & white - Print silver gelatin
Maker	Unknown
Place made	United Kingdom
Date made	1944
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright	Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Portrait of 420562 Flying Officer (FO) William Dudley Hemmings, born in Coolamon, NSW. FO Hemmings enlisted in November 1941 and completed navigation training in Australia and Canada. Arriving in the United Kingdom in March 1943, he served successively with 140 Wing, 464 Squadron (Sqn) RAAF, 138 Wing, 107 Sqn RAF and 138 Wing, 613 Sqn RAF, flying in Mosquito aircaft as a navigator. He then served with the British 2nd Tactical Air Force and by October 1944 had flown a total of 48 missions. He returned to Australia in February 1945 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in the same year. He completed a photo interpretation course and served with the Central Interpretation Unit, RAAF Command, Brisbane from June to August 1945.