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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

He flew with 464 Sqn until the end of the war, undertaking 76 operations over enemy territory and was awarded the DFC. His twins were 3 years old by the time he finally returned to Australia. In 2005 he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur for his contribution to the liberation of France. #LWF🧵 7/7

WASN'T SO UNLUCKY AFTER ALL (1945, July 11). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 5. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106125871

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

Dunkley lead the second section from 464 Sqn. Despite being obscured by dust and smoke from the first wave, he hit the main building and only returned home after ensuring the rest of the aircraft were safe. Bombs were seen to go through the ground floor doors and windows of one building. 🧵 6/7

Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C50561
Text: AERIAL VIEW OF RUINED BUILDINGS AT AARHUS UNIVERSITY, WHICH HAD HOUSED THE GESTAPO RECORDS CENTRE. THIS SHOT WAS TAKEN ABOUT A WEEK AFTER VE DAY (1945-05-08).

Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C278295
text: Mosquito aircraft of 2nd Tactical Air Force, including some from No. 464 Squadron RAAF, attacked the Gestaop HQ at Aarhus. This striking photograph, shows the shattered buildings during the attack. Other bombs were dropped after this was taken. German staff cars can be seen parked before the buildings.

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

On this day 25 Mosquitoes from 140 Wing, with an escort of Mustangs, attacked the target just before noon. As was his wont AVM Basil Embry flew unofficially on the raid as "W/Cdr Smith". All aircraft taking part returned safely and extensive damage was inflicted on the Gestapo in Denmark. 🧵 5/7

GESTAPO H.Q. BLASTED (1944, November 2). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43226827

Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C278294
Text: Mosquito aircraft of 2nd Tactical Air Force, including some from No. 464 Squadron RAAF, attacked the Gestaop HQ at Aarhus. This photograph, taken from a photographic Mosquito which flew on the operation, shows two Mosquito aircraft over the target. Bombs can be seen falling on the already damaged buildings.

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

On the night of 5th July 1944 while attacking a train near Tours his Mosquito was damaged by flak. He guided the crippled plane back to the narrow Normandy beachhead and parachuted behind Allied lines. He had difficulty convincing the Polish troops that found him he wasnt a German paratrooper. 🧵 4/7

AIRMAN INJURED (1944, July 12). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 7. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106124504

AWM collection item C50555
Description:
MEMBERS OF MOSQUITO CREWS PICTURED AT THE DE HAVILLAND WORKS AIRFIELD, WHERE THEY TOOK PART IN THE MAKING OF THE FILM "MOSQUITO" - A JOINT RAF AND DE HAVILLAND EFFORT. FROM LEFT: PILOT OFFICER ROWELL (RAAF); P/O DAVIDSON (RAF); HENDERSON (RNZAF); P/O E H DUNKLEY (RAAF); HAWKE (RNZAF); P/O WOODWARD (RAF).
Date: January 1945

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

When 4 Sqn was reassigned to high altitude photo-reconnaissance work, he purposefully failed a medical test of his aptitude for high altitude flying and, against protocol, contacted the Australian CO of 464 Sqn directly to successfully convince him to let him transfer to flying Mosquitoes. 🧵 3/7

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

A civil servant prior to enlistment in the RAAF, he was granted one hour’s leave on the day of his departure for overseas service to visit his wife and newly-born twin children in hospital. He originally saw action flying Mustangs on army cooperation and reconnaissance missions with 4 Sqn. 🧵 2/7

AIRMAN WANTS TO GET BACK TO THE TWINS (1944, March 1). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 5. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106132083

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 21h

#SWW 31.10.44 #OTD 413358 F/Lt Ern Dunkley, 24 y/o (later S/Ldr Dunkley DFC) was the pilot of Mosquito NS896, leading four of the eight aircraft from 464 Sqn taking part in the low-level raid against the Danish headquarters of the Gestapo at the Aarhus University 🧵 1/7. vwma.org.au/explore/peop...

Informal portrait of (then) P/O Ern Dunkley taken in October 1943.
Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C50553
The AWM states he was flying with 464 Sqn at the time of the photo but in fact he was still serving with 4 Sqn in October 1943 and did not transfer to 464 Sqn until January 1944.

Text from AWM collection source https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C50541
"An outdoors group portrait of participants in RAF 21 Course at 17 Advanced Flying Unit (17 AFU). Identified: Back row: Unidentified RAF Volunteer Reserve (VR); unidentified RAF VR; unidentified RAF (VR); Sergeant 'Killer' Caldwell RCAF; Sergeant Dave Seton, RCAF; Pilot Officer Koenan RAF; unidentified RAF VR. Middle row: RAAF Pilot Officers J Maxwell, A L Marshall, J Hutchinson, R. Mckenzie, J C Low, D M Gow, Ern Dunkley, G A L Evatt, E C Hey. All other men unidentified RAF VR."

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 4d

He had been a police detective in Victoria prior to enlistment. When he was refused leave in 1941 by the Police Force to enlist in the RAAF he resigned his position in order to join up. His body was exhumed in 1947 and reinterred in the Berlin War Cemetery. #LWF 🧵 3/3

Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 4d

All the crew had time to bale out safely but were immediately captured. They were all taken to Dulag Frankfurt for interrogation and then transferred to various POW camps located in Eastern Europe. F/O Caffyn reportedly died of heart failure while in transit to Sagan and was buried in Gotha. 🧵 2/3

Report of the circumstances of the death of F/O Caffyn; from his casualty file at naa.gov.au

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 4d

#SWW 27.10.43 #OTD 409509 F/O Murray Caffyn, 29 y/o, died while in transit to Stalag Luft Sagan. He had been the pilot of Lancaster ED658 of 460 Sqn, on his 3rd sortie, when it was shot down in the early hours of 9th October while taking part in a raid on Hanover. vwma.org.au/explore/peop... 🧵 1/3

Photo of Murray Caffyn (centre) cropped from a group portrait of No 4 Initial Training School, RAAF, Course No 20, B Squadron, Flight 5 at Victor Harbor (Harbour), South Australia.
Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C197136

Map of planned route and ancillary operations for the raid on Hanover on 8/9th October 1943. Source: Bomber Command Report on Night Operations

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 7d

Can recommend "Wings For Victory" 👍

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Reposted by Steven Westwood

Corey S. Powell @coreyspowell.bsky.social · 9d

Happy Mole Day to all who celebrate.

www.compoundchem.com/2014/10/23/m... 🧪

Today, 23rd October is Mole Day – which might put you in mind of small, furry, burrowing animals. However, they don’t even seem to have a commemorative day of any kind; we’re actually talking about the mole in chemistry, a concept that makes it easier to talk about the amounts of substances involved in chemical reactions. This is a fundamental concept and one that all chemists utilize.

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Reposted by Steven Westwood

Hush-Kit aviation news, history & satire @hushkit.bsky.social · 10d

82 years ago today Flt Lt Peter Isaacson flew a Lancaster under Sydney Harbour Bridge

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 10d

Despite this "indiscretion" he subsequently completed a full tour with 459 Sqn in the Middle East, became an OTU instructor and reached the rank of Flying Officer. In a confidential report a superior officer assessed him as "a keen and efficient instructor, but very headstrong" 😅

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 10d

A quirky find in an RAAF service record. A handwritten summary of the court martial of a 23 y/o RAAF F/Sgt accused of (a) Causing a distrurbance in a brothel in Asmara (b) calling the MPs who arrested him "English yellow bellied bastards". Found guility of both charges and severely reprimanded. 😬

Transcription:

District Court Martial

Tried by Field General Court Martial held in the field on 28.10.42 and 1.11.42 on the following charges:
AFA Sec 40. 1st Charge

When on active service conduct to the prejudice of good order and Air Force discipline, in that he at Asmara, on the 10th September 1942, in the House of Rest "Brothel" improperly created a disturbance

AFA Sec 40. 2nd charge

When on active service conduct to the prejudice of good order and Air Force discipline, in that he, at Asmara on the 10th September 1942 when under escort of Lance Corporal (redacted) and Lance corporal (redacted) both of the Corps of Military Police said to them "you English yellow bellied bastards" of words to that effect.

Finding: Gulity of both charges

Sentence: To be severely reprimanded

Confirmation: Confirmed by the A.O.C. No. 203 Group on 12.11.42

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 15d

Nice article about a classic film. However it fails to address the big question - did the Parkes School Band really play the theme from Hawaii 5-0 in place of the Stars and Stripes to welcome the American Ambassador? - I think not but I can only hope they did.

Daniel Pomarède @pomarede.bsky.social · 15d

The Dish: Fact vs fiction

The Dish is an Aussie classic, set at Murriyang, a.k.a the Parkes radio telescope. Most of the film is based on fact, but what was added for the sake of a (rollicking) good yarn?

www.csiro.au/en/news/All/... 🧪🔭

The Dish: Fact vs fiction

The Dish is an Aussie classic, set at Murriyang, our Parkes radio telescope. Most of the film is based on fact, but what was added for the sake of a (rollicking) good yarn?

www.csiro.au

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 15d

The podcast with Roland Perry hasnt dropped yet for non-Patreons but will be available soon at www.australianmilitaryhistorypodcast.com
As an aside, Perry is happy to express some strong opinions. Despite Oliphant's apparent enthusiasm, take his comments re "cold fusion" with a large grain of salt.

Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 15d

#histbookchat #SWW After listening to a podcast featuring this biography of Mark Oliphant it (the bio) has gone into the TBR (Kindle) pile. I had forgotten his critical role in the atomic bomb project (written out of Nolan's Oppenheimer) and in developing the cavity magnetron. A great Australian.

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

BK270 was shot down and crashed, bursting into flames, near Monchengladbach, again with the loss of all aircrew on board. Sgt Noonan is now buried along with his crewmates in the Rheinberg War Cemetery. His mother visited his grave in 1955. Sgt Hall is buried at Becklingen Cemetery. #LWF 🧵 6/6

Report of the death of F/Sgt Noonan published in his local newspaper.
Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article260728304

CWGC grave at Rheinberg War Cemetery of Sgt Noonan
Source: Findagrave.com

Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

On 15th October Sgt Noonan was WOp in BK270 for an attack on Cologne, the first since the “1000 Bomber” raid in late May. As for Sgt Hall, it was his 6th combat sortie. His pilot, 21 y/o F/Sgt John Jolley was the son of another serving pilot, the only father/son combination flying in the RCAF. 🧵 5/6

Photo reposted from entry for F/Sgt John Jolley, the pilot of Wellington BK270 at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

On 13th October Sgt Hall was WOp in Wellington DF664 on a raid targeting Kiel. His pilot, F/Sgt Wakeman, had been the second pilot on four earlier raids in which Noonan was the WOp. DF664 was shot down with the loss of all onboard, crashing into the North Sea at the mouth of the Elbe. 🧵 4/6

Newspaper report on the Kiel raid of 13th October 1942 during which Sgt Hall was lost with his crew.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167563650

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

They followed separate paths to the UK but were reunited when posted to RCAF 419 Sqn in June/July 1942. As a result they were present during the creation of 6 Group under Canadian control in Bomber Command in August and were members of the small coterie of RAAF crew serving under RCAF command. 🧵 3/6

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

Like many wartime RAAF recruits they were clerks prior to enlisting in Jan 1941. Their training had overlapped, first at 1 WAGS in Ballarat and then 2 BAGS in Port Pirie. In June 1941, but on different days, each went AWOL from 1 WAGS for a few hours and as a result were confined to barracks. 🧵 2/6

Entry from Conduct Sheet of LAC Noonan for 1/6/41 when he was charged with being AWOL from his training course at 1 WAGS in Ballarat for a few hours. Cropped from his service record at naa.gov.au

Entry from Conduct Sheet of LAC Hall for 22/6/41 when he was also charged with being AWOL from 1 WAGS in Ballarat for a few hours. Cropped from his service record at naa.gov.au

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 16d

#SWW 15.10.42 #OTD 406508 Sgt Vince Noonan, a 25 y/o from WA, was W/Ag in Wellington BK270 of RCAF 419 “Moose” Sqn. Two nights previously the only other RAAF airman serving in 419 Sqn, 401213 Sgt Rex Hall, a 21 y/o from Victoria, was missing after his plane had failed to return a raid on Kiel. 🧵 1/6

419 Squadron Wellington in flight over England
https://caspir.warplane.com/personnel/unit-search/p/600030073/

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Steven Westwood @tamino78.bsky.social · 19d

#SWW #WW2 Here is a CWGC identification mystery from Abbeville - an unidentified Australian airman found in the Pas de Calais region in March 1941. Nothing fits in the IBCC database, predates 452 Sqn. So served in another RAF Command Sqn with RAAF insignia or maybe from RAAF 10 Sqn? Any thoughts?