Cpl Gordon (Gordy) Ernest McMillan..........Service: Royal Australian Air Force..........Service Number: 6160
Cpl Gordon (Gordy) Ernest McMillan
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 6160
Mustering: Engine Fitter
Born: 7 May 1919—Marrickville, NSW Australia
Enlisted: 13 Nov 1939—Richmond, NSW Australia
Discharged: 3 Jan 1946
Posting on Discharge: 8 Operational Training Unit Parkes (NSW Australia)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Extracts from ‘Desert Diary’
A personal diary of the events in the Middle East during World War II written by Gordon E. McMillan Member of the 450 Squadron RAAF
‘I applied to join the Air Force on November, 13th, 1939; posted to Richmond Air Base and attached to 22 Squadron as an Aircraft Hand. The men were all permanent personnel—we were the first batch of men enlisted for the termination of the war and 12 months thereafter. Our rate of pay was 5 shillings a day; I was assigned to ‘A13’—a Hawker Demon—a biplane and our front line fighter at this point of time. I passed an exam fro Airframes and awarded 85%; posted later to Melbourne Showgrounds for a flight mechanics course. We used the sheep pavilion and it was mild-winter. At completion of course was posted to Cootamundra Air Observers Training School.
My first taste of war was the crash of a ‘flying classroom’—the crew were training for Observers; the plane caught alight and 5 Observers and pilot suffered fatal injuries and burns before they died. We were then posted to Williamtown, Newcastle—assigned to 450 Squadron. We were the first Squadron of the Empire Air Training Scheme—451 Squadron and others followed. The aerodrome was not formed and we spent our time waiting for equipment and drill training. The mosquitoes at the drome were known as ‘Hexham greys’—they were the biggest mosquitoes one would ever see or feel.
My diary commenced when I boarded the Queen Elizabeth on Good Friday, 11th April, 1941.
While stationed at Richmond Air Base in 1940, I was attached to 22 Squadron. We had Hawker Demons, equipped with Rolls Royce V12 Kestrel engines. The adjoining hangar received the first assembled Wirraways, which had radial engines. One pilot, doing cross-country became lost and landed safely on the beach at Gerringong, our of petrol. We drove down to salvage the aircraft, but Ft/Lt Reid decided he would fly the aircraft off the beach—this was successful and he flew back to base. A Hawker Demon was practising aerobatics close to the drome and crashed in full view of all the ground crew—the pilot was killed instantly—the nose of the Demon was buried into the ground. This was my first introduction to flying and was very disturbing to witness such a tragedy.
We had a 4-cylinder Gypsy Moth Mino attached to the Squadron. It had a collapsible wing that was only held by a sliding bolt. I was asked by the pilot to have a ride–my first in an aircraft; I wasn’t very happy; the pilot did aerobatics and landing and bumps; I was a real mess by the time I got out of the plane.’
My Diary
‘This diary was compiled during my time in the Middle East. I purchased the book in Cairo, while on leave. I also bought a pen and bottle of ink (there were no ballpoints in those days). I put them in the kit bag.
I usually filled in the details after the day’s work was completed, but at times I would be separated from the kitbag, usually due to constant shifting from one airstrip to another. Information would come from the operations tent, but also from my own observations and from the various pilots, after the operations were completed. I do not clearly remember writing a lot of the events, but I have carefully checked the history books to confirm the dates that these events occurred.
After the finish of the desert campaign our kitbags were stored as we prepared for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. From that time I still kept notes of events that followed and completed the diary at the end of hostilities.’
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 6160
Mustering: Engine Fitter
Born: 7 May 1919—Marrickville, NSW Australia
Enlisted: 13 Nov 1939—Richmond, NSW Australia
Discharged: 3 Jan 1946
Posting on Discharge: 8 Operational Training Unit Parkes (NSW Australia)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Extracts from ‘Desert Diary’
A personal diary of the events in the Middle East during World War II written by Gordon E. McMillan Member of the 450 Squadron RAAF
‘I applied to join the Air Force on November, 13th, 1939; posted to Richmond Air Base and attached to 22 Squadron as an Aircraft Hand. The men were all permanent personnel—we were the first batch of men enlisted for the termination of the war and 12 months thereafter. Our rate of pay was 5 shillings a day; I was assigned to ‘A13’—a Hawker Demon—a biplane and our front line fighter at this point of time. I passed an exam fro Airframes and awarded 85%; posted later to Melbourne Showgrounds for a flight mechanics course. We used the sheep pavilion and it was mild-winter. At completion of course was posted to Cootamundra Air Observers Training School.
My first taste of war was the crash of a ‘flying classroom’—the crew were training for Observers; the plane caught alight and 5 Observers and pilot suffered fatal injuries and burns before they died. We were then posted to Williamtown, Newcastle—assigned to 450 Squadron. We were the first Squadron of the Empire Air Training Scheme—451 Squadron and others followed. The aerodrome was not formed and we spent our time waiting for equipment and drill training. The mosquitoes at the drome were known as ‘Hexham greys’—they were the biggest mosquitoes one would ever see or feel.
My diary commenced when I boarded the Queen Elizabeth on Good Friday, 11th April, 1941.
While stationed at Richmond Air Base in 1940, I was attached to 22 Squadron. We had Hawker Demons, equipped with Rolls Royce V12 Kestrel engines. The adjoining hangar received the first assembled Wirraways, which had radial engines. One pilot, doing cross-country became lost and landed safely on the beach at Gerringong, our of petrol. We drove down to salvage the aircraft, but Ft/Lt Reid decided he would fly the aircraft off the beach—this was successful and he flew back to base. A Hawker Demon was practising aerobatics close to the drome and crashed in full view of all the ground crew—the pilot was killed instantly—the nose of the Demon was buried into the ground. This was my first introduction to flying and was very disturbing to witness such a tragedy.
We had a 4-cylinder Gypsy Moth Mino attached to the Squadron. It had a collapsible wing that was only held by a sliding bolt. I was asked by the pilot to have a ride–my first in an aircraft; I wasn’t very happy; the pilot did aerobatics and landing and bumps; I was a real mess by the time I got out of the plane.’
My Diary
‘This diary was compiled during my time in the Middle East. I purchased the book in Cairo, while on leave. I also bought a pen and bottle of ink (there were no ballpoints in those days). I put them in the kit bag.
I usually filled in the details after the day’s work was completed, but at times I would be separated from the kitbag, usually due to constant shifting from one airstrip to another. Information would come from the operations tent, but also from my own observations and from the various pilots, after the operations were completed. I do not clearly remember writing a lot of the events, but I have carefully checked the history books to confirm the dates that these events occurred.
After the finish of the desert campaign our kitbags were stored as we prepared for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. From that time I still kept notes of events that followed and completed the diary at the end of hostilities.’
Edit caption:
Cpl Gordon (Gordy) Ernest McMillan
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 6160
Mustering: Engine Fitter
Born: 7 May 1919—Marrickville, NSW Australia
Enlisted: 13 Nov 1939—Richmond, NSW Australia
Discharged: 3 Jan 1946
Posting on Discharge: 8 Operational Training Unit Parkes (NSW Australia)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Extracts from ‘Desert Diary’
A personal diary of the events in the Middle East during World War II written by Gordon E. McMillan Member of the 450 Squadron RAAF
‘I applied to join the Air Force on November, 13th, 1939; posted to Richmond Air Base and attached to 22 Squadron as an Aircraft Hand. The men were all permanent personnel—we were the first batch of men enlisted for the termination of the war and 12 months thereafter. Our rate of pay was 5 shillings a day; I was assigned to ‘A13’—a Hawker Demon—a biplane and our front line fighter at this point of time. I passed an exam fro Airframes and awarded 85%; posted later to Melbourne Showgrounds for a flight mechanics course. We used the sheep pavilion and it was mild-winter. At completion of course was posted to Cootamundra Air Observers Training School.
My first taste of war was the crash of a ‘flying classroom’—the crew were training for Observers; the plane caught alight and 5 Observers and pilot suffered fatal injuries and burns before they died. We were then posted to Williamtown, Newcastle—assigned to 450 Squadron. We were the first Squadron of the Empire Air Training Scheme—451 Squadron and others followed. The aerodrome was not formed and we spent our time waiting for equipment and drill training. The mosquitoes at the drome were known as ‘Hexham greys’—they were the biggest mosquitoes one would ever see or feel.
My diary commenced when I boarded the Queen Elizabeth on Good Friday, 11th April, 1941.
While stationed at Richmond Air Base in 1940, I was attached to 22 Squadron. We had Hawker Demons, equipped with Rolls Royce V12 Kestrel engines. The adjoining hangar received the first assembled Wirraways, which had radial engines. One pilot, doing cross-country became lost and landed safely on the beach at Gerringong, our of petrol. We drove down to salvage the aircraft, but Ft/Lt Reid decided he would fly the aircraft off the beach—this was successful and he flew back to base. A Hawker Demon was practising aerobatics close to the drome and crashed in full view of all the ground crew—the pilot was killed instantly—the nose of the Demon was buried into the ground. This was my first introduction to flying and was very disturbing to witness such a tragedy.
We had a 4-cylinder Gypsy Moth Mino attached to the Squadron. It had a collapsible wing that was only held by a sliding bolt. I was asked by the pilot to have a ride–my first in an aircraft; I wasn’t very happy; the pilot did aerobatics and landing and bumps; I was a real mess by the time I got out of the plane.’
My Diary
‘This diary was compiled during my time in the Middle East. I purchased the book in Cairo, while on leave. I also bought a pen and bottle of ink (there were no ballpoints in those days). I put them in the kit bag.
I usually filled in the details after the day’s work was completed, but at times I would be separated from the kitbag, usually due to constant shifting from one airstrip to another. Information would come from the operations tent, but also from my own observations and from the various pilots, after the operations were completed. I do not clearly remember writing a lot of the events, but I have carefully checked the history books to confirm the dates that these events occurred.
After the finish of the desert campaign our kitbags were stored as we prepared for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. From that time I still kept notes of events that followed and completed the diary at the end of hostilities.’
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 6160
Mustering: Engine Fitter
Born: 7 May 1919—Marrickville, NSW Australia
Enlisted: 13 Nov 1939—Richmond, NSW Australia
Discharged: 3 Jan 1946
Posting on Discharge: 8 Operational Training Unit Parkes (NSW Australia)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Extracts from ‘Desert Diary’
A personal diary of the events in the Middle East during World War II written by Gordon E. McMillan Member of the 450 Squadron RAAF
‘I applied to join the Air Force on November, 13th, 1939; posted to Richmond Air Base and attached to 22 Squadron as an Aircraft Hand. The men were all permanent personnel—we were the first batch of men enlisted for the termination of the war and 12 months thereafter. Our rate of pay was 5 shillings a day; I was assigned to ‘A13’—a Hawker Demon—a biplane and our front line fighter at this point of time. I passed an exam fro Airframes and awarded 85%; posted later to Melbourne Showgrounds for a flight mechanics course. We used the sheep pavilion and it was mild-winter. At completion of course was posted to Cootamundra Air Observers Training School.
My first taste of war was the crash of a ‘flying classroom’—the crew were training for Observers; the plane caught alight and 5 Observers and pilot suffered fatal injuries and burns before they died. We were then posted to Williamtown, Newcastle—assigned to 450 Squadron. We were the first Squadron of the Empire Air Training Scheme—451 Squadron and others followed. The aerodrome was not formed and we spent our time waiting for equipment and drill training. The mosquitoes at the drome were known as ‘Hexham greys’—they were the biggest mosquitoes one would ever see or feel.
My diary commenced when I boarded the Queen Elizabeth on Good Friday, 11th April, 1941.
While stationed at Richmond Air Base in 1940, I was attached to 22 Squadron. We had Hawker Demons, equipped with Rolls Royce V12 Kestrel engines. The adjoining hangar received the first assembled Wirraways, which had radial engines. One pilot, doing cross-country became lost and landed safely on the beach at Gerringong, our of petrol. We drove down to salvage the aircraft, but Ft/Lt Reid decided he would fly the aircraft off the beach—this was successful and he flew back to base. A Hawker Demon was practising aerobatics close to the drome and crashed in full view of all the ground crew—the pilot was killed instantly—the nose of the Demon was buried into the ground. This was my first introduction to flying and was very disturbing to witness such a tragedy.
We had a 4-cylinder Gypsy Moth Mino attached to the Squadron. It had a collapsible wing that was only held by a sliding bolt. I was asked by the pilot to have a ride–my first in an aircraft; I wasn’t very happy; the pilot did aerobatics and landing and bumps; I was a real mess by the time I got out of the plane.’
My Diary
‘This diary was compiled during my time in the Middle East. I purchased the book in Cairo, while on leave. I also bought a pen and bottle of ink (there were no ballpoints in those days). I put them in the kit bag.
I usually filled in the details after the day’s work was completed, but at times I would be separated from the kitbag, usually due to constant shifting from one airstrip to another. Information would come from the operations tent, but also from my own observations and from the various pilots, after the operations were completed. I do not clearly remember writing a lot of the events, but I have carefully checked the history books to confirm the dates that these events occurred.
After the finish of the desert campaign our kitbags were stored as we prepared for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. From that time I still kept notes of events that followed and completed the diary at the end of hostilities.’
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