Robert (Mick) Bunney

Robert (Mick) Bunney

Personal Information
Date of Birth	12 Mar 1923
Place of Birth	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 2 months
Description	5'6' (1.68m) tall ; 113lbs 51.256 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Motor mechanic
Religion	Church of England
Address	Trayning, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs May Bunney
Military Information
Reg Number	38908
Date of Enlistment	9 Jun 1941
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	No. 7 Aircraft Depot
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia

Pre War

Immediately prior to his enlistment he had worked in the garage for Ord & Cocking in Trayning, as well as in the towns Power house. Prior to that in Kunnonopping he had worked for 3 years in a garage and their power house.

War Service

Enlisted in the Citizens Air Force Reserve on 9 Jun 1941 as an Aircraftsman Level 1 at No. 4 Recruiting Centre, Perth he was placed on the No. 100 Recruit Drill Course at Pearce. From 14 - 25 Jul 1941 he was detached to the No. 2 Bombing & Air Gunnery School at Port Pirie in South Australia before being posted on 26 Jul 1941 to No. 4 School of Trade Training in Adelaide to undertake a Technical Fitter's Course. He was then posted to No. 1 Engineering School at Ascot Vale in Victoria where he completed a Flight Rigger's course. Robert remustered as a Flight Rigger on 24 Jan 1942, on 4 Feb 1942 he was posted to No. 1 wireless Air Gunner's School in Ballarat. While there, on 1 Jul 1942 Robert was promoted to Leading Aircraftsman. This was followed on 19 Aug 1942 by entering the No. 2 Air Navigations School at Nhill, Victoria and then on 3 Sep 1942 to the No. 97 Reserve Squadron.

On 1 Oct 1942 he was back at No. 2 Air Navigators School, where on 2 Oct 1942 Robert remustered as a Fitter Level IIA and returned to the rank of Air Craftsman Level 1. His next posting was on 13 Oct 1942 to No. 1 Engineering School. Then on 12 Nov 1942 he was posted to the No. 1 Air Gunnery School at Cootamundra in southern New South Wales where on 1 Dec 1942 he was promoted to Leading Aircraftsman and completed a Aircraft & Ship Recognition Course. Robert's next posting was to No. 7 Aircraft Depot at Tocumwal airfield on the NSW, Victorian border on 9 Jan 1943. On 21 Oct 1944 Robert married Ethel Isobella.

On 11 Jan 1945 Robert was briefly posted to Point Cook, where he participated on the No. 10T Liberator Conversion Course between 15 Jan and 6 Feb 1945. He was promoted to Corporal before being posted to No. 2 Personnel Depot on 6 Mar 1945. On 18 Mar 1945 he was posted to No. 99 Squadron as it began receiving their B-24 Liberator bombers and was moved to Jondaryan in Queensland. The Squadron was declared to be operational in April 1945 and it moved to Darwin in May. However, it was not fully functionable before the end of the war and so did not see action against the Japanese. Following the end of the war No. 99 Squadron aircraft were utilised as transport aircraft carrying both personnel and supplies between Darwin and southern Australia. The squadron suffered its first loss on 14 September when a Liberator crashed near RAAF Base Amberley, killing five crew members. Transport operations continued throughout October, with the squadron's aircraft transporting around 800 passengers, most of whom were recently liberated Allied prisoners of war, and a large quantity of freight.

Robert sought early release from the RAAF to work as a Tractor Serviceman in his home town of Kununoppin. This was granted and he took his discharge on 7 Nov 1945.