No. 2 Air Observers School RAAF

Aerial view 1942 courtesy SA Aviation Museum

AWM P08233.004

Brief History

No. 2 Air Observers School was formed at Mount Gambier, South Australia on 6 Feb 1941 and the first of the Anson aircraft with which the School was to be equipped arrived on the 25th. The first course of trainees commenced training on 8 March using the Anson and a DH-84 Dragon. During May, 8 Battle aircraft arrived from Laverton for the units use from Laverton until they moved to Port Pirie on 28 Jun 1941 to establish No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School.

An attachment of ground staff, 50 trainees and 8 aircraft moved to Nhill to take advantage of the fine weather there compared with that being experienced at Mt Gambier. There were a number of aircraft accidents and deaths of trainees and instructors alike. During November and December 1944 the unit flew bushfire patrols, and the unit was closed in January 1946

Trainees

• † Thomas Douglas (Dougie) Ellis 17 Sep - 12 Dec 1941
• † Maxwell Wellman Marsh 22 Jul - 16 Oct 1942
• † Ernest Ronald William Oliver ?? Jan - 1 Apr 1943
• John Chadwick Meachem 27 Dec 1943 - 27 Apr 1944
• Emlyn George Howell 5 Jul - 28 Aug 1945

Notes

Source of information - Units of the Royal Australian Airforce - A Concise History - Vol 8 Training Units - Australian Government Publishing Service - 1995