Ernest Ronald William Oliver

Ernest Ronald William Oliver

Personal Information
Date of Birth	21 Jan 1918
Place of Birth	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Death	24 Feb 1945
Place of Death	Germany
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 5 months
Occupation	Clerk
Religion	Church of England
Military Information
Reg Number	427542
Date of Enlistment	19 Jul 1942
Rank	Warrant Officer
Unit/Formation	No. 462 Squadron RAF
Post War Details
Fate	KIA Aerial Battle over Germany
Australian War Memorial	Australian War Memorial
Medals	1939-45 Star France and Germany Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Services Medal 1939-45

War Service

Mustered as an Aircraftsman level 2, Air Crew V on enlistment at the No. 4 Recruiting Centre Perth on 19 Jul 1942. Posted to No 5 Initial Training School at Pearce airbase for evaluation, re-mustering twice while there, first on 8 Sep 1942 as Air Crew V (Observer) and secondly as Air Crew II (Observer) on 10 Oct 1942. Promoted to Leading Aircraftsman Ernie was then posted to the No. 2 Air Observers School at Mount Gambier in South Australia on 15 Oct 1942. Posted next to the No 2 Bombing and Air Gunnery School at Port Pirie, SA on 9 Jan 1943. This was followed by a posting to the No. 2 Air Navigation School at Nhill in Victoria where on 4 Mar 1943 he was awarded his Air Observer's badge, re-mustering to Navigator (Bombers) on 1 Apr 1943. On the completion of the last of these course he was posted on 15 Apr 1943 to the No 5 Embarkation Depot in Subiaco for embarkation leave before returning east to the No 2 Embarkation Depot in Bradfield Park on 16 May 1943, followed by No 1 Embarkation Depot at Ascot Vale on 27 May 1943.

On 3 Jun 1943 he embarked on a ship in Melbourne with other members of the Empire Air training Scheme, disembarking in Vancouver, Canada on 25 Jun 1943. Travelled by rail to the Royal Canadian Airforce base in Edmonton where he trained from 25 Jun to 23 Jul 1943, moving on 24 Jul 1943 to their No 1 General Reconnaissance School for further training until 13 Sep 1943 when he was posted to an embarkation depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia. On 1 Oct 1943 Ernie was promoted Flight Sergeant, and on 7 Oct 1943 he embarked in Halifax for the UK where he arrived on 16 Oct 1943. He entered the No 11 Personnel Depot & Receiving Centre. From the PRC those destined for Bomber Command went to pre-squadron training.

At No 6. Advanced Flying Unit from 21 Mar 1944 until 5 Jun 1944, and then from 6 Jun 1944 until 7 Sep 1944 at No. 27 Operational Training Unit Litchfield, , Ernie began learning the difference between plotting courses in the open spaces of the Canadian prairies and in the mist, rain and low clouds of Britain. On 8 Sep 1944 he was posted to No 41 Base

Made an acting Warrant Officer on 1 Oct 1944

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  Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany
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  Ernest Oliver's grave location

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