This tunic was worn by Sir David Fairbairn KBE DFC when Honorary Colonel of 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regiment 1981-83. Sir David served with 21st Light Horse prior to World War Two. During WWII he served with the Royal Australian Air Force flying Spitfires in Britain and Europe and later in the war, in the Pacific theatre. Following the war, he entered politics, holding the federal seat of Farrer from 1949-1975. He was Minister for Defence 1971-73. Sir David was Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands 1977-1980.This object is well provenanced, complete and representative uniform worn by an honorary colonel of the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regiment, a man who gave exemplary service as a serviceman, politician and diplomat.Service dress tunic, polyester summer, with yellow cord lanyard, officer badges of rank, 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles collar badges, silver Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) buttons, and pilot qualification badge (wings). Neck decoration Knight Commander of British Empire (KBE) (Civilian list) (replica); ribbon bar denoting: Order of the British Empire (Civil), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 39-45 Star, Europe and Germany Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal 1939-45, British War Medal 1939-45, Australian Service Medal 1939-45, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. uniform, fairbairn, vmr, raaf, honorary, ambassador, wwii, spitfire, world war two, parliament

This menu would have been printed to distribute to guests attending dinner on the Orient Line, which embarked for the Middle East in 1940. The dinner was held on Thursday 18th July of the same year. Signatures on the reverse of this document were signed by Ken Williams, RW Sterrett, MR Campbell, J.H. Christie, JH McKinnon and F Finch. This item relates closely to a photograph of the 3rd Squadron, in RAAF uniform, boarding the Orient Line.This menu is an item of ephemera dating to the World War Two era. Items such as this are ordinarily lost over the passage of time. As the item contains signatures it is possible that further research and interpretation could be done regarding the men it relates to. The item is therefore of historic and social significance and has good interpretive capacity.Card with printed lettering centrally spaced and folded along horizontal centreline. There are hand written inscription on the front and reverse in pen ink.On the front, top: 3 Sqn RAAF boarding for the Middle East. On the front, lower left there are markings under and to the right of the printed word 'tourist'. The is a thick line under the word, two arrows pointing to it from beneath and a question mark to the right. On the reverse, upper left corner: Ken Williams, RW Sterrett MR Campbell JH Christie JH McKinnon F Finchdinner menu, orient line, raaf, royal australian air force, ken williams, r w sterrett, m r campbell, j h mckinnon, f finch, j h christie, 3 squadron

Shield shaped light pine plaque with large 66 Sqn badge affixed to the front. The badge is gold in colour with areas painted red, blue and cream. raaf, wark vc club

Shield shaped plaque made of varnished timber. Affixed to the front of the plaque is a metal badge that has been painted red white and blue. 1 RECRUIT TRAINING UNIT ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE ACCROSS THE THRESHOLD raaf, recruit, plaque, badge, wark vc club

Royal Australian Air force shirt, long sleeveLedingham on name tag

Leslie William Cole was born in January 1920 in Albury, the first child of William James Cole and Gwendoline Fair. Les spent most of his childhood living with his grandparents in Bethanga, Victoria. In 1934 when he finished school, Les moved into Wodonga. His first job was at Mates Timber Yard. He later worked for Mylons of Wodonga driving taxis and buses. In 1939 after completing militia training, Les applied to enlist with the RAAF and eventually trained as an aircraft mechanic. He was posted to the 6th Squadron, serving in Port Moresby, Milne Bay and Goodenough Island before returning to the RAAF base in Sale, Victoria. On discharge. Les returned to Wodonga and resumed working with Mylons. After a range of jobs, Les and his wife Lorna operated a shop in Ariel Street, Wodonga. In the community, Les was a founding member of Wodonga Lions Club. He also joined the Civil Defence which was a predecessor off the SES. He became the Communications Officer and trained other members. Les became the first controller of the Wodonga Branch of the State Emergency Service, a position he held for 17 years. The new SES headquarters was named in his honor. In retirement he also worked as a volunteer community driver. Les was also named Wodonga Citizen of the Year in 1984 Les continued living in Wodonga until the age of 103 in 2023, when he moved to Melbourne to be closer to his children. This item represents Mr. Cole's service during World War 11.This item is significant as it represents the service of a respected Wodonga resident during World War 11.This item includes a cloth patch of the crest of the 6th Squadron RAAF as well as a printed menu from the Passing out dinner for fitters held at the Federal Hotel Melbourne. It has been autographed by the attendees acknowledged at this function.On the Insignia 6 SQUADRON ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE / NOUS REVIENDRONS (WE WILL RETURN) 6th squadron raaf, military service ww11

This publication has a hard cover with a dust jacket. It consists of 191 pages, including 85 black and white and 12 coloured images.This book includes biographies of 16 different airmen with whom the compiler has come in contact. They have had their own uniques experiences in aviation. 12 of them served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). One of the aviators featured in this publication is Joe Drage, Born on 10 July 1931 in Walwa, Joseph Gordon (Joe) Drage operated a timber mill and earthmoving business, but his great passion was aviation. After obtaining his pilot’s licence at the age of 19, Mr. Drage set about buying vintage aircraft that he feared would be sold overseas. He bought his first aircraft, a Tiger Moth in 1965. In 1972 he established Drage Historical Aircraft Museum on about 60 ha of land in Wodonga, with 5 planes. Over time this grew to 21 planes which Joe maintained so that they were all in flying order. His museum was the location for several air shows which included fly-ins by members of the Antique Aeroplane Association. The land occupied by the Museum was compulsorily acquired by the Albury-Wodonga Development Corporation and Wangaratta council bought the aircraft collection for about $2 million. They opened Drage Airworld in 1984. The cost of maintaining the collection became too much for the council which closed it down in 2002. Joe Drage died on 9 August 2017.air pilots australia, aviation history, joe drage, joe drage airworld

The Flying Log Book was used by A315699 Lindsay William Fankhauser from qualifying as a helicopter crewman on 9 Dec 66 until a new Flight Log Book was issued on 15 Feb 74. The Lindsay Fankhauser lived in Gisborne and was a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association based at Woodend RSL. The Flying Log Book provides a complete record of Lindsay Fankhauser including flying hours, qualifications, annual reports, photographs of crew and aircraft from 1966 until 1974.Blue book held within a brown leather bookcover. Book cover closed with Velcro Strip. Blue book containing flight information, qualifications, posting locations, pasted in photographs. Brown cover with indentity label with name of owner enclosed in plastic cover. Blue book mounted in middle of brown cover with cover closed by overlapping.Blue book - FORM A.73 (June, 1938). Royal Australian Air Force. Observer’s Air Gunner’s and W/T Operator’s Flying Log Book. Name FANKHAUSER.L.W. (on a dymo label). Leather Cover - Aircrew wings for Aircrew members (wreath of wattle surmounted by crown, letter C inside wreath, single wing on right hand side) /LINDSAY FANKHAUSER/ RAAFfankhauser, raaf, flying log book, vietnam, a.73

Launch of Legacy Week in 1990 included an exhibition of Aviation Art at Legacy House. Paintings were by Frank Harding of Renmark, South Australia. A newspaper article published on 23 August 1990, mentions that Frank Harding had painted over 50 paintings of aircraft flown by Australians and published a book of the images. It was called 'They flew for the King'. Each painting had been extensively researched to capture a specific moment in the World War 2 combat career of various pilots, flight officers or bomb-aimers. His aim was to honour the fine efforts of these great individuals. Unfortunately the artist died a few weeks after the exhibition and launch of his book. Guests included Bud Tingwell, who flew for the RAAF in World War 2 and other RAAF personnel. It appears to have included a heritage display from the Royal Australian Air Force Museum at the same time. The article is at 01522 also see media release at 01521, more photos of the paintings and guests are in 01524. In 1990 the slogan was "Lest YOU forget" with an image of the statue of Simpson and his donkey rather than a personality. The main time of year for fundraising is September when Legacy holds 'Badge Week'. Often there is a celebrity who gives his or her time as 'Personality of the Year'. Was in a scrapbook of photos spanning 1987 to 1991.An example of an art exhibition being held at Legacy House to promote Legacy during Legacy week in 1990.Colour photo x 6 of an art exhibition for Legacy Week in 1990.legacy week, paintings, planes, warplanes, promotion