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Flying Officer Winston Edwin TEE

459 RAAF Squadron

Service No. 420299

Date of Birth: 29 Oct 1921

Place of Birth: CANOWINDRA, NSW

Date of Enlistment: 11 Oct 1941

Date of Discharge: 2 Oct 1945

Rank: Flying Officer

Date of Death: 17 Nov 2001

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Crew:

  • Harry Hawkins – Pilot,

  • Bill Kirkham - Nav (B)

  • Alan Vardy - WAG

  • Bill Tee - WAG

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Crew March 1944

  • Flying Officer R.R. Corcoran, RAF

  • Flight Sergeant J.G. Laughlin, RAAF

  • Flight Sergeant W.E. Tee, RAAF

  • Pilot Officer H.P. Morrish, RAAF

L-R Alan Vardy, Bill Tee and Bob Smith

This is a snap taken in Blackpool, the other two are Alan Vardy and Bob Smith, we are the only 3 left out of the course which I started with when first going to camp and we have been together since.

 
Following story written by Margaret Pirie (widow of John Pirie).

 

Enlisting on 11.10.41 Winston (Bill) Tee was trained at Parkes (NSW) and Port Pirie (SA) and travelled via the USA, making the Atlantic crossing at the end of 1942 on HMS Queen Mary.  He then sailed to the Middle East and joined 459 RAAF Squadron on 20.5.43 at Gambut where he qualified as an excellent A.S.V Operator according to log book endorsements.

 

Operational flying duties included: Day 233 hours/Night 205 hours, with a computed operational tour total of 506 hours during 78 sorties.  He trained and served with Alan Vardy and Bob Smith as WAGS with 459.  The accompanying photo was taken at Blackpool, England.

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No special incidents have been highlighted in the (DORS) during his 459 days from 21.5.43 to 22.4.44.  However post war Harry Hawkins distinguished himself as an Air Vice Marshall in Ian Smith's Rhodesian Air Force, and Alan Vardy had long service in the Permanent Air Force before retirement as Wing Commander.

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