Log in

View Full Version here: : Found pics of my Dad on Internet


ballaratdragons
20-10-2011, 11:58 PM
Because my youngest son is joining the RAAF, and I am an old RAAFie, and my Dad was a RAAFie (for 30 years), I did a search on the internet for anything about my Dad's past with the RAAF.

He has no photos of his RAAF time and we have never known of anyone with any.

So it was a fantastic surprise when I found a few pics of my Dad on the internet! :)

One is a newspaper clipping from an old RAAF newspaper, the others are out of Photo collections.

My Dad was a Paratrooper instructor, and In Charge of Safety Equipment (77 Squadran [Mirage Fighter Jets] & 2AD - Parachutes, Ejector Seats etc), In charge of AMTDU [Hercules & Caribou], and All Parachute Training at Wiiliamtown and Richmond, and he did a few years assignment at Woomera Rocket Range (secret stuff, I don't know anything about, so don't ask :lol: ).
I am so excited I found these. I will be sending copies of them to him. He is now 82.

- The 1st Pic is him with some of his Paratroopers and Parachute packing trainers, taken around 1958-59

- The 2nd Pic is the Newspaper article from about 1965 (I vividly remember watching dad make this historic jump)

- The 3rd Pic is him as a Warrant Officer with his team of Safety Equipment intructors. Taken in 1975

astroron
21-10-2011, 12:49 AM
Some good history there Ken :)
Great to find some pictures of your dad :thumbsup:
Cheers

ballaratdragons
21-10-2011, 02:45 AM
Ron, it is so exciting to me!

30 years of service to the RAAF without 1 sick day ever (he even got an award from the Queen for it) and we haven't even got one photo from all those years.

And now I find these!
It's like finding GOLD!

This smilie :) times a thousand!
and a few tears

astroron
21-10-2011, 02:56 AM
Great for you Ken :D
Wasa you or your Dad ever at Butterworth :question:
I was there from early 1967 to late 1968 :)
Cheers :thumbsup:

Mliss
21-10-2011, 12:44 PM
thanks for sharing this with us Ken. that's truely amazing! :thumbsup:

i did something similar not long ago and found pictures of my grandad. I can't rem the site but it was from somewhere in Melbourne and there were heaps of old photos and articles from newspapers. I can't find the site again, but he was in the RAAF too.

well done :D

TrevorW
21-10-2011, 01:00 PM
Great find I'll bet he will be chuffed

niko
21-10-2011, 01:39 PM
that's awesome Ken - good on you!

Your Dad will be really chuffed.

niko

Ric
21-10-2011, 01:58 PM
That's excellent Ken, it's always great to find little gems like that.

erick
21-10-2011, 02:01 PM
Good find, Ken :thumbsup:

ballaratdragons
21-10-2011, 04:21 PM
No Ron, he was never at Butterworth. Me either.

During his career Dad was at Richmond, Williamtown, Townsville, Tokyo, Woomera, and a couple of musterings I can't remember or I was too young to know about.

Thanks all, yeah, it's a great find. He will be rapt. I am.

FlashDrive
21-10-2011, 05:35 PM
As an ex' Raaf member ... that's a great find Ken.

Flash. :thumbsup:

ballaratdragons
21-10-2011, 07:40 PM
Sure is Colin, thanks mate :)

The_bluester
21-10-2011, 08:00 PM
What mustering were you Ken? I was a Radtech (Ground) for my decade in the RAAF (Nine and a half years actually)

AdrianF
21-10-2011, 08:19 PM
Wish I could find photos of my Dad. He was in the RAF, Khartoum, Alexandria and Cyprus during the early 50's. Apparently his mother destroyed all of his photos, diaries etc when he got home from his postings.

Adrian

wasyoungonce
21-10-2011, 09:10 PM
Nice find Ken..I remember Willytown parachute section very well....as well as the PTS school. I also lived down the road from the drop zone at Tanilba Bay.

PTS is now Tactical Fighter Group HQ ...and a car park.

ballaratdragons
21-10-2011, 10:56 PM
Paul, after Edinburgh I was based at Wagga in '75 (Instrument Fitter) :thumbsup:

If you were a Radtech you must have been at Laverton (now Williams part 2 :lol: )

wasyoungonce
22-10-2011, 10:22 AM
Ahhh a queer traders all of you.:lol:

FlashDrive
22-10-2011, 03:51 PM
:lol: Couldn't help but laugh ... I remember that to .... anyone who was involved in Radio, Avionics, and Instruments ... was regarded as a " queer trade'y " ... because if you could understand all that " electronics's jargon " ( MHz's, Sine Waves, Ohms Law, Frequency Generation .. etc ) ... you had to be a bit on the " queer " side.

:rofl: No offence to you " smarter " raafies.... it was just the " order of the day " back then.

Flash :hi: