Found pics of my Dad on Internet

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

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 ).
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 (Ron)]

Some good history there Ken
Great to find some pictures of your dad
Cheers

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

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 (Ron)]

Great for you Ken
Wasa you or your Dad ever at Butterworth
I was there from early 1967 to late 1968
Cheers

[Mliss (Mel)]

thanks for sharing this with us Ken. that's truely amazing!

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

[TrevorW]

Great find I'll bet he will be chuffed

[niko]

that's awesome Ken - good on you!

Your Dad will be really chuffed.

niko

[Ric]

That's excellent Ken, it's always great to find little gems like that.

[erick (Eric)]

Good find, Ken

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by astroron

Great for you Ken
Wasa you or your Dad ever at Butterworth
I was there from early 1967 to late 1968
Cheers

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 (Poppy)]

As an ex' Raaf member ... that's a great find Ken.

Flash.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by FlashDrive

As an ex' Raaf member ... that's a great find Ken.

Flash.

Sure is Colin, thanks mate

[The_bluester (Paul)]

What mustering were you Ken? I was a Radtech (Ground) for my decade in the RAAF (Nine and a half years actually)

[AdrianF (Adrian)]

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 (Brendan)]

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 (Ken)]

Originally Posted by The_bluester

What mustering were you Ken? I was a Radtech (Ground) for my decade in the RAAF (Nine and a half years actually)

Paul, after Edinburgh I was based at Wagga in '75 (Instrument Fitter)

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

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

.....(Instrument Fitter) .....................a Radtech ...............

Ahhh a queer traders all of you.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Ahhh a queer traders all of you.

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.

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

Flash