Ok, that took a a while. Here is the first and only letter from L Hambly of 22 Sqd, which he wrote to me in 2004. I didn't hear from him again and am unsure if he is still alive....
Copy of Letter from L.C Hambly re RAAF 22 Squadron
6 May 2004
Dear J
I do not know where to begin this letter from the past. Bill ad I were 2 of 44 Wireless Air Gunners of No 22 Sqd (City of Sydney Sqd) all non-commission officers allocated to Boston bombers, which were in 1942-43 the fastest bombers in the world. Stationed at Richmond.
Bills' plane was A 28-14 "P" . Pilot was L.A. Kenway F/O. My plane was A 28-3 "C". My Pilot was Johnny Miles F/O.
I have much to tell you about our experiences even though I do not remember Bill, mainly because we were posted to Richmond (22 – 2nd WAG) from Bradfield Park. Nine of our number were from Parkes WAG school, 6 months living in each others pockets, and we knew each other intimately – whilst Bill was part of 13 who trained at Maryborough WAG School.
The 22 of us were part of a very large number of airmen booked to go to England on the "Queen Mary" having been allocated cabin numbers, we were lined up on the parade ground at Bradfield Park (Lindfield NSW) on Friday morning 21st August 1942.
A storm was forecast and the sailing was postponed until Monday 24th August – and to everyones' delight we were granted weekend leave in Sydney.
On the morning of 24th August we again lined up in order of our cabin numbers when a voice came over the PA system: "would the following 22WAGS fall out – Fleming, Hambly, Hatherly, Hudson, Jacobson, Llewellyn, Lyons, Powell, Powers – " those names were burned in my memory being my close friends from Parkes. I do not recall the next 13 named.
My experience prior to that would have been similar to Bill – having applied to join the RAAF early in 1941 having my 18th birthday 9th Jan 1941.
After 9 months on the reserve learning elementary knowledge for aircrew and the RAAF in general I was enlisted as aircrew trainee on 10 October 1941. The Japanese declared war on USA and their allies 5 December 1941 bombing Pearl harbour. Britain and their allies had been soundly defeated by Germany in Europe. Australia and New Zealand were sending all available servicemen to England and Nth Africa.
My choice of flying was partially because I did not want to return to Australia as a wounded soldier and the navy was excluded because I suffered sea sickness even in small boats close to shore, even in Sydney harbour while fishing – all air crew trainees spent their first 8 weeks elementary RAAF knowledge and 99% all wanted to be pilots – naturally fighter pilots – Spitfires and Hurricanes.
Approx 60% were sent off to WAG schools (looks like) unhappily (morse code)
After 2 months 10% were sent to Navigation
After 3 months 30% were sent off to flying schools.
After completing the 9 months training we were all promoted to rank of Sgt and some Pilot Officers (very few).
The next step was 3 month course learning to fly as a crew. Operational Training Unit.
This brings us up to embarkation via "Queen Mary" to complete the operational training in England prior to operations over Germany.
Bill and I and 20 WAGS were sent to 22 Sqd and had to learn crew flying on the job with experienced 1st Gunners and very competent (luckily) pilots.
My pilot Johnny Miles introduced himself as:
1. an ex New Guinea Airlines pilot with 40,000 hours
2. possibly the oldest pilot in the RAAF
3. with intentions to be the oldest pilot at the end of the war
4. the owner of the largest moustache in the squadron
5. the proud Boston pilot to sink a Jap sub off the NSW coast
My 1st flight in A 28-3 "C" was 17 days later on 10 Sept 1942. Was five hours to Charters Towers a USA Base, where Bill and I experienced an Air Force where money was no problem. They gave us 4 motor vehicles – a sedan for the officers use, a Jeep and utility for the crews to visit the town and a truck for the WAGS to travel to the airstrip for night guard duty for our Bostons.
Bill's logbook will tell you if he shared this experience especially the generous treatment compared to RAAF, eg: cartons of cigarettes were on our made up beds on our arrival and ice creams were available on return from our aircraft each afternoon.
Charters Towers was an eye-opener having once been a heavily populated gold mining town including the old buildings, shops and hotels complete with the swinging half doors (like in a western movie).
The waitress at the bare board floor café held her hand out for the money before placing our steaks on the table – the mugs of tea were in jam tins with a strip of tin soldered on for a handle and to complete the picture she had a couple of front teeth missing.
16 days later on the 26th September 1942 we all flew to Townsville the centre of Army, Air Force and Navy depots.
In the meantime our ground staff and the aircraft tools of trade, spare parts ahd arrived from Richmond.
Pilot Officer Harry Rowell, one of the pilots , a WA lad just 21 years old was in charge of the road train to Townsville and then the ground staff and their equipment left via SS Anhui for Port Moresby on approx 21 October 1942. You will learn more of Harry's plane A 28 -8 "J" later.
My log book records a 5 day trip in A 28-3 "C" to Cairns as a fighter standby. I did not record the other 2 planes who accompanied us on our stay at Cairns Royal Hotel – our intelligence officers at Townsville believed a Japanese raid was expected at Cairns- Townsville area – it did not eventuate. Perhaps Bill was one of the crews.
I'll send this part of the story today otherwise it will be june or July before I finish.
Yours faithfully,
One of the lucky ones
L Hambly.