Featured Story
The FEATURED STORY pays tribute to a person, and or event, connected to 1 W.A.G.S Ballarat.
The story commemorates the valiant RAAF 1 W.A.G.S trainees who served in WW2 in all theatres of war – those who lost their lives and those who returned.
The FEATURED STORY honours -
BORN IN BALLARAT
NO. 1 WIRELESS AIR GUNNER SCHOOL BALLARAT 1940-1945
Of the 1,182 names on the Memorial Roll the following nine trainees Born in Ballarat completed their training at 1 WAGS and were KILLED in Action or on Active Service during WW2.
Flight Sergeant Lloyd George FREEMAN; Flight Sergeant Stanley Charles KITCHEN; Sergeant John McNEILL; Warrant Officer Herbert Gordon PARKER; Sergeant Maurice Bert PROVEN; Flight Sergeant Patrick Fraser STANLEY; Sergeant Donald Thomas THOMSON; Sergeant Robert Gordon TYLER and Sergeant Robert William WESTCOTT.
Of the 6,000+ trainees who passed through 1 WAGS the following trainees born in Ballarat completed their training at 1 WAGS and were DISCHARGED after serving in the RAAF during WW2.
Warrant Officer David Maxwell GRIBBLE; Squadron Leader Merrick Sadlier HOLGATE DFC
and Flying Officer Francis Noel Miller PETCH.
These are but a few and further research would be needed to discover more names.
Posters of these airmen have been commissioned by Integra, Lucas Ballarat, as part of Heritage Week 2023.
Go to READ MORE for their complete story.

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