Radschool

Newsletter

Vol 9

Page 3

 

RAAF Air Ground Radio School, Ballarat. 1951. Graduation Photo

 

 

Photo below was taken of number 1 course which was held at Frognall in 1949. Unfortunately, we don’t have any names for either the above photo or the one below. Can anyone help….

 
 

Photo below was sent in by Ray Hannah who now lives in Perth WA and shows the first INTERDATA 7/32 Mini Computer Instructors course held at Laverton in 1977.

L-R:   Trevor Longmore (RADTECH),  Peter Outtrim (RADTECH),  Brian Flux (TELSTECH),  Ray Hannah (TELSTECH)  and Rod Kime (TELSTECH

 

The History of Radschool—in brief:.

 

At the end of World War II, No1 Signals School at Laverton, No1 Wireless Air Gunners School at Ballarat and Radar School at Richmond were disbanded and reformed as the Air and Ground Radio School on 1 Nov 1945 at Ballarat. On the 1 Dec 1952 the school changed its title to the RAAF School of Radio. The school moved to Laverton on 12 Apr 1961 and on 1 May 1961 the RAAF Radio Apprentice School was incorporated into Radschool as Apprentice Squadron. The school was closed in Dec 1993.

 

 

 

C-47.

 

We recently received the photos below of a very well preserved C47B (Dakota DC3-IV) which is on display at a Tavern in the NSW town of Moree. This old aeroplane which is one of 65 of its type operated by the RAAF would certainly have a story or two to tell. She started life with the RAAF back in January 1945, just prior to the end of WW2 and eventually ended up at Air Navigation School at East Sale.

 

 

In November 1975 it was re-registered as P2-003 and was given to the PNGDF and flew around PNG until it was finally retired. Today it still wears the PNGDF colours, and being typically ex-RAAF, has found a very cosy resting place in front of a pub. There’s probably a few blokes who remember this “balus” - any-one got any stories ?????

 

Ooops.

 

A funny thing happened at a great little Thai restaurant on Chevron Island (Surfers) over the Easter period (2001). Yours and she who must be obeyed were dining with Dave Muir-McCarey (right) and his delightful wife Sue, when the conversation swung around to the Radschool Association and its rapidly increasing membership. Yours casually mentioned to DMC that “it was a wonder Kev Stapleton  (below) had never bothered to join……”     Woooops…..

 

Seems Kev had given $10 to Dave many many moons ago and asked him to pass it on to us, and you guessed it, the cash went straight into Dave’s sky-rocket, and we never got to see it—until that particular night that is.

 

A rightly embarrassed DMC had to dip into wife’s hand bag for a blue note and we’ve now amended our records. On Dave’s behalf, we apologise to Kev who wouldn’t have received his newsletter for ages and was probably calling us all sorts of terrible names.  

 

Sorry Kev—but it really was Dave’s fault—honest…..

 

Ron Johnson from the UK sent us this photo of a wonderfully restored Catalina which is on display at the RAF Gosford museum at Shropshire. (NW of Birmingham). 

 

Shown in the photo which was taken about 12 months ago are Neil and Terry Garland who live in Brisbane. Terry’s father used to work on the aircraft type when they were based at Lake Macquarie (Rathmines) near Newcastle (NSW) during WW2.

 

 

 

John Harris,  Glenda Houston,  Terry Houston,  Kev Stapleton and Bernadette Stapleton at Saturday night’s (31 March, 2001) reunion dinner.

 

 

 

Lock up your grand-ma……..Wayne Smith and Richard Grieff are on a night out…..

 

 

 

A Brisbane first!!!

 

With the high rate of attacks on women in secluded car parks, especially during evening hours the Brisbane City Council has established a "Women Only" car park at South Bank. Even the car park attendants are exclusively female so that a comfortable environment is created for patrons.

 

The first picture available of this world-first for Australia can be found HERE.
 

 

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