ROBERTS, Ian Donald
| Service Number: | 418768 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 June 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia, 25 September 1923 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Melbourne Boys' High School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 28 August 1996, aged 72 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 19 Jun 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 418768 | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Nov 1943: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 418768, embarked Sydney for UK | |
| 7 Jul 1945: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 418768, embarked UK for Sydney | |
| 7 Sep 1945: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 418768 | |
| 25 Sep 1945: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross, 25 September 1945 London Gazette on page 4752 at position 47 4 October 1945 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on page 2119 at position 66 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Flying Officer Ian Donald Roberts DFC (Service No:418768) enlisted in the RAAF on 19 June 1942 at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne as an Aircaftman II and that year was attached to No 4 Initial Training School (ITS) Victor Harbour, No 1 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Parafield and No 7 Flying Training School (SFTS) Deniliquin. Through 1943 - promoted to leading Aircraftma - LAC Roberts was attached to No 6 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Mallala, No 1 Air Observers' School (AOS) Cootamundra), No 3 Bombing and Air Gunnery School (BAGS) West Sale and No 2 Air Navigation School (ANS) Nhill before embarking from Sydney for the UK as a Flight Sergeant. In the UK F/S Roberts was attached to No 11 Personnel Despatch and Receiving Centre (PDRC) Bournemouth, No 9 Advanced Flying Unit (AFU) Llandwrog, No 10 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Abingdon, 41 Base West Yorkshire, 462 Squadron Driffield and 640 Squadron Leconfield, Yorkshire. Pilot Officer Roberts took part in bombing attacks against German targets in Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for 'Attacks on targets at Essen, Duisberg &c.' (AWM; 25 September 1945). Flying Officer Roberts was Discharged on 7 September 1945 and transferred to the Reserve.
Born in Warracknabeal, Victoria in 1923, Ian was youngest of two sons of Harold Lancelot Roberts (b1892 in Willenabrina via Warracknabeal, Victoria) and Ivy Bessie Matilda Wallace (b1899 in Melbourne, Victoria). Harold served in WWI and returned to Willenabrian where he was a Farmer in 1920 when he and Ivy married in Melbourne. They lived in Willenabrina where Harold was a Farmer before settling in Melbourne where they raised their family and Harold was a Hairdresse/Barber and Tobacconist.
Ian completed his education at Melbourne Boys' High School and worked as a Clerk and Salesman for British General Electric before enlisting in the RAAF. Ian returned to Melbourne following his Discharge and in 1946 married Margaret (Jan) Janette Corcoran (b1923 in Tantanoola, South Australia). Ian and Jan settled in Melbourne where they raised their family and Ian worked as a Public Servant (Clerk), Foreman and Travelling Salesman. Ian died in 1996 and Jan in 2013.
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