Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Phillip Roy SCHNEIDER, Leahy Street, Nhill, Victoria.

Merv is a Second World War veteran. Before enlisting, he was an apprentice motor mechanic and had been a member of the Air Training Corps (Air Force Cadets). Merv worked in a ‘reserved occupation’ and his first application to serve was denied. He tried again and was able to join the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as air crew in November 1943.

Merv completed his initial training at Somers, on the Mornington Peninsula, and was then trained as an air gunner at Ballarat and Sale in Victoria. In late 1944, Merv retrained as a wireless operator on B-24 Liberator bombers. In July 1945, he was posted to No. 25 Squadron, based at Cunderdin, Western Australia, flying long-range bombing missions over enemy territory. He flew over 400 hours of operational sorties, bombing targets in the Netherlands East Indies (modern day Indonesia), including Sumatra and Borneo.

At the end of the war, Merv and the crew flew former prisoners of war and civilian internees home to Australia. He recalled: ‘I considered this to be a great honour and even though it was a very emotional time to see the men and women in such dire condition, we appreciated what they had suffered. We tried to make their journey home as comfortable and warm as possible in the Liberator, but the flight was still a long and cold trip.’

Merv was a warrant officer when he was discharged from the RAAF in May 1946. He then became an A Grade automotive engineer and retired as Service Manager at the General Motors Holden dealership in Nhill. In 1972, Merv worked at Mawson Base in Antarctica as a diesel mechanic for 15 months. He was married to Shirley and they raised 2 children together. They now have 4 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Shirley sadly died in 2023.

When Merv was younger, he was very active in the community and 10 years ago was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services, including 50 years with the Nhill Rotary Club. He also liked cycling, water-skiing and travelling. He still cycles, is active in the church, and as a member of Legacy, where he is a legatee for a 104 year old war widow.

When asked the secret to his longevity, Merv said he is always working, has continually been active and has kept fit.