Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Colin Ivan Rahman Kaus (23846), of ‘dark complexion’, was born in 1922 in Brisbane. Colin was the eldest son of Abdul Rahman Kaus. Before enlistment, he was single and worked as a clerk. As a young boy, Colin attended Mt Gravatt State School and Brisbane Grammar School, then worked as an invoice clerk for six months. Colin was interested in various sports, including ‘football, cricket, tennis, athletics, rowing and swimming’. Prior to joining the RAAF, he served as a naval cadet for 15 months. In the application for enlistment as an airman, it was noted that Colin ‘has had experience at wireless telegraphy whilst a naval cadet and has studied this subject’. Also, he had been ‘educated up to junior standard, and achieved a state scholarship’. He studied accountancy, shorthand and typing. In the Air crew interview form it noted he was ‘neat, clean, respectful’ and ‘brisk, energetic and pleasant’ and ‘a very good type of lad and is very keen to become a member of the air crew’.

He enlisted in 1940 in Brisbane and served in the RAAF, holding the rank of Flight Sergeant. Once he joined the RAAF, Colin trained in Australia and was then stationed in England and later, Canada, for further training. In 1943, he joined the Aircrew, becoming an Air bomber as a Sergeant and finally a Flight Sergeant in 1945.


From the book:

Dzavid Haveric, 'A History of Muslims in the Australian Military from 1885 to 1945: Loyalty, Patriotism, Contribution', Cambridge Scholars Publishing, London, 2025.