Eric Richard WENSLEY

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WENSLEY, Eric Richard

Service Number:	41131
Enlisted:	10 June 1941
Last Rank:	Flight Sergeant
Last Unit:	No. 12 Squadron (RAAF)
Born:	Hamilton, Victoria, Australia, 9 July 1921
Home Town:	Hamilton, Southern Grampians, Victoria
Schooling:	Hensley Park State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Farm Assistant
Died:	Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 4 November 2013, aged 92 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Queenscliff Cemetery, Victoria, Australia
Memorials:

World War 2 Service

10 Jun 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 41131, No. 12 Squadron (RAAF)
16 May 1946:	Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 41131, No. 12 Squadron (RAAF)

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Flight Sergeant Eric Richard Wensley (Service No:41131) enlisted in the RAAF at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne on 10 June 1941 - mustered as Trainee Fitter. Described in his RAAF interview as 'a good steady type of lad' it was noted that 'he was accompanied to Melbourne by his Father to see that he did not get lost' (NAA; 1941). ACI Wensley was posted to No 2 Air Observer's School (AOS) Mt Gambier and No 4 School of Technical Training (STT) Adelaide. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman on 31 December 1942 and mustered as Fitter, LAC Wensley was at No 7 Operational Training Unit (OTU) 1n 1945 when Captain Whiteman described him as 'Shows initiative and commonsense in air work and should develop into a good gunner' (NAA; 1945). Promoted to Flight Sergeant - mustered as Flight Engineer - on 16 February 1945, he was posted to RAAF Station Point Cook and attended Air Crew Officer and NCO School. Flight Sergeant Wensley was attached to 12 Squadron at Discharge on 16 May 1946.

Eric was born in Hamilton, Victoria in 1921, eldest of four children of Albert William Wensley (b1898 in Balmoral, Victoria) and Evangeline Johnson (b1901 in Balmoral, Victoria). Albert served in WWI (Private; Service No:6667) and was a Labourer at Strathkellar via Hamilton in 1920 when he and Evangeline married at Telangutuk. Later that year Albert was granted land in Hamilton where he and Evangeline settled and raised their family and Albert was a Farmer.

Eric worked as a Farm Assistant with his father at Hensley Park, Hamilton and was described by the Rev Blanksby (NAA; 1941) as 'the type of bright and intelligent young manhood of which Australia may be justly proud .... His character is straight forward and reliable'. Following his Discharge, Eric returned to Hensley Park where he was working as a Farmer in 1950 when he married Helen Dorothy Menzel (b1927 in Hamilton, Victoria). Eric and Dorothy settled at Hensley Park where they raised their family and Eric was a Farmer. In 1963 they moved - to Moralta in Macarthur and then to Branxholme - where Eric was a Farmer. Eric died in 2013 and Helen in 2014.

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