Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alf Humble was born in Adelaide in December 1919 and grew up in the inner northeastern suburbs. He graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1940.

Alf enlisted in the RAAF in 23 June 1941 as trainee aircrew and completed initial training at No 4 Initial Training School, Victor Harbor. Selected for pilot training, he completed No 9 Elementary Flying Training School at RAAF Cunderdin, Western Australia, flying DH82 Tiger Moths from August to October 1941. He then completed No 4 Service Flying Training School at Geraldton from October 1941 to March 1942 training on Avro Ansons. While still training at 4SFTS, Alf was attached to C Flight of No. 69 (Reserve) Squadron participating in patrols over the Indian Ocean from Geraldton.

During March 1942, Alf was initially attached to No. 14 Squadron at Pearce where he participated in several patrols including providing air cover for the convoy returning the 19th Brigade of the 6th Division from the Middle East. After completing a general reconnaisance course, he was posted to Headquarters, North Eastern Area at Townsville where he experienced several Japanese air raids.

Between October and December 1942, Alf converted on to the Bristol Beaufort at No. 1 Operational Training Unit at Bairnsdale in Victoria. In December 1942, he was posted to No. 7 Squadron based at Ross River, Townsville. The unit operated across northern Queensland and southeastern Papua with detachments at Cooktown, Horn Island (Torres Strait) and Pt Moresby. 7SQN conducted anti-submarine and shipping patrols in support of convoys operating along the Queensland coast and up to Papua New Guinea and across to the Northern Territory.

On 12 April 1943 Alf was provided air cover to a convoy bound for Port Moresby when a large Japanese air raid attacked just as the convoy was entering the harbour. Alf had to seek protection from enemy aircraft by flying amongst the ships of the convoy at sea level so as to not be targeted.
At 7SQN, he also participated in strike missions, naval cooperation exercises, army searchlight cooperation exercises and transporting high ranking officers from the three services. He participated in a US B-24 Liberator low level bombing raid in New Guinea and a RAAF Catalina bombing raid on Kavieng, New Ireland.

Completing his tour in February 1944, Alf was posted to No. 1 Operational Training Unit as an instructor. In November 1944, he was posted to No. 4 Communications Unit based at Archerfield, Brisbane where he flew Beauforts transporting passengers and equipment or ferrying aircraft to various locations around Australia and New Guinea. He discharged from the RAAF in December 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

Postwar, he studied veterinary medicine at the University of Sydney and initially worked for the Department of Agriculture in southeast South Australia before becoming a vet in Mount Gambier. He retained his pilot’s licence and purchased an Auster aircraft which he used to fly to various properties across South Australia, Victoria and the the Northern Territory for a number of years becaming known as a ‘flying vet’.
Alf was actively involved in the RAAF / Air Force Association as a member of the Mitcham Branch.
Celebrating his 100th birthday in 2019, Al was the oldest Air Force Association-SA member.

Text from Air Force Association SA Facebook page 28/9/23 on Alf Humble's passing in September 2023.