Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lyall was born in Kent Town and was the eldest son of a pastoralist in the far north of South Australia. Following the Great Depression in 1930 the family moved to McLaren Vale and then to Kalangadoo, onto a property on Slaughter House Road (now owned by the Martin family). He was educated at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide and The Adelaide School of Mines. In 1937, Lyall purchased a property in John Street, Kalangadoo, which consisted of a small, galvanised iron and wood building from which he ran a garage and bicycle shop. On the 2nd of March 1938, he married Madge Burnell Hemmings, a fourth generation local girl. He continued working as Proprietor and Manager of Auto and General Service Garage, Kalangadoo, carrying on business in motor, electrical and general engineering.
Lyall first applied for enlistment as an airman in the RAAF on the21st April 1941, his 27th birthday. His area of interest was Fitter DMT. However, there were no vacancies and he re-enrolled again in the following September and October.
Lyall had been an active member of the Prince Alfred College Interschool Rifle Shooting team, a part of the Army Cadets program within the college.
Before enlisting, Lyall and Madge had two sons, Leon 2 years and 10 months and Warren, 17 months. On the 14th of Oct 1941 Lyall enlisted into the RAAF reserves at No. 5 Recruiting Centre RAAF, Adelaide, as a Trainee Technical Group 5, with the rank of Aircraftsman Class 1. By June 1942 with the rank of Leading Aircraftsman Lyall had completed his recruit training, with his service records showing the comment,
‘Good type possess 1st class knowledge, should be an efficient officer’. LAC Bunn was posted to 30 squadron, Richmond, NSW.
On the 6th of August, 1942 the squadron moved to Townsville, Qld. In ordering the operational deployment of No. 30 squadron to New Guinea, the authorities were providing the front line with its first real Australian offensive aircraft – The Beaufighter.
10.9.1942 – 1st Pacific Tour embarked from Australia for Port Moresby
10.10.1942 – Attached to No. 15 Repair and Salvage Unit
1.3.1943 – Posted to No. 15 Advanced Reinforcement Depot
In March 1943, LAC Bunn’s squadron took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, an air-sea battle which resulted in heavy losses for the Japanese. The Battle of Bismarck Sea stands as one of the most stunning victories during WWII.
1.4.1943 – Lyall Bunn was promoted to Corporal
In July 1943 the squadron was moved to Goodenough Island and in November to Kiriwina Island. On the 28th of January 1944, Corporal Bunn returned to Australia, Mitcham SA. He was granted 20 days leave on the 1st of February 1944.
The following 12 months were spent in Adelaide at, 4ED (RAAF Embarkation Depot), 3TMO (Transportation and Movements Officer), 4PD (Personnel Depot RAAF) and 2RPP (Reserve Personnel Pool – RAAF).
On the 7th of April 1945 Corporal Bunn was posted to the RAAF Fenton Headquarters, Northern Territory. Then on the 14th of April 1945 he was attached to Civil Affairs RAAF. On the 9th of June 1945 Corporal Bunn was posted to 21 H.B (Heavy Bombardment) Squadron.
On the 17th of June 1945 Corporal Bunn began his 2nd Pacific Tour, which included Darwin, Borneo and Morotai Island. Corporal Bunn was involved in Operation OBOE VI, in which Balikpapan was retaken by the Australian 7 Division on the 1st of July 1945. This battle was one of the last to occur in World War II, beginning a few weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which effectively ended the war, with Japan surrendering on the 15th of August 1945.
On the 19th of December 1945 Corporal Bunn disembarked in Darwin, travelling by road to 4PD Springbank, SA. Corporal Lyall Bunn had completed 1552days RAAF Service, 690 days of which were active service overseas, injury free.
Corporal Lyall Bunn was awarded the following medals
1939-1945 Star
1939-1945 War Medal
Pacific Star
Australian Service Medal

The war was over and on the 22nd of January 1946 Corporal Lyall Bunn was honourably discharged from the Royal Australian Air Force. An outstanding airman and a true Australian.
Lyall resettled back in Kalangadoo with Madge and his three small sons (Bryan was born whilst Lyall was in Borneo). Denise was born after he returned home in 1946. He continued to work and manage his Auto and General Service business in Kalangadoo until his retirement. Madge and Lyall moved to Mount Gambier in January of 1964. After a battle with cancer, he died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on the 31st of January 1991, aged 76.
Lyall marched in Adelaide on Anzac Day, every year after the war. His medals are proudly worn today, by his eldest grandson, Major Robert Bunn.