Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Norman Eena Leslie and Anne Catherine Margaret Olive Devine, of Brisbane, Queensland

Official word has now been received that the death of Pilot Officer Eena Norman Devine, only son of Mr. and Mrs. N. E. Devine of Inverness, Muttaburra, has been presumed to  have occurred on 12th September, 1944. Pilot Officer Devine was pilot and captain of a Lancaster bomber detailed to attack an important target at Rosbock (sic) on the Baltic Sea  coast on the night of 11th-12th September, 1944, from which he failed to return owing to heavy enemy night fighter action. 

Andy, as he was known to his school mates, was educated at Muttaburra Primary School and at All Souls' Church of England School, Charters Towers, where he passed his Junior and Senior University examinations. He was captain of All Soul's, one of the largest boarding schools in Queensland. for the year 1941. He was also captain of the first school cricket team; vice-captain of the first football team for that year also; and captain of the swimming team for 1940-41, obtaining full colours in cricket and football 1940-41 and in swimming for 1939-40-41. The last four months of his scholastic career he attended the Church of England Grammar School, Brisbane, where he matriculated in engineering with 3A, 2B, 1C. He was opening batsman for the Churchie first cricket team which won the G.P.S. premiersip for that season. He was the most consistent batsman in the team, never
failing to reach double figures in any one innings and obtained the highest average but one.

The late Pilot Officer Devine joined the R.A.A.F. at the age of eighteen years and did his training in Australia. At Narromine as a trainee pilot he obtained an AA (above average)  and went on to Uranquinty, where he won his wings as a fighter pilot. He was then posted to England and on arrival there, owing to heavy losses in bombers at the time, was  transferred to Bomber Command. His crew comprised, three Australians, three Englishmen, and one Irishman. They formed part of the 50,000. bomber crew killed during this war  from a total of 110,000 engaged in bomber operations. The Air Chief Marshal, Sir Arthur Harris said: "The casualty rate was greater than anything I can find in history among a  similar body of men over a similar period."

Throughout his life the late Pilot Officer Devine had been most popular with all whom he came into contact and his commanding officer had paid a highly tribute to his moral  character and courage. This is the second bereavement Mr. and Mrs. Devine had suffered within a short period, for their son in-law, Robert Dickson of the A.I.F. was killed in action at Balikpapan on July 3rd, after serving in the Army for five years.