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Australia

Elwyn David Steer, known as David, was born 29 June 1920 at Gin Gin Qld, the third child and second son of Rev. John Howard Steer and his wife Myra Emmeline Pickering.

David’s father was a Church of England minister who was rector of St Mary’s parish Gin Gin and  St. Anne’s parish Mt Perry. Rev. Steer was provided with a horse by the Mt Perry parish, and a buggy by the Gin Gin parish, resulting in his hay allowance being removed.

Rev. Steer was transferred to St. John’s parish in the Brisbane suburb of Bulimba in September 1920 when David was only a few months old. The family remained in Bulimba for nearly ten years, and three more children were born.

Shortly before David turned ten his father was transferred as Rector of St. Saviours Parish in Laidley in the Darling Downs region. From the age of about 11 David attended Warwick Church of England Grammar School as a boarder for just over a year. He then attended Gatton High School which was much closer to home.

Mid way through 1934 David’s father was transferred one last time, to Gympie. The family settled into the rectory in Amy Street and David started at Gympie High School, where in 1935 he passed his ‘Intermediate’ certificate examinations in English, Arithmetic, Geography and History.

After finishing his schooling at age 16 David started working as a shop assistant, and then as a travelling salesman for the company British Products Pty Ltd.

On 22 April 1939, David age 18 enlisted in the Citizen’s Military Force (the Militia). His serial number was Q24960 and he was assigned to the 47th Battalion (Wide Bay Regiment). He remained with the militia on a part-time basis.

On 17 September 1940 David attended No. 3b RAAF Recruiting Train while it was in Gympie, and signed up as a member of the RAAF Reserve. He was assessed on board the train and deemed fit enough to be posted to Air Crew Reserve.

Seven months later, on formal enlistment with the RAAF in Brisbane on 26 April 1941, David was sent to Bradfield Park in Sydney to attend No. 2 Initial Training School. He was in training to become a pilot.

Further training continued at No. 1 Initial Training School at Somers on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, and then at No. 8 Elementary Flight Training School at Narrandera in New South Wales.

In August 1941 David contracted meningitis. He was evacuated to hospital and placed on the dangerously ill list. Thankfully he made a recovery and returned to training.

Australia was a key member of the British Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), designed to train aircrew for the Air Forces of the UK (RAF), Australia (RAAF), Canada (RCAF) and New Zealand (RNZAF). In Canada the scheme was known as the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

David Steer was attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force to continue his flight training. He embarked from Brisbane on 23 June 1942 and disembarked in Canada on 9 August 1942.

David attended No. 6 Service Flying Training School at Dunnville in Ontario, nearby Lake Erie and about 60km west of Niagara Falls.

Despite gaining 87 hours flying experience, including 57 hours solo, David’s health was impacted by recurrent symptoms of his earlier meningitis, affecting his ability to fly a plane during training. David came to the conclusion he was not suitable to be a pilot at the level required by the Air Force and ceased flight training. He was posted briefly to No. 1 Reselection Centre at RCAF Station Trenton in Ontario, then to No. 3 Repair Depot at RCAF Station Vancouver in British Columbia effective 6 November 1942. 

He returned to Australia, departing Canada on 11 February and arriving in Sydney on 2 March 1943. David then re-trained as a Flight Instrument Repairer. 

While in Sydney, Elwyn David Steer married Beryl Jean Whyte on 7 May 1943. Two weeks later on 23 May 1943 David commenced technical training at Ultimo.

He completed No. 61 Instrument Repair Course at the No. 3 School of Technical Training between 30 August and 17 December 1943, passing his final examination with marks of 70.4%.

David was posted to No. 8 Service Flying Training School at Bundaberg on 30 December 1943 to undertake some practical experience with instrument repair work. He arrived at Bundaberg only a week after his brother-in-law LAC Peter Rutkin was also posted to No. 8 Service Flying Training School as a Flight Rigger. 

In April 1944 LAC 405607 David Steer was attached to 8 Squadron RAAF, departing Townsville for Goodenough Island and then onwards to Tadji in New Guinea. He spent 17 months as an instrument repairer in New Guinea, returning to Australia in early September 1945, after the war had ended.

David Steer spent a final two months at No.1 Aircraft Depot at Laverton in Melbourne, before being discharged from the RAAF at Sandgate in Brisbane on 26 November 1945.

David and his wife Beryl relocated to Melbourne where they raised a family of three; two sons and a daughter. David returned to working in sales, and they lived in a house at Brighton East. 

In the early 1970s the family relocated to Noble Park South, which was later renamed Keysborough. David changed occupations and became a taxi proprietor.

Elwyn David Steer died age 62 in 1982. His cremated remains were interred at Springvale Botanical Cemetery not far from his home in Keysborough.