COLE, John Homer
| Service Number: | 409816 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 October 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Operational Training Units (RAF) |
| Born: | Brighton, Victoria, Australia, 19 October 1921 |
| Home Town: | Narrabeen, Warringah, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Airline pilot |
| Died: | Heart failure following coronary artery disease, Mona Vale Hospital, Sydney NSW, 30 March 1991, aged 69 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 10 Oct 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 409816, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409816 | |
| 20 Oct 1944: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross, Air War NW Europe 1939-45 | |
| 20 Oct 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409816, No. 466 Squadron (RAAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 | |
| 31 May 1945: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409816, Operational Training Units (RAF), 21 Operational Training Unit (RAF) | |
| 31 May 1945: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409816 |
Ansett News February 1985
This is a story about my father, John Homer Cole DFC. Dad didn’t talk about his war service so I have only scant information directly from him. However, I have a newspaper clipping written by a journalist who interviewed him and reproduce it here.
John joined the R.A.A.F. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, trained as a pilot in Australia and was posted to England. He served in Bomber Command on Halifax’s and did a double tour over Europe and was awarded the D.F.C.
In June 1945, while still in England, he joined Qantas and after returning to Australia, flew Liberators from Perth to Ceylon.
After transferring to Sydney, he flew flying boats on the UK-Australia route and then flew Lancastrians on the Philippines/Japan route until 1950, when he resigned.
He returned to flying in 1952 and joined Trans Oceanic Airways, based at Rose Bay (Sydney), who operated flying boats on the Australian East Coast and to a number of Pacific Islands.
Trans Oceanic Airways was purchased by Ansett and John continued to fly flying boats.
He flew as far north as Hayman Island, east to Lord Howe Island and south to Hobart, with occasional flights to New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands and Tahiti. In 1959 John began flying DC3s and F27s with Ansett Airlines of New South Wales until he had to retire in 1977 when he lost his hearing following an operation.
My father passed away on 30th March, 1991, aged 69 years.
Submitted 14 January 2018 by Stephanie Turner