TINGWELL, Charles William
| Service Number: | 413915 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 September 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | No. 87 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Coogee, New South Wales, Australia, 3 January 1923 |
| Home Town: | Coogee, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Radio Announcer (2CH Sydney) |
| Died: | Natural causes (prostate cancer), Melbourne Victoria, Australia, 15 May 2009, aged 86 years |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Fuchsia, Garden 2, Bed 26, Position 43. |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 13 Sep 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 413915, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Feb 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman | |
| 2 Apr 1942: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School Narromine | |
| 17 Jun 1942: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 3 Embarkation Depot (Sandgate) | |
| 26 Jun 1942: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 413915, Embarked from Brisbane for Canada. Disembarked in Canada on 09 Aug 1942. | |
| 9 Aug 1942: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, Royal Canadian Air Force Training Units | |
| 4 Dec 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, Commissioned. | |
| 20 Mar 1943: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 413915, Embarked from Canada for U.K. | |
| 2 Apr 1943: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, RAF Conversion Units | |
| 17 May 1943: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, RAF Headquarters Units, RAF M.E. Command. | |
| 4 Jun 1943: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer | |
| 1 Sep 1943: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, RAF Base (Petah Tiqva) | |
| 30 Jan 1944: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, Royal Air Force - unspecified units, No 680 (photoreconnaissance) Squadron RAF. [Spitfire and Mosquito photo recon sorties]. | |
| 4 Dec 1944: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant | |
| 15 Jan 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force - unspecified units, M.E. Personnel Transit Centres. | |
| 17 Mar 1945: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 413915, Aircrew Holding Units, R.T.A. from M.E. to disembark in Melbourne on 14 April 1945. | |
| 14 Apr 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 1 Personnel Depot RAAF (Melbourne) | |
| 24 May 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 2 Personnel Depot, Bradfield Park. | |
| 4 Jun 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, No. 5 Operational Training Unit Forest Hill, RAAF Station Williamtown. | |
| 24 Dec 1945: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, No. 87 Squadron (RAAF), Photo reconnaissance. | |
| 3 Jul 1946: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 413915 |
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Charles "Bud'' Tingwell, became Australia's youngest radio announcer when working at 2CH in Sydney before joining the RAAF on 13 September 1941 at the age of 18 years old. He trained as a pilot in Canada during 1942. Despite damaging a Harvard training aircraft in August, he later qualified as a pilot and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in December."
"Bud posted to the Mediterranean Theatre and underwent operational training with No. 74 Operational Training Unit RAF, in British Palestine, and qualified to fly the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire." - National Archives of Australia
"In January 1944, Charles Tingwell was posted to No. 680 Squadron RAF, a photo reconnaissance unit, and flew 75 sorties in Mosquitos and Spitfires during the Italian Campaign. Bud was promoted to Flying Officer in June 1943 and Flight Lieutenant in December 1944 - remaining with the RAAF until his discharge on 03 July 1946"
According to Australian Biography: "Tingwell's first speaking role was in 1945 in the film "Smithy " - about aviator Charles Kingsford Smith. He would go on to portray Lt. Harry Carstairs in "The Desert Rats", in which he appeared opposite Chips Rafferty, James Mason and Richard Burton. Hollywood offered Bud a long-term contract but he turned it down because he wanted to return to Australia where he would go on to appear in over 100 films and television productions."
Charles Tingwell was appointed a member of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1999 in addition to his induction into the Logie Hall of Fame in 1994.
Flight Lieutenant Charles Tingwell passed away on 15 May 2009 at the age of 86 years old.
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