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William ‘Bill’ Bernard Kaus (414803), born in 1923 in Brisbane, worked as a truck driver and delivery assistant. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in 1941 in Brisbane and served in the RAAF having a rank of Flying Officer. Bill Kaus, the second son of Abdul Rahman Kaus, volunteered for the RAAF where he remained until the end of the war. He underwent aircrew training in Australia and Calgary, Canada, before being sent to England in April 1943. He was based at the RAF station at Tempsford, Bedfordshire, England, and felt privileged to fly in Lysander, Hudson, and Halifax aircraft.

Flying Officer Bill Kaus’s squadron was operating under the Special Operations’ Executive, a secret unit tasked with ‘setting Europe ablaze’, followed by night flights with a short take-off and landing aircraft to drop off or pick up secret agents working behind enemy lines. It was noted that Bill was one of a select group of airmen in 161 Squadron, RAF (dubbed the Moon Squadron) who picked up ‘…66 agents and dropped off 194 supply containers to the resistance in occupied Europe during 188 operations’. The missions were extremely dangerous, especially flying at ‘close-to-zero height’. Many in his squadron lost their lives and every pilot knew his life could end at any moment in the actions. Being an incredibly brave man, Bill often came under enemy heavy anti-craft fire. His son, Roger Kaus, recalled:

Bill credited his survival in the war to flying low – often 100 feet (30 m) – and giving enemy gunners no time to set their sights. The 161 Squadron adopted the unofficial watchwords: ‘Be secret, be silent, and above all, be careful.’

Bill displayed the ‘utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty’, quickly winning a reputation. He was among the most decorated servicemen of Muslim heritage in the RAAF. He received the 1939-45 Star Aircrew, the Europe Star and Clasp Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-45, the Australia Service Medal 1939-45 and the Returned from Active Service Badge. For his contribution, Bill would receive notable award from overseas. Bill was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) by King George VI, for operations against the enemy in which he displayed ‘the utmost fortitude, courage, and devotion to duty.’ On 23 June 1945, H. N. Wrigley, Air Vice Marshal, Air Officer Commanding also wrote to Bill, ‘Please accept my heartiest congratulations on this award’.

The Army News also stated that a Flying Officer Bill Kaus was awarded the DFC in recognition of gallant service. When paraded, before 600 people at Sandgate, F/O. Bill Kaus, of Brisbane, one of the 110 men who reached Brisbane, received a ‘pleasant shock’ when told he had won the Distinguished Flying Cross. The award of DFC was promulgated after Bill had left England, on his way home. He was unaware of his decoration until called out from the parade. He was one of the 110 RAAF returnees from Europe, who were accorded another of Brisbane’s gala receptions in the city and suburbs. Bill thought the public acclaim at the Sandgate RAAF station a greater ordeal than ‘any of his 35-night bombing missions’. Moreover, in 2005, 60 years after the end of the war, Bill Kaus was among six Australian veterans who received a notable award, France’s highest military award, the Legion d’honneur (The Legion of Honour).

Bill was an excellent serviceman, and after the war he also built an excellent professional career. He was also a cricket player and a supporter of community activities. He was described as a ‘well known politician, a military man and talented sportsman’. He played cricket throughout his time in the service. It was his love for sport that kept him in England, playing cricket on invitation with several county teams there until after the war. When he came back to Australia, Bill Kaus as a RAAF batsmen, joined many Aussie cricket stars who played in the RAAF-Army cricket return game at the Exhibition Grounds in Brisbane. He became also an inaugural member of the Queensland Cricketers’ Club. His political career began in 1965 after being elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Liberal Member for Hawthorne. He held the seat for six years until switching to the newly-created seat of Mansfield in 1972. He rose to the position of Party Whip and Secretary of the Liberal Party for 14 years. He was deputy Chairman of Committees. He joined the National Party and continued to hold the seat of Mansfield until 1986. During his retirement, Bill continued to enjoy a fine reputation and was president and a member of the Caloundra Bowls Club and Secretary to the board of the RSL. He also enjoyed assisting the local community, local clubs, charities and church, and also supported funding for sport and various projects. He passed away in 2006.

From the book:

Dzavid Haveric, 'A History of Muslims in the Australian Military from 1885 to 1945: Loyalty, Patriotism, Contribution’, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, London, 2024