ANZAC Day Pofile #2
Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2003 2:27 pm
Veteran Biographies
ROBERT BRAZENOR
Mt Waverley, Victoria
Bob Brazenor was working as a bank clerk when World War II began. Every morning as he collected the bank's mail he walked past a 'Join the Royal Australian Air Force' poster. The poster was so persuasive that Bob enlisted in the RAAF in August 1940. After training to fly Tiger Moths, Bob left Australia in December 1940 for Fort McCloud in Alberta, Canada, where he learnt to fly twin-engine Ansons, gaining his wings in April 1941.
Bob then travelled to England and, after completing operational training, was posted to 29 Squadron Royal Air Force in Kent in September 1941. Bob flew radar-equipped Beaufighter night-fighters, endeavouring to intercept German bombers that had continued to bomb London and other cities at night intermittently following the end of the Battle of Britain the year before. In early 1942, after Japan entered the war, the RAAF ordered Beaufighters for operations in the Pacific. Bob was one of several experienced Beaufighter pilots recalled to Australia. He left England in March 1942 and travelled via Canada, where he was delayed for a month, and landed in Australia in June.
Bob was posted to Richmond, NSW to the newly formed 30 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Beaufighters. Within three months, the squadron was deployed to Port Moresby, arriving in September. Bob was sent to Milne Bay in the wake of the battle, taking part in patrol and anti-shipping sweeps to the north. The Beaufighters' heavy cannon and machine-gun armament was particularly effective against Japanese transport ships and barges.
In October, Bob was transferred to Ward's Strip, Port Moresby, where he took part in sorties over the Buna, Gona and Sanananda areas, strafing Japanese positions and also barges offshore. These missions required the aircrews to cross the Owen Stanley Range and then lose considerable height to attack the targets at low level, often making several runs over the target area, before climbing again to cross the mountains and return to base. After the Allied troops began attacking the beachheads, strafing runs in support of their attacks were made, as were anti-shipping patrols.
Bob also flew several longer-range missions against Japanese bases at Lae and Madang. In March 1943, he participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in which the Beaufighters attacked the enemy transport ships and warships at low level, their cannon and machine-gun fire sweeping the ships and suppressing enemy anti-aircraft guns to reduce losses among the following waves of Allied bombers. The day after this pivotal battle, Bob flew in another attack on the enemy base at Lae. The Japanese anti-aircraft gunners and fighters were unprepared for the attack and the Beaufighters destroyed six Zeros on the ground and extensively damaged the base facilities.
Bob's tour of operations in Papua New Guinea ended in April 1943 and he returned to Australia. Tragically, Bob's tent mate and close friend, **** Roe, who served with Bob in England and then in 30 Squadron, was killed in an aircraft accident during a display at Flemington Racecourse shortly after their return from Papua New Guinea. Bob went on to serve at several RAAF bases around the country, spending the last year of the war with 5 Communications Unit at Garbutt, Queensland, flying light transport aircraft.
Bob returned to Melbourne to be discharged in November 1945. He then worked in the transport industry, becoming a manager with TNT, Brambles and Millers. He married Jean in November 1951 and they had two children. They now have two grandchildren. Bob keeps himself busy spending time with his family, playing golf and gardening. He is also a member of the 30 Squadron Association and the RAAF Association.
http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/pngmb/bios/bobb.htm
ROBERT BRAZENOR
Mt Waverley, Victoria
Bob Brazenor was working as a bank clerk when World War II began. Every morning as he collected the bank's mail he walked past a 'Join the Royal Australian Air Force' poster. The poster was so persuasive that Bob enlisted in the RAAF in August 1940. After training to fly Tiger Moths, Bob left Australia in December 1940 for Fort McCloud in Alberta, Canada, where he learnt to fly twin-engine Ansons, gaining his wings in April 1941.
Bob then travelled to England and, after completing operational training, was posted to 29 Squadron Royal Air Force in Kent in September 1941. Bob flew radar-equipped Beaufighter night-fighters, endeavouring to intercept German bombers that had continued to bomb London and other cities at night intermittently following the end of the Battle of Britain the year before. In early 1942, after Japan entered the war, the RAAF ordered Beaufighters for operations in the Pacific. Bob was one of several experienced Beaufighter pilots recalled to Australia. He left England in March 1942 and travelled via Canada, where he was delayed for a month, and landed in Australia in June.
Bob was posted to Richmond, NSW to the newly formed 30 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Beaufighters. Within three months, the squadron was deployed to Port Moresby, arriving in September. Bob was sent to Milne Bay in the wake of the battle, taking part in patrol and anti-shipping sweeps to the north. The Beaufighters' heavy cannon and machine-gun armament was particularly effective against Japanese transport ships and barges.
In October, Bob was transferred to Ward's Strip, Port Moresby, where he took part in sorties over the Buna, Gona and Sanananda areas, strafing Japanese positions and also barges offshore. These missions required the aircrews to cross the Owen Stanley Range and then lose considerable height to attack the targets at low level, often making several runs over the target area, before climbing again to cross the mountains and return to base. After the Allied troops began attacking the beachheads, strafing runs in support of their attacks were made, as were anti-shipping patrols.
Bob also flew several longer-range missions against Japanese bases at Lae and Madang. In March 1943, he participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in which the Beaufighters attacked the enemy transport ships and warships at low level, their cannon and machine-gun fire sweeping the ships and suppressing enemy anti-aircraft guns to reduce losses among the following waves of Allied bombers. The day after this pivotal battle, Bob flew in another attack on the enemy base at Lae. The Japanese anti-aircraft gunners and fighters were unprepared for the attack and the Beaufighters destroyed six Zeros on the ground and extensively damaged the base facilities.
Bob's tour of operations in Papua New Guinea ended in April 1943 and he returned to Australia. Tragically, Bob's tent mate and close friend, **** Roe, who served with Bob in England and then in 30 Squadron, was killed in an aircraft accident during a display at Flemington Racecourse shortly after their return from Papua New Guinea. Bob went on to serve at several RAAF bases around the country, spending the last year of the war with 5 Communications Unit at Garbutt, Queensland, flying light transport aircraft.
Bob returned to Melbourne to be discharged in November 1945. He then worked in the transport industry, becoming a manager with TNT, Brambles and Millers. He married Jean in November 1951 and they had two children. They now have two grandchildren. Bob keeps himself busy spending time with his family, playing golf and gardening. He is also a member of the 30 Squadron Association and the RAAF Association.
http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/pngmb/bios/bobb.htm