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Vale Ron Guthrie
• Issue No 93 • Newcastle’s favourite community newspaper • January 2022 •
Squadron Leader Ron Guthrie in 1971
New Lambton resident and long-serving patron of the LambtonNew Lambton RSL sub branch, Ron Guthrie, passed away peacefully in October aged 96 years. Ron joined the Royal Australia Air Force in 1943 during World War Two. He received his wings soon after at just 19 years of age. He flew an assortment of aircraft during his highly decorated career. It was while flying Meteor aircraft during the Korea War in 1951 that Ron was shot down by a MiG-15 fighter. Ron was the first Australian jet fighter pilot to be shot down and one of only 30 Australian prisoners of war in Korea. He made a daring escape attempt from the POW camp and was recaptured. He spent the next two years suffering appalling treatment from his North Korean and Chinese captors. His release came only when hostilities ceased in 1953. On release he weighed 32kg less than when he had been captured. (continued on page 5)
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