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Issue 207 | Thursday, 21 April, 2016
Real Estate Lifestyle Noosa’s Wee
kly Real Esta
Page 17
te Guide 21 April, 2016
In the line of fire “WE were on the front twin Brownings (machine-guns) and hot shells were falling so fast they were burning our legs and we had to do a tap dance to stop the shells burning us.” Robert (Bob) Ballingall’s eyes light up as he recounts one daring mission after another fought from the bow of the famous flying boat, the Catalina. Flying boats provided a vital service for Australia during World War II as Australian airmen, like Bob, would carry out daring missions in Asia and the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Catalina missions included long-range mine-laying, dropping torpedoes, rescue, evacuation, and holding open far-distant lines of communication. “The Coast Watchers would tell us where ships and barges were and we would fly over and drop torpedoes,” Bob recounted. “Sometimes there were up to 20 Japanese scientists on a barge and we would kill all of them. “We would attack incoming planes, too. The gunnery control officer would say, ‘Get ready Bob, get ready, NOW! And we would strike just before they wanted to fire. “And we would rescue prisoners of war in the amphibian.” Born 26 July 1922, Bob enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force’s 3rd Division Militia on 30 August 1940 in South Melbourne at just 18 years old. Bob said he was shipped up to Sale to learn gunnery and after topping his grade chose the Catalina. Bob is currently one of five airmen of his division to complete 160 missions and was awarded a Mentioned in Despatches in 1945 by the Governor-General for services rendered in the First Tactical Air Force. Continued page 7
Bob Ballingall with a model Catalina. Right: Bob’s wife Edna on their wedding day in 1940. Below: Bob (front centre) with his crewmates in front of an Catalina amphibian aircraft. The men with their names typed completed over 160 missions.
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The Coast Watchers would tell us where ships and barges were and we would fly over and drop torpedoes … Bob Ballingall
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