Tales of 463 Squadron RAAF

Tales of 463 Squadron RAAF

Anecdotes of Warrant Officer Bob Raebel

The document begins with a foreword by Geoffrey Raebel to his son, Shaun. There then follows an introduction to Bob Raebel's early life and his joining the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940 in a ground trade. He left Australia in 1941 as a member of 452 Squadron and on arrival in the United Kingdom was transferred to 455 Squadron. He became a Flight Sergeant and took part in the "Russian expedition". He was then posted to 463 Squadron RAAF. Most of the document comprises anecdotes and stories from Bob's service at RAF Waddington, including crash landings, ordnance explosions, live bombs on winches, an enemy raid by a captured Wellington and an unexpected visit to the ground crew from Air Vice Marshall Cochrane. Geoffrey also relates a story of camouflaging a Mosquito fighter to look like a Photographic Reconnaissance Mosquito and an unmanned Wellington landing in a field. There is a description on the use of high capacity and incendiary bombs.
There are also several photographs of aircraft and personnel, including Flight Sergeants Bob Raebel, Tony Smith, I Boulton, J L Henderson and L J Manning. The document ends with a list of aircrew from 467 Squadron at RAF Bottesford in 1943

2011-12

A 24 page document of text and photographs

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