Five: Flying Officer B. M. McLoughlin, Royal Australian Air Force

1939-45 Star; Italy Star, these two unnamed; Defence and War Medals; Australia Service Medal, these three officially impressed (414949 B. M. McLoughlin) mounted court style for wear, good very fine (5) £100-140

Bernard Michael McLoughlin was born in Sandgate, Queensland, on 22 July 1922. A Clerk by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force at Brisbane on 6 December 1941. Trained at the 3rd Initial Training School, Kingaroy, December 1941, being promoted to Leading Aircraftsman in March 1942. Then to the Elementary Flying Training School, Narromine, April 1942, after which he posted to Canada in July 1942. Posted to the 8th Services Flying Training School, Canada, September 1942. Promoted to Sergeant and thence Pilot Officer in December 1942. Posted to the United Kingdom in April 1943 and with the 7th Operational Training School, Northern Ireland, June 1943 and promoted to Flying Officer. In July 1943 he was posted to the 303rd Fighter Training Unit and in August was posted to North Africa, arriving at R.A.F. Shallufa in September. In December 1943 he was posted to No. 458 Squadron serving on Wellington Bombers as 2nd Pilot. Served on bombing, mining and anti-submarine patrols in the Mediterranean, February-December 1944. In January 1945 he was posted to H.Q. Middle East Coonad and thence to Nicosia in October 1945. Embarked from Port Tewfic, 14 October 1945, arriving in Sydney on 4 November 1945. After the war he returned to University and became a Lawyer, then Barrister. He later became a Judge in the Supreme Court of Queensland.

With R.A.A.F. Officers’ Certificate of Service which shows entitlement to the Burma Star - notes state that the recipient was on the draft to fly to Burma but was pulled off the plane at the last minute. He stated that the Burma star was issued to him, unnamed as his other stars, but that he returned it. With a quantity of copied research, including photocopies of his Flying Log Book and copied photographs.