Morotai, Halmahera
Islands, Netherlands East Indies. 1945-04-09. Pilots
of No. 457 "grey nurse" (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF walk briskly
down the Morotai airstrip to board their aircraft preparatory to taking
off on a mission against Japanese installations in the Halmahera. Left to
right: Flying Officer n. Vidler, Sydney, NSW; Pilot Officer D. Yates, Sydney,
NSW; Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) J. Bell, Sydney, NSW; Flt Lt n. Rankin,
Grafton, NSW; Flt Lt G. Campbell, Sydney, NSW. Note the insignia on the
aircraft, the painted shark jaws, and the shark on the Mae West (life
jacket). |