Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) Leonard Waters
|
| Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) Leonard Waters
|
 Leonard
Waters was the first and only Aboriginal Fighter Pilot to ever serve in
the Royal Australian Air Force during WWII.
He joined the RAAF on 24 August 1942 as trainee mechanic, and when the RAAF called for aircrew trainees he applied and was accepted for pilot training starting on 1 July 1943. He learnt to fly Tiger Moths, Lucas, Wirraways and graduated to Kittyhawks. He graduated as a Sergeant pilot and was posted to No. 78 Squadron at Noemffer in Dutch Nui Guinea on 14 November 1944. While he did not name the Kittyhawk named "Black Magic" assigned to him, it was appropriate that as the only Aboriginal Fighter Pilot, he should fly it. He flew 95 operational sorties with No. 78 Squadron operating from Noemfoor, Morotai and Tarakan. Sergeant Waters was promoted to Flight Sergeant on 1 January 1945 and eventually Warrant Officer on 1 January 1946. He was discharged from the RAAF on 18 January 1946.  Leonard
was born on Euraba Aboriginal Mission on 20 June 1924 and passed away on
24 August 1993, 51 years to the day when he joined the RAAF.
His family left the Mission when he was eight years old and he was educated at Nindigully, a little town in western Queensland. He achieved Year 8 Schooling during an era when the Government's policy stated that it was not compulsory for Aboriginal children to go to school beyond Year 4 because they would not aspire to occupations that required a higher education than Year 4. As he was one of eleven children, Leonard left school to help the family out as a shearing and fencing contractor. Leonard said on many occasion that while he served his four years in the RAAF he never experienced any prejudice, and racism only affected him when he was on R&R or at home. He was able to compete equally against the same criteria as all pilots to achieve his lifelong dream to fly. When he left the RAAF, unlike other pilots discharged from the forces who were given the opportunity for further study after the War, Leonard returned to the only work he knew before he went to War and he returned to shearing sheep and labouring positions.
I gratefully acknowledge the permission granted by Leonard Water's family to utilise material on their website and the use of photographs they have donated to the Australian War Memorial. Why don't you visit:http://www.blackaviation.com/waters.htm or http://www.teknet.net.au/~obtfr/obtfrindex/ ..Ed |
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