The First To Fight — Part One

By on

View All Posts

Born in Perth and raised in Hobart, James Brough joined the RAAF as a cadet in 1936. The following year, he enlisted in the RAF, serving with the 99 Squadron in Bomber Command, which put him on the sharp end when World War II started in September 1939. He would be among the first to fight — and face the fury of the Luftwaffe. For part two, click here

Jim Brough flew a Vickers Wellington against German targets early in the war.
Jim Brough — front row, fourth from the left — with other officers of 99 Squadron.
Wellingtons in flight.
Jim as a Point Cook cadet in 1936.
Jim and fellow cadets. The life expectancy of those who went to the RAF
was short after the war started in 1939.
This special issue highlighted the work done by Jim and other pilots.

1 Comment

  1. Absolutely loved this story. Your dedication to research is astounding. Love it. Thank you. I often pass on your stories to friends who also enjoy these forgotten tales. The Lenny Gwyther story is my favourite and when my daughter went to Melbourne last year I asked her to take a photo of his statue in Leongatha.
    Cheers Julie Wager.

    Reply

Leave a Reply