These profiles and stories were donated to the RAAF Museum by the Gold Coast Branch of the Air Crew Association.

Service Profile: Keith Watson

Keith Alexander Watson OAM was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force from June 1942 to February 1946. Training under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), Keith was on No. 28 Course at Initial Training School (ITS) Sandgate, Queensland, followed by a posting to No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Narromine, New South Wales, to begin his pilot training on Tiger Moths. He was then posted to No. 1 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Camp Borden, Canada, for further training to 'Wings' standard, flying Harvards and Miles Masters.

Following his graduation as a Pilot, he was posted to No. 1 Experimental Central Flying School (ECFS) in the UK where he flew Avro Ansons and Miles Masters. His next posting was to No. 3 (Pilots) Advanced Flying School (AFS) at Southrop to fly Airspeed Oxfords. An Instrument training course, also on Oxfords, followed at No. 1231 Beam Approach Training (BAT) Squadron Cranage. His Bomber Command training continued with a posting to fly Wellingtons at No. 16 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Barford St. John. Conversion to Stirlings was at No. 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) Swinderby and conversion to Lancasters took place at No. 5 Lancaster Flying School(LFS) Syerston.

Keith's operational activity in the European theatre began in July 1944, being posted to No. 106 Squadron Metheringham as Pathfinder Supporter followed by a posting to No. 97 Squadron, Path Finder Force (PFF), finding and marking targets for No. 5 Group (RAF).

Following the cessation of hostilities in Europe, Keith was posted to RAAF Base Waddington (UK) to convert to Lincolns in preparation for Tiger Force, destined for Far Eastern operations. The surrender which followed the atomic attacks on Japan put paid to Tiger Force before he even flew a Lincoln.

Being sent on indefinite leave to await transport home to Australia, the inactivity palled, so he returned to Coningsby to offer his services for repatriation of personnel from the European occupation force. That resulted in several trips to Bari in Italy to fly British Army officers to UK on leave from occupation duties.

Returning to Australia, Keith was demobbed in February 1946. He later spent five years on the RAAF Active Reserve during which he belatedly converted to Lincolns and Dakotas at RAAF Base Townsville during annual Reserve training.

On retirement from the Australian Postal Service as a long-term postmaster, Keith was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 1987.