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

Service Profile: Bob Sarjeant

James Robert Sarjeant joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) early in 1941 and after completing Initial Training Course (ITS) at Stratford-on-Avon was posted to Canada for flying training under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). He commenced his training at No. 32 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, then relocated to Bowden, Alberta. On completion of that course he continued training on Airspeed Oxfords at No. 35 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), North Battleford, Saskatchewan, where he gained his pilot's wings and was commissioned.

Expecting to return to the UK, Bob was surprised to be selected to undergo further training as a flying instructor at No. 2 Flying Instructor School at Claresholm in Alberta. Having completed that training flying Tiger Moths, Cessna Cranes and Cornells he was posted to No. 38 SFTS Estevan, Saskatchewan, as an instructor on Avro Ansons. After a stint on that duty he was posted to No. 31 General Reconnaissance (GR) School at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in preparation for duties in Coastal Command upon return to the UK.

Back in the UK, Bob did some familiarisation flying at No. 6 EFTS Sywell, Northants, before being posted to the Sunderland Aircraft Operational Training Unit (4cOTU) at Alness in Scotland. Upon completion of the course Bob and his crew collected a Sunderland aircraft fresh from production. After appropriate tests, they flew out to Bathurst in the west African state of Gambia to take their place in No. 204 Squadron. During the course of their operational tour the squadron moved to Freetown, Sierra Leone.

On completion of the tour, Bob returned to the UK by sea and was posted to N0. 4cOTU at Alness as a flying instructor. Soon after arrival at Alness he was detached to the newly-formed Coastal Command Flying Instructors School at St. Angelo in Northern Ireland, then continued his duties at Alness. After a stint in that role, Bob was posted back to operations on No. 201 Sunderland Squadron at Pembroke Dock in Wales where he remained until his demobilisation in mid-1946 holding the rank of Flight Lieutenant.