Fitter Armourer

[Mike K]

A friend of mines father was a Fitter Armourer in the RAAF in WW2 . Every time I all in , I speak to the old boy about his WW2 days .

He was in many places . Merauke ? was one . Mildura at a OTU unit . Geelong, assembling brand new Spitfires from crates - he said they were covered in cosmoline or similar and they had to clean them down with carbon tech, chloride ! He was up at a airfield near Cape York with a Mustang Squadron .... near the wars end . he learnt to drive in a RAAF Ford Blitz .He knew his trucks too , mentioning the Dodge weapons carriers and GMC's they used.

One day, he showed me a souvenier . The RAAF Armourers Bible ... A 2" thick book , describing any weapon they had , and how to do anything with it . Last Sunday , he mentioned that he had chucked it in the bin .

He was also in the BCOF in Japan . He said an Officer ordered him to arm a aircraft and he refused on the grounds in wasnt airworthy. He was charged , but got off on some legality .

At Jap restaurants they had to ask about the meat ,,, saying "WOOF WOOF" to the waitress , asking if it was dog meat

During his training , he had to make a barrell on a lathe , do the rifling and all .