General News
26 October, 2024
Veterans' Voices: Lawrence Allan Barber
Warrant Officer Lawrence Allan Barber was born on March 31 1925 in Nhill.
His mother was Doris Clareal Treloar and his father was Allan Barber.
Lawrence was educated at Lorquon State School from August 1930 to December 1938.
He attended Warracknabeal High School from January 1939 to December 1940, when he received from Melbourne University his Intermediate Certificate with a high standard in all his subjects.
He played sport including golf, tennis and football.
Lawrence studied accountancy with Hemingway and Robertson, Melbourne, through a correspondence course from February 1941.
He joined the Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd in January 1941, engaged principally in ledger duties as a bank clerk.
On August 16 1942 Lawrence enlisted in the Royal Air Force.
His service number was 1054 and he served nine months as a cadet with 1 Wing Headquarters, Air Training Corp, Melbourne, aged 17, serving with 9 Squadron.
This role was terminated on June 1 1943 when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Airforce.
He was unable to embark before April 30 1943 by order of the RAAF Recruitment Office Melbourne.
Lawrence was 18 years and two months of age when he enlisted at No1 Recreation Centre, Melbourne.
His service number was 431159.
On enlistment Lawrence musterings were as air crew V on June 1 1943 with a classification of AC2 (aircraftsman class 2) and he was posted to the RAAF station at Point Cook.
He was further posted to Initial Technical Training School Somers on June 19 1943.
On August 10 1943 Lawrence was re-mustered as air crew V (P) as an AC2 (aircraftsman 2), then on September 11 1943 he was re-mustered, again this time as air crew 11P with his classification of LAC (leading aircraftsman) at No1 Personal Depot at RAAF Ransford, Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Lawrence received his navigator badge on June 22 1944.
He received a further promotion as (temporary) sergeant with the classification of navigator (B) on June 24 1944.
On October 19 Lawrence was posted to 7 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS), RAAF Western Junction.
Further postings were to ITTS Somers on December 6 1943 and 1 Personal Depot at Ransford on July 5 1944.
It was from here that Lawrence sailed from Melbourne to Sydney, disembarking on November 26 1944.
He was posted to 2 Personnel Depot a flying training school of RAAF that operated during World War II.
From Sydney he sailed to Canada on August 12 1944.
Lawrence served at No 1 General Reconnaissance School (1GRS) Summerside and 111 Operational Training Unit (OTU) 1.
Lawrence was at 1 'Y' Depot from March 30 to April 13 1945 at Moncton RCAF (Operational Training Unit) and then with a supplementary unit of the same on April 22 1945 at 17 Depot HC.
RCAF Station Moncton - also known as RCAF Aerodrome Moncton or BCATP Station Moncton - was a World War II training air station of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
It was located east of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
On December 24 1945 he was promoted to temporary flight sergeant and temporary warrant officer at OSHQ (Headquarters) at No 1 Depot Port Pirie on same day.
He was posted to 14 Air Crew Holding Unit, RAAF Milton, Cumbria, England, on October 16 1945, moving on to 11 PDRC (Supplementary) to 2PD on November 28 1945 and 2 Personnel Depot (PD) before moving to 1 Personnel Depot (PD) on January 9 1946.
From 1 PD he was discharged on February 5 1946.
Lawrence's posting at discharge was 14 Aircrew Holding Unit.
On Lawrence’s discharge certificate it stated he was of very good character.
His RAAF mustering or trade was navigator B.
His degree of trade proficiency was satisfactory.
During his training in Australia Lawrence trained with 3 AOS with flight training in Anson Aircraft, completing 136.20 hours.
Overseas at 1 No. 1 General Reconnaissance School (GRS) Canada, his flight training was also in Anson Aircraft, where Lawrence completed 29.10 flying hours.
This was followed by advanced training with 1 OAFW in the United Kingdom, again in Anson Aircraft, completing 39.05 hours of flying.
While with 111Operational Training School (OTS) in the Bahamas, Lawrence trained in Mitchel and Liberator bombers.
He obtained 114.20 flying hours in these bombers.
Lawrence qualified for the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945, the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945 and a Returned from Active Service Badge with the number AF 63199.
With thanks: Sally Bertram, RSL Military History Library. Contact Sally at sj.bertram@hotmail.com or call 0409 351 940.