Eaton, Robert James (Flight Sergeant, b.1925 - d.1945)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 430960 Flight Sergeant Robert James Eaton, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia and the United Kingdom, 1943-1951.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains three folders of material relating to Flight Sergeant Robert James Eaton.

Folder 1 of 3 consists of one log book and one envelope relating to Flight Sergeant Eaton. The log book contains entries dated between 20 October 1943 and 2 March 1945, and covers Flight Sergeant Eaton’s training as a navigator and bomb aimer in Australia and the United Kingdom. The log book entries record details such as dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, pilots, and purposes of flights. Some of the recorded purposes of flights include air observers training, navigation training, advanced flying training, operational training, and pathfinding training. The envelope was used by the Department of Air to send Flight Sergeant Eaton’s log book to his father, Mr James Bygrove Eaton, in December 1946.

Folder 2 of 3 consists of documents and correspondence relating to the service and death of Flight Sergeant Eaton. This folder contains:
1x Crossing the Line Certificate, SS Sea Scamp, 27 May 1944.
2x Telegrams from the Royal Air Force to Flight Sergeant Eaton’s father, Mr James Bygrove Eaton, 5-7 March 1945 [includes envelope]. These telegrams inform Mr Eaton that Flight Lieutenant Eaton had been killed as the result of an aircraft accident, and advise him of the arrangements for Flight Lieutenant Eaton’s funeral.
1x Letter from the Royal Australian Air Force to Mr Eaton, c March 1945 [includes leaflets and envelope]. The enclosed leaflets give information for families of deceased airmen.
2x Letters from the Department of Air to Flight Sergeant Eaton’s parents, Mr James Bygrove Eaton and Mrs Selina Marjorie Eaton, 20 March 1945 [includes leaflet and envelope]. These letters relate to the will of Flight Sergeant Eaton.
1x Letter from the Directorate of War Graves Services to Mr Eaton, 10 April 1945 [includes envelope]. This letter relates to the burial place of Flight Sergeant Eaton.
1x Letter from the Directorate of War Graves Registration to Mr Eaton, 20 April 1945 [includes envelope]. This letter originally accompanied a form, which was sent back to the Directorate to provide additional information for the grave of Flight Sergeant Eaton.
1x Card from the Department of Air to Mrs Eaton, 30 April 1945. This card relates to Mrs Eaton’s application for a Royal Australian Air Force badge.
1x Card from the Royal Australian Air Force to Mrs Eaton, 7 May 1945 [includes envelope]. This card relates to Mrs Eaton’s application for a female relative’s badge.
1x Letter from the Department of Air to Mrs Eaton, 17 May 1945 [includes envelope]. This letter is a response to Mrs Eaton’s request for information regarding Flight Sergeant Eaton’s death.
1x Letter from the Directorate of War Graves Services to Mr Eaton, 23 May 1945. This letter originally accompanied a set of photographs taken at the funeral of Flight Sergeant Eaton.
1x Letter from Chaplain Squadron Leader R C Russell to Mrs Eaton, 13 June 1945. This letter gives information regarding the next-of-kin of Flight Sergeant Eaton’s pilot, Flight Lieutenant Albertson.
1x Letter from Melbourne Air Force Headquarters to Mrs Eaton, 4 December 1945 [includes list of personal effects and envelope]. This letter relates to the arrangements for the personal effects of Flight Sergeant Eaton.
1x Letter from the Department of Air to Mr Eaton, 10 January 1947 [includes envelope]. This letter is a response to Mr Eaton’s enquiry regarding the details of Flight Sergeant Eaton’s death.
1x Letter from the Department of Air to Mr Eaton, 1 August 1951 [includes envelope]. This letter relates to the payment of war gratuity.

Folder 3 of 3 consists of one invitation [including envelope], one Order of Service, and one letter relating to the dedication of a memorial window at Bradfield Park Royal Australian Air Force Station, Sydney, on 4 April 1945.

Flight Sergeant Robert James Eaton enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 23 April 1943. After his initial flying training, he completed navigator and air gunner training in New South Wales and Victoria. In mid-1944, Flight Sergeant Eaton travelled to England to complete his operational training and pathfinders training. On 2 March 1945, Flight Sergeant Eaton was killed during a routine training flight when his aircraft crashed near Cheddleton, Staffordshire. He is buried at Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England.