Jones, Laurie Raymond DFC (Flight Lieutenant, b.1922 - d.2014)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 421224 Flight Lieutenant Laurie Raymond Jones, 160 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Bahamas, India, and Ceylon 1943-1944.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of typed extracts of letters from Flight Lieutenant Jones to his family, dated between 8 June 1943 and 15 June 1944. The letter extracts are compiled in six groupings, and cover Flight Lieutenant Jones’ service as a pilot in the Bahamas and India. In his letters, Flight Lieutenant Jones writes about living in a hotel, swimming during leisure time, flying regularly, social engagements, a fishing expedition, working very hard, going to see films at the cinema, visiting friends, receiving mail, daily routine, feeling homesick, hot weather, travelling from Canada to India via the United Kingdom and the Middle East, adjusting to different living conditions in India, sending mail home, staying in villages and interacting with local people, arriving at the 160 Squadron Royal Air Force base at Ceylon, having leave in Colombo and a tea plantation in the hills, enjoying the jungle environment, making a bow and arrows in spare time, dealing with mosquitos, further leave in mainland India, and establishing a mess library.

Flight Lieutenant Laurie Raymond Jones enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 31 January 1942, after previously serving with the Citizens Military Forces. He trained as a pilot in Canada as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, and went on to serve in the Caribbean. Flight Lieutenant Jones later transferred to 160 Squadron and served in India and Ceylon. On 30 October 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for completion of an outstanding tour of operational missions. Flight Lieutenant Jones was discharged on 2 January 1946.