Voluntary Air Observers Corps on the Macleay our eyes in the sky

They came up with the Voluntary Air Observer Corps (VAOC), a body of volunteers who would sight and record enemy aeroplanes over a wide coastal strip initially from Port Douglas, Queensland to Port Lincoln in South Australia.

Observers were recruited from local areas and had to be persons who weren't required for military service, of good repute and had to pass a basic hearing and eyesight test.

When an aircraft was heard, the observer had to go outside to look for the plane.

If it was visible they had to describe it on a specially drawn chart: single wing or bi-plane, wing shapes and number of tail fins, number of engines and its general direction.

The observer then sent an "Airflash" message with this information to the control centre.

Les Sullivan wrote about his time as an observer in the VAOC whilst attending the Clybucca Public School. The control centre was at Taree and a special telephone was installed at the school which was prioritised through the local exchange.

Students did all observations during school hours. Teachers then took over until local farmers had finished their milking to relieve them. The role of co-ordinating the volunteer roster belonged to the Chief Air Observer, at Clybucca this was Les Sullivan's father, Harold.

While the original purpose of the VAOC was sighting and recording enemy aircraft, it ended up recording all aircraft. At a time when navigation aids on aeroplanes were poor, pilots or crew could easily get lost particularly during bad weather.

Observers could then track the aircraft and possibly inform the pilot via radio where the nearest airfield was. It is recorded that the VAOC between 1943 and 1945 saved seventy-eight aircraft and substantially assisted over 1,000 others.

Mr R W King, in charge of the Kempsey Volunteer Air Observers Corps, said that the observers had located and guided lost planes to bases, rescued air crew from crashes and helped pilots make safe emergency landings. At its peak in 1944, the VAOC had 24,000 volunteers who manned 2,600 observation posts and thirty-nine control posts.

On 5 July 1943 the Governor of New South Wales, Lord Wakehurst visited Kempsey with his wife Lady Wakehurst and was shown the Air Observers' lookout at the East Kempsey reservoir.

Norman Savage was on duty and the Vice-Regal party was very impressed with the building there used by members of the VAOC, as well as the panoramic view obtained of the Macleay Valley.

Beatrice Mary Clarke was a VAOC volunteer on the Upper Macleay. She lived in Willawarrin Road, Deep Creek and on joining was given a pair of binoculars and large wall posters as a means of identifying aircraft.

Beatrice recorded every aircraft that went over and at the end of the War was visited by RAAF personnel who presented her with a large certificate honouring her work with the VAOC.

They told Beatrice that some of the aircraft she had reported had been enemy planes. Beatrice Mary Mainey had married Roy Clarke in Willawarrin in 1933 and later became a poet of some note.

All volunteers were issued with Air Observer's badges and a special armband. At the end of the War they all received the large certificates of appreciation.

Beatrice's certificate was later donated to Kempsey Museum. Other certificates donated (or copies thereof) include those of John Hodgson, Maisie Henry (later Quinn) and Miss C E Ball.

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