Missing Man, The: From The Outback To Tarakan, The Powerful Story Of Len Waters, Australia’s First Aboriginal Fighter Pilot

AUSTRALIAN MILITARY

“You were the master of the machine…you were an airman”‘ Flying Officer Bob Crawford. Len Walters was a Kamilaroi man. Born on an Aboriginal reserve, he left school at thirteen and by twenty was piloting a RAAF Kittyhawk fighter with 78 Squadron in the lethal skies over the Pacific in World War II. It was serious and dangerous work and his achievement was extraordinary. These would be the best years of his life. Respected by his peers, he was living his dream. The war over, it should have been easy. Instead, he became a missing man in Australia’s wartime flying history. Peter Rees rights that wrong in this powerful, compelling and at times tragic examination of Len Waters’ life.

Len Waters was a Kamilaroi man. Born on an Aboriginal reserve, he left school at thirteen and by twenty was piloting a RAAF Kittyhawk fighter with 78 Squadron in the lethal skies over the Pacific in World War II. It was serious and dangerous work and his achievement was extraordinary. These would be the best years of his life. Respected by his peers, he was living his dream. The war over, it should have been easy. Instead, he became a missing man in Australia’s wartime flying history. Peter Rees rights that wrong in this powerful, compelling and at times tragic examination of Len Waters’ life. #0521/250123
xii, 348 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm Waters, Len.  |  Australia. Royal Australian Air Force — History — World War, 1939-1945.  |  World War, 1939-1945 — Participation, Aboriginal Australian.  |  Fighter pilots — Australia — Biography.  |  Kamilaroi (Australian people) — Biography.  |  Australian