Page 52 - Memorial Groves

PLAQUE NO 83: WORLD WAR II:

Fl. Off. James Bruce

Halbert

203 Squadron RAF Australia and the
Killed in Action: Middle East
15 April 1945

Unfortunately little is known of James
Halbert. It is very probable that he
came from the well-known Cunderdin South-West Pacific
farming family and attended the
School in the 1930s.

He, too, went through the full
gamut of air crew training with the
Empire Air Training Scheme and was Theatre
eventually posted to the Middle East
to join Graham Fox in number 203
Squadron, Royal Air Force, flying
Wellington bombers.
PLAQUE NO 84:
While there he met and became
engaged to a New Zealand nurse Pilot Officer Godfrey Edward ('Goggie') Turner (1931-32)
working in Cairo. The couple
eventually married but James was 25 Squadron RAAF
killed in action a short time after the Killed in a flying accident: Queensland
celebration. 31 January 1941

Dedicated by Hale School placed Goggie attended Hale School in 1931 and 1932 from South Perth. He represented the School in athletics and
by the then Chairman of the Hale football. After leaving Hale he joined Elder Smiths as a stud/stock agent and when war broke out he joined the
School Board of Governors, Dr Eric Royal Australian Air Force to train as a pilot.
Isaachsen (1964-68), assisted by
the 2001 Captain of School, Scott He was killed 31 January 1941 while on a night flying exercise at 'Archerfield' aerodrome in Queensland. He was 23
Murray (1997-01). years of age.

Placed by close School friend, Haleian Mr Owen Burges (1931-33),
himself a member of Air Crew during World War II.