F/O Roger Byrne (419791) was born at Donald Vic on September 3, 1917, and enlisted in the RAAF as Aircrew 2 at 1RC Melbourne on July 18, 1942. After his EFTS and SFTS training, he was posted to CFS Tamworth for an instructor’s course and finally posted to 2BAGS at Port Pirie, and became a staff pilot on August 9, 1943. He arrived at 2OTU Mildura on April 16, 1944.

F/O Byrne was entered into No.31 Fighter Operational Conversion Course to Boomerangs with other Boomerang pupils. On June 1, 1944 F/O Byrne flying Boomerang A46-14 along with Flying Officer Sydney Knapman (400806) flying Boomerang A46-44, were engaged in Camera gunnery beam attack exercises with one aircraft was acting as the target aircraft. The Boomerangs collided mid-air some 64km West of Mildura during the exercise, both Boomerangs losing a wing each being completely destroyed by the resulting crash, and tragically both pilots were killed.

F/O Roger Byrne age 26 was buried at the Mildura War Cemetery on June 3, 1944, F/O.R. Byrne both his Parents and relatives attended his Service.

Biography – Mildura 2OTU Heritage Inc