4 September 2023
Squadron Leader (retd) Cunningham ‘Jock’ Cassels celebrated his 100th birthday at RAAF Base Richmond last month.
A former pilot across a vast number of platforms, Mr Cassels is a Royal Air Force (RAF) and RAAF legend, having served in both World War 2 and the Vietnam War over an almost 38-year career.
Base personnel and special guests including Susan Templeman, Federal Member for Macquarie, and Robyn Preston, NSW Member for Hawkesbury attended the celebrations held in the Sergeants Mess and praised Mr Cassels’ significant milestone.
Cutting a cake with a sword and having a private tour of the base, Mr Cassels was humbled.
“It made me feel very honoured and proud, as I was just doing my job with the RAF and RAAF,” Mr Cassels said.
“I enjoyed the base tour immensely and it brought back wonderful old memories.”
During WW2 Mr Cassels flew Tiger Moths and Spitfires for the RAF, was shot down by a German aircraft and spent almost a year as a prisoner of war (POW).
“I also celebrated my 21st birthday whilst in a POW camp,” Mr Cassels recalls.
“My fellow POWs pooled their rations to make a cake of sorts; I’ll never forget their generosity and thoughtfulness.”
'It was a case of reading the pilot’s notes and convincing the instructor that I knew my way around the cockpit'
Following WW2, Mr Cassels learnt to fly the Harvard, Oxford, Buckmaster, Lancaster, Wellington and Meteor jet, often following each aircraft’s ‘pilot’s notes’ and with some dual instruction.
“The Meteor was new to me – it had jet engines and tricycle landing gear,” Mr Cassels said.
“Being a single seat aircraft, it was a case of reading the pilot’s notes and convincing the instructor that I knew my way around the cockpit.”
From 1950 to 1953, Mr Cassels was posted to 230 Flying Boat Squadron, flying long-range maritime missions of up to 12 hours from Pembroke Dock, West Wales.
“Lengthy missions required a large crew of 10 – two pilots, two navigators, two engineers, two wireless operators and two wireless operators/gunners,” Mr Cassels said.
“Life as a flying boat pilot meant being mindful of both wind and sea conditions … I found it quite demanding, exciting, different and very satisfying.”
In 1966 Mr Cassels ‘retired’ from the RAF after 25 years of service, moved to Australia to join the RAAF and was posted to 38 Squadron’s to fly Caribous at RAAF Base Richmond.
Mr Cassels posted as Flight Commander with 35 Squadron in 1968, operating with the United States Air Force Transport Wing during the Vietnam War.
Tasks involved flying set routes carrying military personnel and supplies to various units throughout the Mekong Delta and other parts of southern Vietnam.
Following the end of a one-year tour in the Vietnam war, Mr Cassels continued in a range of roles at RAAF Richmond, Fairbairn and Tottenham up until his retirement in 1979.
Air Commodore Bradley Clarke, Commander Air Mobility Group (AMG), paid tribute to Mr Cassels.
“It was an honour for RAAF Base Richmond personnel to celebrate Mr Cassels’ 100th birthday,” Air Commodore Clarke said.
“To serve across two Air Forces and wars is truly remarkable and we thank him for his years of dedication and commitment.”
