Roly was a Navigator on the Squadron during operations with the Liberator aircraft. He was born in Melbourne, Australia on 24/07/1918 and sadly passed away on the 01/06/2012. He was a long time friend of another 59 Sqn Australian navigator, Don Howard who also lives here in Melbourne. They both met on the day they signed up and as fate would have it, they stayed together for the duration of the war.

The ORB notes that Roly's first mission was undertaken on 19th Feb. 1944 with F/L V.E. Camacho and crew. His crew would later sink U-292 on the 27th of May but it appears they went out without a 2nd nav on this day, and Roly was not there...

Update April, 2013:

recently been contacted by Leslie Waltham, Flight Engineer on the above U-boat attack. He confirms that Roly was indeed crewed on this day, although the ORB report fails to name him...

"With respect to your story of Roland Hall. It said that on an operationwith FLT Comacho a sinking of a U-Boat in the North Sea...Roland wasn't on that particular op. l was the Flight Engineer on Flt Comacho's crew and, l can assure you that Roland was with us that day. He was firing the front gun while the other navigator/FO Shewry/ New Zealander.... operated the dropping of the Depth Charges. Roland was a Flight Sergeant in those days. We flew several operations together. l liked Roland..he wore his hat on the back of his head and always had a stupid grin on his face.

Respectfully Leslie Waltham..."

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