Plotting a course through history

TAKEN FROM THE MEMOIRS OF FRANK SANDER (1938) AS TOLD TO TREVOR CABOON IN 2008

After war broke out in 1939, sitting at his desk at the Taxation department, Old Boy Frank Sander dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot.

It was only a year since he had graduated from CBC as Captain of the College, and the young man from Wray Avenue had first to get the approval of his parents and employer before he could submit his application to the Royal Australian Air Force. Finally, in 1942 the excited 19-year-old boarded a troop train bound for Victor Harbour in South Australia to commence Initial Training School.

Frank had been Dux of his College in his graduating year and was a gifted scholar, so it was no surprise that he topped flight exams, coming second in his squadron. He went on to commence pilot training a little closer to home at Cunderdin. Like most wartime pilots, he trained on a Tiger Moth, which was started by swinging the propeller by hand. Aside from a bicycle, the biplane was the first machine Frank had ever operated.

After almost 63 hours flying, the fledgling pilot was disappointed to be sent to bomber training in an Avro Anson at Geraldton, rather than following his dream of flying Wirraways as a fighter pilot. His frustration was further compounded when he was re-assigned to commence navigator training in NSW and Victoria, a decision that set Frank on a course of discovering one of his great passions.

A talented athlete, Frank (front and centre) was captain of the 1938 Interschool sports team that won the Ahern Shield, Levinson Cup and Boan Cup for Juniors.

Frank was a gifted navigator and a life-long learner. He mastered marine and bubble sextants and particularly enjoyed the science and art of astro-navigation, which had not changed much from the days of Captain Cook. It relied on skilful observation by a hand-held sextant and he knew the 41 navigational stars by appearance and name. They seemed an incomprehensible distance away and yet to Frank they were helpful friends.

In 1943, the RAAF called for volunteers to crew a long-range service for Qantas Empire Airways, navigating amphibious Catalinas on the doublesunrise flight between Perth and Ceylon. Frank needed no encouragement – he saw it as a chance to do something of value in restoring the air link severed by the Japanese who occupied the Dutch East Indies and Christmas Island. Catalinas were regarded as a state-of-the-art flying machine and would operate from his home town. He was promoted to Sergeant, given a Navigator’s badge, and then transferred to the RAAF Reserve where he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer.

In 1944, Frank had logged some 15 trips on a Qantas Catalina when he was called in to navigate a direct flight to the Cocos Islands to transfer an officer to Ceylon. It was his first time landing in the turquoise waters of a coral lagoon and he thought it was paradise. After breakfast, the crew was refuelling when a Japanese Mitsubishi ‘Betty’ flew over. They tumbled into the boat and were half way to land when he heard the aircraft return, flying on a bombing run at the Catalina. ‘In the water!’ was the command, and Frank found himself frantically swimming for shore as the bombs exploded with concussions and spouts shooting in the air about 20 metres from the far wing tip of the vulnerable plane bobbing in the lagoon. The Japanese aircraft didn’t return and thankfully the salvo of two bombs had not been dropped on the shore side of the Catalina, so no lives were lost. Frank’s precious navigation equipment was rescued and their flight could continue after a decent sleep and recovery. It was his 22nd birthday and two years since the fall of Singapore.

Frank front and centre with other CBC students in 1938.

Frank was the navigator for the first Lancastrian delivery from England to Australia. It was his first glimpse of snow at the end of 1944, spending some pleasant time during the following months in foggy wartime London while they waited for the plane to be prepared for their departure. In early April 1945, he returned to Mascot Airport in Sydney via Palestine, Karachi, Ceylon and Exmouth. He was in Ceylon when the atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima on 6 August, 1945, and celebrated victory over Japan in Perth nine days later.

Frank was heralded as a hero, with aviation authorities praising his cool head and exceptional flying skills.

During his free time, Frank studied for the DCA First Class Navigation Certificate and Licence using text books and with no outside help. He could solve star sights using Almanac and spherical trigonometry and taught himself elementary calculus. In October 1945 he was the first navigation officer to receive these qualifications.

Frank settled in Sydney with his wife, Molly, and continued flying for Qantas. In 1969 he was the pilot of a flight from Nauru carrying 60 children returning to school in Australia. While attempting a scheduled fuel stop in Port Moresby, the plane’s hydraulic landing system malfunctioned and Frank was forced to crash land the plane, skidding some 200 metres along the runway without the assistance of brakes, wing flaps or landing wheel. Frank was heralded as a hero, with aviation authorities praising his cool head and exceptional flying skills.

The centenarian now lives with Molly in Lesmurdie and the couple are regularly visited by their four children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandies. He caught up with many CBC gentlemen at the 2021 Over 60s’ Morning Tea , including his great-nephew, Austin Green (Year 12), who popped in for the occasion.

Frank Sander in his RAAF uniform.