The Origins of The Callsign “Wallaby” R.A.A.F. Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) 1964 – RTFV 35SQN

As the RAAF is planning to demob Caribous it is an appropriate time that the origins of “Wallaby” are explained. The like most tales of origins the name “Wallaby” Airlines was a combination of different events. To the best of my recollections this is how the nameless form; a name which later  became famous in Vietnam amongst many services and peoples including US, New Zealand and Vietnamese Armed Forces and French plantation operators, the only the occasional Brit on some civil aid project and of course the Australians who served both in the armed forces and the civil assistance programs.

 

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The Origins of The Callsign “Wallaby” R.A.A.F. Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) 1964

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About a year before the formation of RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) a young group of pilots from 38 squadron had formed in association with several Qantas air hostesses who shared a flat in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The association was neither constant nor regular. The girls had the irregular schedules in those days and the pilots were pulled at a moments notice for a MediEvac (Medical Evacuation Flights), SAR (a search and rescue flight), for some lost mariner or bush walker or the many detachments to other bases. Accordingly, although the relationships were friendly, they were infrequent. However occasionally some pilots turned up at the girls flat and a Chinese meal was shared or we just sat and talked or together we organised a party on the spot. The relevance of this casual relationship and its importance to the “Wallaby” callsign will soon become apparent.
After lunch each day the officers would go into the officers mess lounge room to listen to the world news on the radio. Believe it or not, back then people would sit and look at the radio as intently as people today look at the television. On this occasion i can remember sitting beside John Staal when we heard the announcement that a flight of RAAF Caribous were to be despatched to Vietnam. We looked at one another  and bolted for the aircraft lines. Simultaneously we had guessed that the SQN LDR Chris Sugden (Suggy – See Note 2), The Leader of our ferry of three aircraft, would be the first CO as he was the most widely experienced officer on our squadron/ He was down at the lines inspecting a Caribou and we wanted to be his first volunteers. After about a kilometre run, not a jog and it was about one half of a mile – we both ran up to Suggy absolutely puffed and, saluted and gasped out the news and begged to be allowed to join him if he lead the Caribous into Vietnam. Our Caribou ferry had been delayed by suspected sabotage (See Note 3) so he had got to know us fairly well. He agreed to recommend us if he was selected to lead the first group. With a bit of luck we were going to war!
So when Suggy gave Schuamberg a Qantas pin as appreciation for his services to us the conversation something like… “What’s this animal called Chris?”. Schaumberg sometimes had a peculiar manner of pronouncing and emphasising each syllable. On this occasion in an almost southern drawl, Schaumberg said, “AN-I-MAL”. Although I do not recall Schaumberg being a Southerner. Chris replied. “A Kangaroo. That could be a suitable name for our squadron callsign?”. Schaumberg was almost aghast. “KAN-GA-ROO? Hell Chris, that’s not an easy name to pronounce. The Vietnamese would find it impossible. Are they called something else?” Chris replied. “A Wallaby”. The name had an instant appeal for Schaumberg. He said it several times. “WALLA-BY”, sounded much better to Schaumberg, than “kangaroo”. It was Schaumberg who then said, that he would arrange for a “Wallaby” to become the identifier for the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) which later became 35 SQN.

saw one of the girls with a Qantas pin; the golden kangaroo.Note 4 –(See Note 1)“boggies”Note 1 Note 2 Note 3HistoryUncategorizedJune 17, 20170