Postwar Reunions & Conferences
Forty seven and counting! That is the number of postwar Reunions & Conferences held since the inaugural one in Sydney in 1953 up to and including #46: the 80th Anniversary Reunion held at Williamtown, New South Wales (which should have been in July, 2021 but due to Covid restrictions actually held in March of 2022) and now #47: the 80th Anniversary of the end of WWII Reunion, held in Malta. It is a very remarkable record and one that reflects the camaraderie that the Squadron has had over the years and continues to have. They have been conducted in Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Australia and Malta. In addition to these notable events, many Veterans have made visits to the countries of their wartime service – Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, Gibraltar, Malta, etc.
Click below to view as a large PDF...
Drawn by Tom Moore
Terrey Hills, NSW, Reunion
Video of the 1989 Melbourne All States Reunion (see also the schedule of events program pdf document below)
Reunions after 2005:
38 2006Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
39 2007Wollongong, NSW and Grange-over-Sands, UK
40 2008Port Stephens, NSW
41 2009Bowral, NSW and Holme-on-Spalding Moor, UK
42 2010Terrey Hills, NSW and Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
43 2011Cheshire, UK
44 2012 London, UK at the RAF Club
45 2014 London, UK at the RAF Club
46 2022 Williamtown, NSW, Australia
47 2025 Valletta, Malta
REUNION ARCHIVES...
1957 Reunion function costs.pdf (325 K)
1958 reunion.pdf (2.94 M)
1968 BruceMcKenzie's Speech Western Australia.mp3 (27 M)
1970 3padres squadron reunion.wma (13.86 M)
1979 Signed copy of We Find and Destroy.pdf (835 K)
1987 NelsonBay Reunion.pdf (3.61 M)
1989 Melbourne Reunion.pdf (1.93 M)
1989 Padre Bob Davies and Padre Fred McKay Holme on Spalding Moor.mp3 (20 M)
1991 50th Anniversary Reunion.pdf (6.65 M)
1993 94 95 WA Flight activities on video.pdf (179 K)
1994 Canberra Reunion.pdf (5.25 M)
1997 Griffith Reunion.pdf (1.51 M)
1998 Caloundra Reunion.pdf (0.98 M)
2000 Geelong Reunion.pdf (1.27 M)
2001 PortMacquarie Reunion.pdf (1.74 M)
2005 canberra reunion.pdf (1.22 M)
2005 Canberra Reunion booklet.pdf (838 K)
2005 Canberra Reunion No.37.pdf (6.04 M)
2007 WollongongReunion.pdf (242 K)
2008 PortStephens Reunion.pdf (211 K)
80th Anniversary Reunion. Williamtown New South Wales, Australia
On the weekend of the 26th-29th March, 2022, (originally scheduled for 10th July, 2021) the 458 Squadron Association held the 80th Anniversary since the formation of The Squadron, albeit eight months and sixteen days late, due to Covid-19 restrictions. It was truly an emotional and memorable event attended by just over fifty family and friends of 458 Squadron. Here is the video of the group (except for Chris Wurr who was taking still shots at the time) sending out well wishes to our Co-Presidents from the UK, Charles Humbles and Bill Wake. Also to our UK Correspondent Keith Wilkinson and sons of our recently departed Co-President Tom Hicks, Keith & Richard Hicks, who also reside in the UK. This video may need translation however everyone is saying,
"Hi Bill, Charles, Keith (s) and Richard from Australia."
The photo under the video includes Chris Wurr (far right).
80th Anniversary since the end of WWII Reunion. Valletta, Malta
During the week of the 13th-17th October, 2025, the 458 Squadron Association held the 80th Anniversary since the end of World War 2 Reunion. It was truly an emotional and memorable event attended by nearly fifty family and friends of 458 Squadron.The Reunion Committee in NSW did an excellent job organising the 5 days long Reunion. Here is our photomontage collage.
The schedule of brilliant activities and events is illustrated here. Note that in the afternoon on Tuesday 14th we visited the Capuccini / Kalkara Military Cemetery and placed poppies and crosses of remembrance on the graves of our nine 458 heroes buried there. On Wednesday morning we held the Commemorative Wreath Laying Ceremony and this is Adam Bruce's heart warming speech. On Thursday afternoon/evening we were magnificently hosted by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Grech, Commanding Officer, and staff, at Air Wing MQR, Armed Forces of Malta. Photo shown above. The evening included a special remembrance and committal and farewell service for 458er Flight Lieutenant Don Bitmead. RIP. He had previously penned this recollection serving on the Squadron.
The Letters of Commendation that were received for our 80th Anniversary of the end of WWII Reunion and the vital mission of 458 Squadron, come from Australia's Governor General, Buckingham Palace, Canada's Prime Minister, UK Prime Minister, Chief of the RAAF, Marshal of the RAF, Australia's Department of Veterans Affairs Minister, Alberta Governor, British Columbia Governor, Vancouver Mayor, Manitoba Governor, Newfoundland and Labrador Governor, Nova Scotia Governor, Prince Edward Island Governor, Quebec Governor, Saskatchewan Governor and Sir Alec Shelbrooke.
Our Reunion hosts, Rob, Stephen and Adam have put together this touching Tribute for the 458 men & their families attending the Reunion. In addition to this, there is also a valuable post-war audio recording/reflection from the Squadron chaplains who served during that tumultuous time and the bond that was created then and lives on among us to this day.