eHive Object Details

Name/TitleFlight Lieutenant R.W.Bungey, RAF

About this objectRobert Bungey was born in 1914 in South Australia. He learned to fly with the RAAF at Point Cook and then went to England as a member of a group of twenty-five RAAF officers who took up short service commissions in the Royal Air Force in July 1937.

When war broke out Bungey was with 226 Squadron flying obsolete Fairey Battle bombers in the Battle of France. These aircraft were totally outclassed by the Luftwaffe and Bungey was lucky to survive.
Back in England, Bungey transferred to Fighter Command, initially flying Hurricane fighters. In March 1941 he was posted to 452 Squadron, RAAF, flying Spitfires. In October he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Also in October Bungey married an English girl, Sybil Johnson. In February 1942 Sybil arrived in Adelaide to await the birth of their first child. She stayed with Bungey’s parents and a baby boy was born in March 1942.

On 4 May 1943 Bungey, who had been posted back to Australia, arrived in Adelaide to join Sybil and their baby son Richard. Unfortunately, on 27 May Sybil died of meningitis. Distressed by his wife’s death, on 10 June Robert Bungey went to Brighton Beach in Adelaide with Richard and shot Richard, then himself. Robert died but the baby, although seriously wounded, survived and was adopted by Robert’s brother.

A Spitfire fighter flown by Bungey while he was with 452 Squadron is on display in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The original of this drawing is contained in the book "Men of the RAF" by Sir William Rothenstein and Lord David Cecil (1942).

One of the many slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund.

This image is provided for research purposes and must not be reproduced without prior permission.For a high resolution copy of this image, contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Date Made1941 (original image)

Inscription and MarksIn image: "Flight lieutenant R. W. Bungey / (Australia)"
Signature in image: "Wm Rothenstein / 1941"

Period1940-1950

Object TypeGlass slide

Subject and Association KeywordsMilitary aviation

Subject and Association KeywordsAustralia. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

Subject and Association KeywordsAviation personnel

Subject and Association KeywordsWorld War, 1939-1945

Subject and Association KeywordsBungey, R. W., 1914-1943

Medium and MaterialsGelatin silver print on glass

Named CollectionImages collection

Object numberGS-PM-35

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved