The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes, Royal Australian Air Force. Gilkes enlisted on 9 November 1941 and underwent training in Canada as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme. In 1943 he was badly burned when the Stirling bomber he was piloting was shot down near East Anglia, England. He was subsequently treated under pioneering reconstructive surgeon Dr (later Sir) Archibald McIndoe at the Queen Victoria Hospital near the village of East Grinstead. McIndoe's patients, including Gilkes, formed the 'Guinea Pig Club' for their role in the development of untried plastic and reconstructive surgical techniques. Gilkes returned to Australia in 1946, where he married his sweetheart, Roma Bessell-Browne.
Small black photograph album, containing 129 small photographs on 54 pages. Images are pre-war family photographs belonging to Gilkes, who carried the album with him throughout his Second War World service.
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes, Royal Australian Air Force. Gilkes enlisted on 9 November 1941 and underwent training in Canada as
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes, Royal Australian Air Force. Gilkes enlisted on 9 November 1941 and underwent training in Canada as
Informal group portrait of aircrew trainees of 'B Block' RCAF Station Lachine, Canada. Identified is Dicky Jones, 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes, 420541 Flying Officer David Alexander C
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and France, c 1939-45. Collection
Informal portrait of Herbie Jones [unable to further identify], 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes and 420740 Edgar Albert James (Ed) Giles. The three men are celebrating at Billy Rose's Ho
Interior view of Ward 3, Queen Victoria Hospital. Images relating to 420656 Flight Sergeant Charles Kenneth Gilkes and his service in the Second World War, including the extensive medical treatment a
