How the Squadron Emblem was Established.
It was during the eight weeks that elapsed at Gawler that the community had come to accept the Squadron and its personnel as their own, social and church programmes arranged the final one being a dance that was enjoyed by all who attended. Jim Forster tell of one Squadron Parade when the CO spoke in strong terms of his dissatisfaction with the rate of progress in preparing the unit to go into action, he stressed the need to develop a Spirit that would bind the men and their efforts together, to enable them to endure the conditions they would all have to live through before, they return to Australia once they left Gawler on active service.
There was one man on that parade who may have taken the CO's words to heart, he was "Butch MacGregor an armourer, He had seen what he thought would make the perfect "Emblem" that would embody every word that the C O said on that parade and would create the Spirit to bind them in spirit to this very Day. What he saw was, an iron casting of an Eagle set in cocrete on the verander over the entrance to Tompson's "Eagle Foundry" in King Street Gawler, a scheme to install this casting. into the squadron was hatched, on the night prior to the unit leaving Gawler it was brought into play Butch and another (nameless) armed with pick and shovel clambered onto the verander and the Eagle was bound North.
Once, the Eagle joined the squadron the unit the
Carpentry Section produced a fine polished pedestal, as soon as
the unit had established itself at Merauke, the Eagle mounted on
its roost was placed in the Airmans Mess where, it became the
centre piece and admired by all and visiting servicemen, it
became a ritual that every man entering the Mess would rub the
palm of his hand on the head of the eagle resulting in the head
of the Eagle becoming highly polished.
There were several funeral
services conducted at Merauke and here the Emblem played its
second role, for it was carried to all these services, the
Squadron Padre used as the reading for these services from the
Book of Isaiah Chapter XL Verse 31. That reads. "But they that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wing as
eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk,
and not faint." 
The first fatality suffered was that of Pilot Officer Ivor Hatcher who was listed missing beleived killed on a flight from Horn Island to Merauke in 1943. Ivor was the third son of Mr & Mrs R G Hatcher of Kangaroo Flat, educated at the Kangaroo Flat School and the Gawler High School enlisted in The RAAF and trained as a pilot, from OTU Training he was posted to 86 Sqn and accepted as the baby of the Aircrew. After the Sqn had completed its tour and returned to Australia on another CO's Parade this time at Townsville another decission was made by the full compliment of the personnel and that was to return the Eagle and Stand to the people of Gawler. This was done through correspondence between the Commanding Officier and the Town Clerk of Gawler, F J Richards. to quote the letter from Squadron Leader S W Galton While this Squadron was situated at Gawler, it became deeply indebted to the citizens there, and the feeling inspired has and always will remain with each indivual member of the Squadron. On behalf of all members of the Squadron and myself I ask you to accept return of the "Eagle," and trust that that it will serve as a token of rememberence to the late Pilot Officer Ivor Hatcher. The Mayor through the Town Clerk replied.
Dear Sir, In reply to your letter of the 19th idem. Having obtained the consent of the owners of the "Eagle" I will be pleased if you will forward it to the Gawler Corporation at your early convenience, where it will be on a suitable pedestal to the memory of the late Pilot Officer Ivor Hatcher, as per your letter.
The "Eagle" has stood in the foyer of the Gawler Shire Offices since that time with the following inscription "In memoriam. The years that have passed with this memory has faded however, with this memorial in place all those who view it may, take the opportunity to reflect upon its importance not only to community of Gawler but, to all the communities that surrendered up their youth to defend all that we hold sacred."
The action of Butch MacGregor may have been somewhat dubious but, this and all the other traumatic events that occured helped build that Squadron Spirit that binds us all. To view the Eagle as it now stands in the foyer of the Gawler Town Hall as the Memorial to Pilot Officer Ivor Hatcher.
Back to Chapter One.