SLY, Ted (#276)

Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:

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Flt Lt  Ted SLY DFC represents the fighter operations of the  ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE in particular in North Africa and also New Guinea, who initially joined the 7th Light Horse quickly joined the RAAF.

After training in Rhodesia he joined No.452 RAAF Squadron in England and was fortunate to serve with ‘Bluey’ Truscott in the UK and later with Bobby Gibbes in the Desert Air Force, where he flew 22 sorties in KITTYHAWKS with No.450 RAAF SQUADRON before the battle of EL ALAMEIN. When the Spitfires arrived in Cairo, Ted joined No.92 (East India) Squadron and became a flying partner with Neville Duke operating together from El Alamein to Tunis.

Ted then replaced Neville as a Flight Commander for the invasion of Italy. Posted later on he rejoined Neville Duke again at the Spitfire Operational Training unit at ABU SUEIR near the Suez Canal in Egypt. About six months later Ted was posted back to Australia and rejoined Bobby Gibbes when posted to Darwin as a Flight Commander on 457 RAAF Spitfire Squadron. This was attached to 80 Wing under the command of Clive Caldwell with Bobby Gibbes as Wing Commander flying for the campaign in the Celebes (Moratai) and the invasion of Borneo.

Ted Sly was subsequently seconded to the USAAF Technical Intelligence Unit at Clark Field in the Philippines testing Spitfires against captured Japanese fighters and also testing Zeros. On his discharge Ted Sly was rated “above average” as a fighter pilot and had also been Mentioned in Dispatches. After his subsequent business life, he retired to Ballina in northern New South Wales and in 2003 his autobiography “The Luck of the Draw” was published.