Official Press Release, 13 December 2021

At the end of December 2020, the RAF Pathfinders Archive (RPA) in the United Kingdom and the Queensland Air Museum (QAM) in Australia signed a Memorandum of Agreement establishing a formal collaboration between the two parties over their shared commitment to collecting, conserving, cataloguing, and publishing on the Path Finder Force of RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War.

The Bennett room at QAM, photograph by Ian Campbell

Don Bennett, the leader of the Pathfinders, was born in Queensland, and although he lived most of his life in England kept strong connections with the area and, later, with the museum.

The RAF Pathfinders Archive and the Queensland Air Museum intend to create a comprehensive international digital record of the Path Finder Force. The last year has seen much progress in establishing the basic roadmap on which our two organisations travel forwards. However, as both parties are not-for-profit, operating on limited funding, and relying on the dedicated commitment of volunteers, progress on our various joint projects will take time.

The Archive and the QAM will be following clear guidelines which respect one another’s intellectual property and copyrights. This is a sharing, rather than a pooling, of resources.

Dr Jennie Gray of the RAF Pathfinders Archive and Ian Campbell of the Queensland Air Museum are the coordinators of the partnership

RAF Pathfinders Archive

Registered British Charity Number: 1176507

Pathfinder Office, The Pennys,

Winforton, Herefordshire HR3 6EA

Queensland Air Museum (Incorporated)

ABN: 88760302357

7-11 Pathfinder Drive,

Caloundra West, QLD, 4551