Sergeant Vyvyan Roessler Pascoe, the son of Vyvyan Edmondson Pascoe and Lilian Alma Pascoe (nee Roessler), was born at Toowoomba in Queensland on 18th January 1917. He was educated at the East State School in Toowoomba during the years 1925-1929. He then attended the Toowoomba Grammar School during the years 1930-1934 where he completed the Senior Public Examination. Whilst a student at the Grammar School, he had served in the Cadet Corps. After leaving school he entered the Teacher’s Training College in Brisbane where he graduated as a School Teacher in March 1936. He applied for aircrew training in the Royal Australian Air Force on 3rd June 1940. At the time of his application he was unmarried, employed as a Teacher and residing at the Somerset Dam State School. He had served as a cadet pilot in the R.A.A.F. in 1939. He was enrolled in the Reserve of the R.A.A.F. on 3rd June 1940 after swearing the statutory oath of allegiance. At the age of 23 years and 9 months he was enlisted in the Citizen Air Force of the R.A.A.F. at No. 3 Recruiting Centre in Brisbane on 8th November 1940 after giving an undertaking that he would serve for the duration of the war and an additional twelve months. His physical description at the time of his enlistment was that he 5 feet 3 inches in height and weighed 152 pounds. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He stated that he was of the Methodist religion. He gave his next of kin as his father, Mr Vyvyan Pascoe, Head Teacher, Oakey State School. His next of kin was later changed to that of his wire, Mrs Gladys Pascoe (nee Simons), residing at Wylie Street, Graceville, Brisbane whom he married on 29th May 1941.
Sergeant Vyvyan Pascoe was allotted the service number of 404671. He joined No. 2 Initial Training School at Lindfield in New South Wales on 10th November 1940. He joined No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School at Archerfield in Queensland on 6th February 1941. He joined No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Amberley in Queensland on 7th April 1941. After completing his pilot training at Amberley he was awarded the Flying Qualification Badge on 29th May 1941. He was promoted to the rank of Temporary Sergeant on 25th July 1941. He joined No. 3 Embarkation Depot at Sandgate in Queensland on 5th August 1941 and then joined No. 2 Embarkation Depot at Bradfield Park in Sydney on 5th August 1941 to prepare for movement overseas on attachment to the Royal Air Force. Sergeant Vyvyan Pascoe embarked from Sydney in New South Wales on 8th August 1941 and travelled to Canada where he joined No. 1 “Y” Depot at Halifax in Nova Scotia on 14th September 1941. He embarked from Canada on 15th September 1941. After disembarking in England he joined No. 3 Personnel Despatch & Reception Centre at Bournemouth. He joined No. 22 Operational Training Unit at Royal Air Force Station Wellesbourne Mountford on 25th November 1941 for training in night bombing using Wellington aircraft.
Sergeant Vyvyan Pascoe was the Pilot of a No. 22 Operational Training Unit Wellington Bomber AD625 that was involved in an aircraft accident at Stratford, England, on 25th May 1942. His aircraft was preparing for a cross country non-operational flight and was waiting at the taxying post prior to receiving permission to cross the flare path to taxy to dispersal. Another Wellington aircraft made a bad landing approach and swung into Sergeant Pascoe’s aircraft. No blame was attached to Vyvyan Pascoe as he was at least 200 yards away from the runway in use for night flying. At the time of his death he was 25 years of age. He was buried in the Stratford-on-Avon Cemetery in the United Kingdom. His headstone in the Stratford-Upon-Avon Cemetery contains the family inscription “I’ll Walk Beside You To The Land Of Dreams”. Sergeant Vyvyan Pascoe, for his service during World War 2, had entitlement for the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Australian Service Medal 1939/1945. His name is commemorated on Panel No. 128 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and locally on the Toowoomba Grammar School World War 2 Honour Board.
His photo and the following were published in the Courier Mail on 11th June 1942:
Sergeant Pilot Vyvyan R. Pascoe, son of Mr V.E. Pascoe, Harlaxton, via Toowoomba, was accidentally killed while on an operational training flight at Stratford on Avon on May 25. Before he enlisted in the R.A.A.F. Sergeant Pascoe was teaching at the Somerset Dam State School, and later at the Toowoomba Boys’ Grammar School. He leaves a widow, formerly Miss Gladys Simons, of Graceville.
