The exhibition 'Lichfield at War' was opened by Fl/lt Gordon Hansen D.F.C who joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a Pilot in late 1942. After graduating from initial flying  training he embarked for England arriving at No 20 Advanced Flying Unit Kidlington in  September 1943 for further training on the twin engined Airspeed Oxford. In March 1944 he had his first experience of flying a heavy bomber 'The Whitley' at No 10 Operational Training Unit - Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire which is where he formed his Crew to go on to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor in Yorkshire for training on the Halifax. In July 1944 the Crew were ready to join 77 Sqdn  based at Full Sutton in the East Riding of Yorkshire and from here they completed 30 Ops bombing targets in France, Germany, Holland, and Norway. He arrived as a Pilot Instructor at 27 O.T.U. Lichfield in March 1945 and left the RAAF in July to return to Australia with his wife Olive. They returned to live in England a few years later but still make frequent trips to Australia to see friends.