West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Wednesday 2 July 1952, page 7


PROMOTION IN R.A.A.F.

The Officer Commanding Western Area, R.A.A.F. ,(Group-Capt. W. L. Hely) who has been promoted to the rank of acting aircommodore. This was announced yesterday. His post will now be Air Officer Commanding Western Area, R.A.A.F. William Lloyd Hely was born at Wellington (N.S.W.) in 1909 and after attending the Port-street High School, Sydney, he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, as an Air Force nominee in 1927. He completed his flying training at Point Cook in 1931. In 1937 he found Sir Herbert Gepp after his aircraft had been forced down south-east of Hall's Creek. Later that year he found Dr. C. Fenton who had been lost in the Northern Territory. During the war he served in England, at R.A.A.F. Headquarters in Melbourne, at Darwin, and as coinmanding officer of No. 72 Wing at Merauke, New Guinea, and No. 84 Army Cooperation Wing at Bougainville. He was appointed Officer Comniinding Western Area' last September..'