Merle Holland nee Murphy

Service No: NF462746
Service: AWAS
Place of Birth: Crookwell
Highlights: Enlisted on 6 Jul 1943, aged 23 years old. After completing initial training at Ingleburn, Merle attended driver training school and was posted to 1 Aust Para Training Centre based at RAAF Base Richmond. Where she continued to serve for the rest of the war. On 10 Aug 1944 Merle married CAPT John Holroyd Holland who was in the same unit as Merle. She was discharged on 8 Nov 1945. John was an accountant from Melbourne who had served in the Middle East as a driver Mechanic with the rank of CPL. In August 1943 he was promoted to LT and became a qualified parachutist in Dec 1943 becoming an Instructor in April 1945. John transferred to the Reserve of Officers in Nov 1945 and he and Merle settled in Preston, Melbourne. Her sister Lola also served in the AWAS.