Gold Coast man recovers father’s treasured WWII flying helmet more than 40 years after it was stolen

A BURLEIGH Waters man has recovered his father’s World War II flying helmet which was stolen from his family home more than 40 years ago.

Craig Tonkin with his father's WWII helmet and other wartime mementos at his Burleigh Waters home. Picture: Mike Batterham

A BURLEIGH Waters man has recovered his father’s World War II flying helmet which was stolen from his family home more than 40 years ago.

Craig Tonkin, 65, never thought he would see his father’s leather Lancaster bomber helmet again until it appeared on eBay with the name Rodney Tonkin carved into the side.

After a short bidding war and a cheque for $300, the once-lost piece of Anzac history was returned to its rightful owners.

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Rodney Tonkin, the shorter man in the centre of the photo, with his flying unit during the war.

“I remembered seeing the helmet when I was really young but we had a break-in and they took a suitcase carrying heaps of Dad’s stuff,” said Craig.

“I thought it was gone forever until my cousin happened to find someone selling it on eBay after Googling our family name.

Rodney Tonkin’s recovered WWII helmet. Picture: Mike Batterham

“We lost the bid at first but we called the Melbourne seller and he sold it directly to us once he heard our story.”

The weathered helmet had travelled with Rodney, a rear gunner, for three years in Germany only to be later stolen from the basement of his family home in Cowell, South Australia.

“Dad was wearing the helmet when his bomber went down over Germany in 1943,” said Craig.

“He managed to kick out the door and parachute to safety before the plane crashed. No one else survived but Dad managed to walk away with that helmet.”

Rodney, who was 21 at the time, was captured by German soldiers and held in a prisoner of war camp for two years.

When the conflict finally ended, the prisoners were set free and Rodney and his helmet were shipped back to Australia.

Craig said he wished his father had lived long enough to see the helmet returned.

“He died at 75 in 1998, probably from all the asbestos at construction sites,” he said.

Craig Tonkin with his father's WWII helmet and other wartime mementos at his Burleigh Waters home. Picture: Mike Batterham

“He would have loved to see the helmet sitting alongside all his old medals but I guess life doesn’t work like that.

“I’m just thankful it somehow made its way back to us after quite a journey.”