ier ath ▁of ▁German ▁descent ▁who ▁owned ▁the ▁general ▁store . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁he ▁left ▁Nar rom ine ▁to ▁attend ▁Sh ore ▁School ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁Wil ly ▁Williams ▁another ▁“ Gre at ▁Esc aper ” ▁was ▁also ▁educated ▁at ▁Sh ore ▁School . ▁K ier ath ▁was ▁a ▁good ▁sports man ▁and ▁also ▁achieved ▁reasonable ▁academic ▁results ▁sufficient ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁position ▁with ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Austral asia . ▁He ▁spent ▁a ▁year ▁serving ▁with ▁ 1 7 th ▁Battalion ▁Australian ▁Army . ▁ ▁War ▁service ▁K ier ath ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Air ▁Force ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁to ▁learn ▁to ▁fly ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁a ▁six ▁hundred ▁Austral ians ▁to ▁complete ▁basic ▁training ▁and ▁pre lim inary ▁flight ▁training ▁before ▁being ▁posted ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁Southern ▁Rh odes ia ▁to ▁do ▁their ▁full ▁flight ▁training ▁. ▁ ▁His ▁brother ▁Captain ▁Greg ▁K ier ath ▁was ▁serving ▁with ▁an ▁Australian ▁Anti - T ank ▁company ▁and ▁was ▁killed ▁at ▁Tob ru k ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁on ▁about ▁the ▁date ▁when ▁K ier ath ▁gained ▁his ▁pilot ’ s ▁air cre w ▁bre vet . ▁R ust y ▁K ier ath ▁graduated ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁No . ▁ 7 1 ▁Oper ational ▁Training ▁Unit ▁as ▁a ▁f ighter ▁pilot