1941 - 1943

Edward was selected to follow training as a Navigator. While at the 1 Air Crew Receiving Centre (ACRC) Edward was on leave from October 3 to 5, 1941 and then at the RAF Hospital, Halton, on October 6, 1941.

The next entry in his RAF record shows him being reinstated as U/T Observer on November 3, 1941. The following photo was taken on November 16, 1941 at Regent's Park while at the No 1 ACRC. This was 13/41 Flight. 

Edward parted ways with his fellow volunteers as some went to train as pilots with RAF Fighter Command and others to various duties.  He was posted to 5 Initial Training Wing (ITW) in Torquay, Devon on December 13, 1941. 

On February 20, 1942 he was promoted to Leading Aircraftman and RAF records show that he was in the No 1 Airmens' Convalescent Depot on March 20, 1942. After a gap in the records, he was posted to 1 Empire Air Navigation School (EANS), Bridgenorth on May 2, 1942, and was trained in Navigation Theory until September 1942. 

He was posted to the 1 Advanced (Observer) Flying Unit (AFU) in Wigtown. He started his log book at this point when he started his practical training as a Navigator on Ansons. He flew 38.45 (Daytime) and 42.45 (night) hours between Oct 1, 1942 and Nov 28, 1942. 

He was re-mustered as an Air Navigator and promoted to Temporary Sergeant on Nov 30, 1942 on completion of his training, and was posted to 10 Operation Training Unit (OTU) at Abingdon /Berkshire on Dec 8, 1942.

After a period of leave Edward continued to train in Ansons and flew once in a Whitley with Sgt. Stan Emms on Feb 17, 1943. It would have been around this time he joined a 'crew'.

Stanley W. Emms Pilot

Ekanayake Edward Amerasekera Navigator 

Philip Haddon Ackling Bomb Aimer

David Gracie Cree Mid Upper Gunner

John McGuire Rear Gunner

William Samuel Henry Strong Flight Engineer

Geoffrey Stephen Almond Wireless Operator

Almond was not in the original crew that flew Whitleys at 10 OTU. He joined them after they arrived at 158 Squadron. The crew flew more frequently on Whitleys in March and April 1943 and took part in their first Operation on the night of April 3, 1943 when they flew a Nickel raid to Catreaux.

Edward and his crew mates were posted to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) on April 27, 1943, to convert to the much heavier 4 engined Handley Page Halifax aircraft. They were part of Course 7 and completed the training on June 11, 1943. From there they were posted to No 158 Squadron, an operational squadron in the No 4 Group of Bomber Command on June 13, 1943.