When Laddie Hindley enlisted at 18, he never thought that he would end up in the air force, let alone as a pilot.
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"I wanted to go into the army but my parents wouldn't sign for it," Mr Hindley said.
"I finally broke them down after about three months when they said they would only sign if I went in the air force, because they said, 'You'll meet nicer boys there'."
He went on to serve as a flying officer during the Second World War and, after successfully completing a number of strategic missions, was placed at an operational training unit in Tocumwal, NSW.
There he taught new pilots how to fly B24J heavy bomber planes until the war ended.
Mr Hindley was one of 50 local WWII veterans honoured on Friday as part of the Anzac centenary year.
The retired Royal Australian Air Force pilot attended the reception for WWII veterans and widows held at Albert Hall, proudly displaying the 14 medals which he earned during his career.
He said that prior to enlisting he never had any interest in flying, but went on to fly aeroplanes commercially when the war was over.
"I didn't know anything about aeroplanes and wasn't too interested in them either, but I ended up as a pilot, which was a remarkable thing."
Another air force veteran who attended the event was Clive Gesling, a wireless operator for a bomber crew which carried out 12 attacks against enemy infrastructure.
Mr Gesling said the most memorable mission was a raid on an oil facility in Czechoslovakia.
"It was about an 11½-hour trip and when we returned we were heading to the end of the runway and the engines cut out. We were out of petrol just as we stopped – we got really lucky."
He attributes his desire to enlist at 18 to the number of friends who had already signed up – and the legacy of his father who had fought at Gallipoli and who was fortunate enough to make it home.
"My dad's number was Q51 so he joined very early. He landed on Gallipoli on the first day with the Third Field Ambulance, and like most people didn't say much about what happened."
Gwendoline Jackson was another whose father, Albert, fought at Gallipoli and in turn encouraged her to enlist for the air force in 1942.
Mrs Jackson began her career as an aircraft woman and achieved the rank of corporal as a wireless telegraphist.
She developed anxiety during her service and found it difficult to return to civilian life.
"I don't regret it – but it did muck up my life," she said.
"I never married when I came back, and I had this disability as well. It took me a long time to get back into life."
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and director of the Australian War Memorial Dr Brendan Nelson spoke at the reception, honouring the veterans and widows for their sacrifice.
