The BJV Database - The Project

Wing Commander Barry Videon with the help of a dedicated group have compiled records of over 5600 Australians that served with the air forces of WW1.

In the coming months this database will be published on this website making it one of the most comprehensive collection of biographies of WW1 aviation personnel today.

The BJV Database - Access

At this stage, once published, full access to the BJV Database will be restricted to members of the Australian Society of WW1 Aero Historians. There are plans for non members to have partial access to the BJV Database in the future.

The BJV Database - Thank You

The Australian Society of WW1 Aero Historians would like to thank the Mrs Vida Videon and her family for allowing the Society use of the BJV Database

Wing Commander Barry J. Videon

Barry John Videon was born in the small South Australian town of Morgan in 1925. An avid militaria collector from a young age, Barry joined the Air Training Corps (ATC) in 1941, and as soon as he was old enough, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He trained on and qualified to fly Kittyhawks, but with the end of the war looming and numerous pilots waiting to be posted to operational squadrons, Barry chose to go to the South West Pacific Area in an administrative roll as a Flying Officer.

Barry was demobilized in Adelaide, and married Vida in 1947. Barry first joined the Mines Department then relocated to Melbourne in 1956 to work on the Mary Kathleen Uranium Project. Later on Barry was to become a foundation member of the Military Historical Society of Australia (MHSA)

His close association with the military continued and in 1965 he joined the Commonwealth Public Service and came back to Melbourne to work for the Department of Defence.

In 1972 Barry Videon had his first book published, with co author Alfred Festberg. The work "Uniforms of the Australian Colonies" was well received. He continued to write and further books were published including; "Air Training Corps - the First Fifty Years" and "The Australian family tree of John and Elizabeth Videon and their descendants". His love of the RAAF remained and Barry served on the ATC and became the Victorian Squadron Commander in 1980.

His research into the Australian Flying Corps was comprehensive and a book was written, however Barry's magnus opus, which focuses on the Australian Flying Corps remains unpublished. It is with that knowledge that the Society publishes his database on which much of his work was based.

Barry Videon passed away suddenly on 27 January 2006 at his home leaving behind his wife Vida, and loving family.

Photo Courtesy of David Perkins.