Operation Sherriff
Disaster Relief Australia volunteers deployed to Emerald in the south Gippsland Region of Victoria to assist the community with ongoing storm recovery.
Widespread devastation in the area was caused by extreme storm activity in February 2024, with windspeeds of up to 130km per hour and hail up to 4cm in diameter.
Volunteers completed work order referral provided by Windermere Storm Recovery Program and were requested to assist by Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV).
These relief and recovery efforts in the South Gippsland region continued initial efforts by DRA volunteers in the area on Operation Marshall during May, June and July 2024.
The story behind the name
Operation Sherriff is named after Myrie Elizabeth Sherriff who was born in Cockatoo on 12 July 1915.
She enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) in Emerald as an Aircraftwomen (ACW) on 8 April 1942. She was commissioned as a Section Officer on 26 April 1944 and promoted to Flight Officer on 1 February 1945.
Flight Officer Sherriff served in a variety of personnel staff roles in Air Force Headquarters, Headquarters 4 Maintenance Group in Victoria and Headquarters 2 Training Group at Wagga. She was placed on the Retired List on 24 September 1945 and discharged on 26 September 1945 to Emerald.
Flight Officer Sherriff died in Emerald on 8 September 1996.
Get involved
Planning for upcoming operational deployments is now underway. If you are keen to participate in the next operation, express your interest in becoming a volunteer today.
