750,000 views – another milestone!

As always, I am so pleased to be able to announce another viewing milestone – doubly pleasurable as the number we have just reached includes the number 75!

It seems incredible that the site has now recorded 3/4’s of a million views and of course it’s entirely down to all of you who have visited and in most cases, contributed to the information now presented on it – thank you to you all!

As I have remarked a number of times previously, I am aware that the nature of the function of the blog has seems to have changed. It’s sad that the majority of posts recently have to been to record the passing of our Squadron veterans. My efforts seem now spread between a losing battle to keep up with email enquiries – I will get to you all eventually! – and the slow but highly rewarding activity of researching and adding to the Nominal Roll section of the site – the last ‘great project’.

I would request as I always do, to please, please, download the aircrew information form from the top menu bar – complete as much as you can and send it to me – there is a lot of information that I want to add to the entries that I simply have no way of accessing or knowing – but family and relatives do – even the smallest piece of information when undertaking an activity like this is gold dust.

Again, I must always single out Chris Newey and Kevin King for their continuing support and efforts not only in the Nominal Roll Project, but also generally regarding information found and passed on

750,000 views – wow! – there won’t be another on of these milestone announcements till we hit that magical figure of 1 million views!

Thank you all

Simon

ANZAC Day 2021

“Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.“

 In 1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered these words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. They were later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington.

Let us take this day to remember all those, from Australia and New Zealand who gave their lives, not only in 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, but in every conflict before and after.

We shall remember them………….

AHE AKE KIA KAHA

We will Remember Them……….

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21^st September 1914.

This year, Remembrance Sunday will stick in our minds I suspect for no reason other than it either feels as if it did not happen or happened in a very different way to what we are used to. As always however, it is a point in the year where we take time to pause and reflect on those who have fallen for the defence of their country. This is, quite rightly, an intensely personal moment and gesture and I am sure we all do it in our own ways, in some respects necessarily cocooned from those around us for those minutes and that silence – and it is this that makes this Sunday so important and resonant for all those who remember those who have fallen.

And so as a way allowing the act of remembrance to take place – some stories…..

Many of you will know Kevin King, either personally or by repeated mentions of him on this site. Chairman of the UK 75(NZ) RAF Squadron Association and probably the most knowledgeable person on the Squadron. Always at Mepal for Remembrance Sunday and always playing the Last Post, suddenly this year he is not going…… Kevin’s solution and a beautiful one I think, was to produce and display the following, I assume in his front garden, as a tribute and marker for the Squadron.

I met Mark Rae a good few years ago when he attended a Remembrance weekend reunion for the Squadron Association, which was also the debut of a song that he wrote and produced to honour the memory of his Grandfather, John Bell, Navigator with Ronald Gordon’s crew, one of 3 aircraft lost on the 20th November 1944 on one of the trips to what is widely recognised as 75(NZ) Squadron’s ‘bogey’ target, the Fischer Tropsch oil refinery at Homberg. I noticed Mark had paid a vist to the Lincolnshire Aviation Museum recently to take as I have done a taxi ride in their Lancaster NX611 ‘Just Jane’. Mark filmed the event and you can see it below.

I recently did a request for information/ contact post about Keith McGregors’s crew, with the simple objective of trying to reach out to and possibly hear back from relatives of his crew, 6 of whom were lost on the night of 30th of August 1943 whilst on War Ops to Berlin. Perhaps at the time my reasons other than important were a little guarded, as I was keen and I felt it fit to try first to talk to relatives before announcing as follows that I have been gifted, very kindly by Gerald a large number of pieces of wreckage from their Stirling Mk.III  Bomber, EF501, AA-K.

I must confess, after the first email contact form Gerald I was left a little cold, albeit flattered that he had thought to contact me having, himself come by the items from a German gentleman who had recovered the wreckage. I asked for some time to consider his offer. I have always been deeply uncomfortable with images particularly in some Facebook groups of boxes of wreckage jammed into cardboard boxes by enthusiastic crash hunters from all over Europe – I don’t damn them for it, certainly not, but personally I think crash sites, especially when in the ground are best left as they are, especially if the site is potentially and I hate the term – ‘wet’.

I mulled it over and on balance decided to take up Gerald on his very generous offer – now in the wild as it were, I think it was best I have them, given my links to the Squadron and through the blog it seems a perfect opportunity to return, if wished, the wreckage to the surviving relatives of the crew.

Having no reason whatsoever to doubt Gerald’s assertion that the wreckage was from EF501, I did some digging anyways and was happy when, after posting some pieces with manufacturing numbers on the Stirling Society Facebook page, received confirmation that not only were they from a Stirling, but that the part numbers identified it as being from the tail section of the aircraft. The images of these parts are below and show the serial numbers. The two parts both have serial numbers on them and both seem to be either mirror or perhaps each end of a larger part. They are double skinned aluminium and seem both to have a strip of wood/ plywood sandwiched between each pressing

I include some other parts now, simply perhaps to spark further debate discussion as to the position/ function of the pieces. Firstly, and perhaps most interestingly, a metal component with what is clearly fragments of plexiglass set into it – at this point my conjecture is possibly that this is a frame component of the Rear Turret – based on the previous 2 parts.

Next and possibly related is an iron, or perhaps heavily corroded steel rack – the teeth are clearly visible, and the depth of the teeth are about ¼ of an inch – perhaps again a part of the rear turret?

I have no means of identifying any functional aspect of this piece, however I include it simply to show the shocking concertinaing that an impact with the ground at speed and from altitude has on an airframe.

Finally, simply a fascinating example of multi-sheet construction utilising what in the day, was the main method of holding an airframe together – rivets. I would imagine though I have no proof that this is possibly a main member or possibly surface junction, possibly of the tail plane or rear wings. The following 2 pictures show the front and reverse of the same part.

I must confess when I had thought of this post and the presentation of this wreckage, I had lofty plans, however, handing and inspecting them, bought home to me 2 things. Firstly, that they are wreckage – broken, twisted, unidentifiable parts on the whole, of what was once a massive aircraft. Secondly that 6 allied airmen died in this aircraft and their bodies were never found. I am familiar with these pieces now, but still handle them with the respect that at least I think they deserve. I intend to continue to research the parts, document them all photographically and then, if and where possible return the pieces to family members of the crew. I am nothing more than a custodian of these remains, until ownership can be offered.

For the 6 McGregor crew and the other 1,133 members of the Squadron who were lost.

We will Remember Them

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

700,000 views – and amazing new milestone!

We have reached another incredible viewing milestone – now over 700,000 views and almost 1,500 followers!

I find myself always saying the same at these points – but it still amazes me and also makes me incredibly proud that the viewing figures continue to rise – a single proof that there is still massive interest in the Squadron and support for it.

It’s been a strange and very testing time for all over us in the last 12 months or so. I must confess, the number of posts has perhaps reduced, but as a necessary need to enhance the website as a resource, I have found my attention almost completely dominated with the Nominal Roll project – but it has been worth it. Subject to revision and corrections, we now have a definitive list of all operational aircrew that flew with 75|(NZ) Squadron RAF during the War period. The first stage, listing all individuals alphabetically with text holders for their biographies is complete. Next will come the addition of these biographies and also where they exist, photographs of the individuals. I have to congratulate Chris Newey and Kevin King at this point for a herculean effort and forensic search to provide to date, photographs of almost 25% of those individuals listed on the Roll. My gratitude also to all of those that have so far downloaded, completed and returned the aircrew information sheets – they have, in all cases, added to our knowledge of those airmen.

By its nature the Nominal Roll project will still take a very long time to complete. I still have a lot of information to add that I hold and there is, I am pleased to say, an almost daily flow of new information that has to then be added to the database, output and either added or updated to an existing entry. I am also pleased that in this search, I and others are forming new links with other Squadron groups, whilst searching out the personal stories of the Squadron and through this new channels and exchanges of information are taking place – all incredible useful to all parties concerned.

It’s already becoming, I am sure a broken record, but please if you see this post, or are a regular reader of the blog, do consider downloading the aircrew information form and completing as much as you can – even small pieces of information such as date and place of birth add to the boy’s story.

Once again, thank you to all of you, both contributors and readers – you have all played a part in getting 75nzsquadron.com to where we are today!

Simon

Nominal Roll update – significant progress!

I am really excited to announce a very significant step forward with the Nominal Roll project. All letters, A-Z have now been created and populated with all aircrew names that appear on the Roll as operational aircrew.

In addition to this, “A” has been completed based on the first pass of information held in the database.

I have said many times before, the term ‘completed’ is a very relative one. It seems each time I return to an individual and metaphorically stare at them, another small piece of information comes to light and thus can be added – contacts this week alone have added the first names of 5 of the boys.

Additionally to this, I have dragged Kevin and Chris on board and we have had a massive increase in photographs of Squadron members, as well as new information to add.

At this point we have 431 photographs – 12% of the 3578 individuals listed – I am sure we will find many more – with your help!

Also, for easier access and perhaps to catch the eye of new visitors to the site, I have now created a specific top menu item that takes you to the downloadable aircrew information form – PLEASE if you haven’t filled one in, or thought about it and then forgot – go back, roll up your sleeves, put on your glasses, make a cup of tea and make your contribution to the Squadron, this site and the individual you are remembering!

View the “A” page……….

here

Ralph Brumwell – 100 not out!

Many thanks to Kevin for providing me with advance warning that today is Ralph Brumwell’s 100th birthday – I am sure you will all join with me in wishing Ralph the most heartfelt wishes on this remarkable milestone.

This notable event also gives me an excuse to make use of the Nominal Roll database to provide the following summary of Ralph’s time with the Squadron!

Ralph William Brumwell,  D.F.C.  RAF 127140 – Pilot  
Born on Saturday, 24 July 1920.
Arrived Saturday, 20 May 1944 at R.A.F. Mepal, Cambridgeshire, aged 23 from No.31.Base.

1st Tour
Ops total with Squadron – 27
total sorties undertaken 28 (96 % completion rate)

Undertook 28 Ops as Pilot , including 1 DNC – 17/07/1944 Attack Against Vaires

Tour History
27/05/1944 Attack Against Aachen, 28/05/1944 Attack Against Angers, 30/05/1944 Attack Against Boulogne, 31/05/1944 Attack Against Trappes, 02/06/1944 Attack Against Wissant, 12/06/1944 Attack Against Gelsenkirchen, 14/06/1944 Attack Against Le Havre, 21/06/1944 Attack Against Domleger, 23/06/1944 Attack Against L’Hey, 24/06/1944 Attack Against Rimeux, 30/06/1944 Attack Against Villers Bocage, 02/07/1944 Daylight Attack Against Beauvoir, 07/07/1944 Attack Against Vaires, 10/07/1944 Attack Against Nucourt, 12/07/1944 Attack Against Vaires, 15/07/1944 Attack Against Chalons Sur Marne, 17/07/1944 Attack Against Vaires (DNC), 18/07/1944 Attack Against Cagny, 01/08/1944 Attack Against Le Nieppe, 12/08/1944 Mining in the Gironde Estuary, 14/08/1944 Attack Against Hamel, 15/08/1944 Attack Against The Aerodrome at St. Trond, 16/08/1944 Attack Against Stettin, 18/08/1944 Attack Against Bremen, 29/08/1944 Attack Against Stettin, 31/08/1944 Attack Against Pont Reny, 05/09/1944 Attack Against Le Havre, 06/09/1944 Attack Against Harqueboc Le Havre

Operational Duration (first to last Op) – 3 months 10 days

Posted out from 75(NZ) Squadron Monday, 25 September 1944. Time with Squadron – 4 months 5 days

Awards & Citations
LONDON GAZETTE 8th of December 1944
Distinguished Flying Cross
Ralph William BRUMWELL (127140), R.A.F.V.R., 75(N.Z.) Sqn

This officer has completed many operational sorties against a wide variety of targets in Germany and Northern France. He has shown himself to be a cool and resourceful captain of aircraft and has displayed outstanding courage and keenness to engage the enemy. In August 1944, Flight Lieutenant’ s aircraft was detailed to attack a target at Le Nieppe. Several hits were sustained by anti-aircraft and on engine was rendered unserviceable. Although the damage to his aircraft was severe, he successfully flew it back to base and execute a perfect landing.

Once again Ralph – all the best wishes for the day and literally in your case………

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

Nominal Roll – another update!

I am pleased/ relieved to announce that the Nominal Roll for the Squadron is now complete! Possibly, this sounds a lot better than it actually is, but it represents a significant point as I now have an individual Op history attached to every individual who flew Operationally with the Squadron. As I have observed many times previously, this was never going to be a quick or easy project. Starting with a blank sheet of paper and interrogating my original crew history spreadsheet, I have now, over a number of years, generated a basic list of names and then to these, attached Operational histories. Additionally, I have begun to add extra information to individual records from published sources and the extensive, if patchy historical records that exist and that are accessible.

The size of the basic list, when extracted from the spreadsheet into a Word document is 1249 pages – if laid out end to end, it would be 370 meters long…….

The histories I now have are are highly variable in size, both by duration and Op count, ranging from a number of individuals who completed 2 tours with the Squadron to, too many, who excruciatingly only have a single Op recorded, on which they were lost…..

Soberingly, based on the arrived figure of 3,480 individuals who flew operationally, based on total losses for the Squadron of 1,139, the maths shows an almost exact 1/3 chance of not surviving the Squadron, once you had arrived. Clearly, not simply by fancy, the unofficial moniker of “The Chop Squadron” was chillingly true.

I am keen to try (eventually) to provide as detailed a record for all individuals as I can. For some this will be a proud point of reference for a family, for others it will be simply a record of their contribution and a permanent statement of their commitment and bravery through the War.

The database has been built to be flexible and to accept whatever information I am able to gather on an individual. In truth, a lot of this information I have no way of gathering without the help of all the readers of this site. Without being unnecessarily wordy, I am keen that these records have a narrative feel to them – after all, it is these boy’s story that is being told – a small thing like a date of birth allows me through the database to have an age for the individual airman when he arrived at the Squadron. A service record allows their journey prior to Operational duties to be known and also the date of arrival and departure from 75(NZ) Squadron, as well as where they went afterwards. Working through Errol Martyn’s breathtaking record of all RNZAF losses – “For your Tomorrow” I have been able to add to all RNZAF aircrew lost on Operations, small details of life – whilst known on this site as a Pilot, an Air Bomber or Rear Gunner, it’s touching to discover that they were also clerks, shepherds, plumbers, plasterers and teachers. The extensive records held and accessible in the Australian National Archives, for those RAAF aircrew that flew with the Squadron provides the same personal insight into an individuals life before service and in many cases the pain when they were lost.

I am also pleased to say that WordPress have recently provided an alternative method of creating pages. One addition is a 2 column block, which means that, where it exists, a photograph of the individual can also be included. A sneak peek of what I envisage for the Nominal Roll when it becomes live can be seen here – this is ‘Z’, mercifully small, but it let’s you see the planned layout and the wonderful visual addition to a record that a picture makes – by coincidence Vernon Zinzan, my Father’s 2nd Tour Pilot.

I have also produced a pro forma for submitting individual information, which can be downloaded here

request-for-information-form-for-nominal-rollDownload

I still have a lot of information to add to the database and I hope I might receive more based on this request! – at a point in the next month or so I will begin uploading information in the format previously mentioned…………

Victory in Europe – 8th of May 1945

A wonderful opportunity today, to remember the cessation of hostilities in Europe, on this date, 75 years ago. I am sure we are all sat here today, having perhaps expected to engage with these anniversary celebrations in a way significantly different to how and where we find ourselves on this Friday.

The report of this momentous day was recorded in the Mepal Station Log, with, typically understated, yet factually precise manner as can be seen below:

One assumes that there was the odd beer and celebrations a plenty, though, the Squadron was still tasked with flying responsibilities, perhaps fittingly, it was this day that saw the final ’Manna’ sortie flown from Mepal in support of humanitarian efforts for the Dutch people.

Strangely, I have found no specific recollections of this day, though one must assume for many it represented a massive release, but perhaps also the start of the collective burden that many of the boys would carry to varying degrees for years after.

It was not long before attentions turned from the smouldering devastation of the defeated Third Reich to the Far East, where the War continued and as such, plans were made to reconfigure the Squadron to support these intended needs – 75(NZ) Squadron was to join ‘Tiger Force’. I was perhaps a cruel irony that these plans did not include the RAF aircrew of the Squadron, the Squadron being crewed exclusively by RNZAF aircrew.

75(NZ) Squadron RAF finished the War with highest number of sorties flown in all of Bomber Command, the second highest number of operational aircraft loses and the second highest number of aircrew loses in the Command – a total of 1,139

 

AKE AKE KIA KAHA!

Sad news…….

It gives me great sadness to report the passing of 2 75(NZ) Squadron veterans – Leonard Cooper and Charles Green

I received an email from Leonard’s son the day before last letting me know that Leonard passed on the 30^th of March, aged 97. Yesterday I learnt through a post Vic Jay had made on his ‘The Mallon crew’ Facebook page that we had also lost Charles on the morning of the 8^th, aged 98 years.

Leonard Cooper – Mid Upper Gunner
Leonard arrived first at Mepal, on the 17^th of August 1944, as Mid Upper Gunner with Ken Southwards crew. The crew’s first Op together was on the 6^th of the following month, attacking targets at Harqueoc, Le Havre. A further 5 Ops followed, until the crew took off on the 6^th of October to attack targets at Dortmund.

Twenty nine aircraft were detailed to attack Dortmund, but one of these was withdrawn owing to a technical failure. Twenty six aircraft attacked the target in good weather and a very accurate and concentrated raid was reported, large fires being left burning. A.A. Fire was moderate, but fighters were active and the aircraft captained by NZ427798 F/S W. Farr, had a series of combats during which the enemy aircraft was claimed as being destroyed. One aircraft returned early and landed at Woodbridge owing to a technical failure and another (Captain NZ411048 F/O K. Southward) failed to return.

Lancaster Mk.I LM104 JN – K,  was at 22,000ft, probably en route to the target, when it was brought down by an enemy night-fighter SW of Monchengladbach, 50 miles south west of Dortmund, crashing near Willich. The Pilot was able to control the aircraft long enough to enable his crew to bailout successfully but was unable to do so himself and he bravely died in the crash. He was buried at Willich but later reinterred at the Rheinberg War Cemetery. All of Southward’s crew were captured as prisoners of war.

Taking prisoner number, 1060, Leonard was initially interned at Dulag Luft, before arriving at Stalag Luft VII, in Silesia, Germany (now Bąków, Opole Voivodeship, Poland). During his stay at Luft VII, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant.

On the 19th of January 1945, Leonard was one of the 1,500 RAF, RNZAF, RCAF and RAAF prisoners who were marched out of camp in the bitter winter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oder on 21^st of January, reached Goldberg on 5^th of February, and were loaded onto a train. On 8^th of February they reached Stalag III-A located about 32 miles south of Berlin.

Leonard was liberated by the Russian on 22^nd of April 1945 – his date of return to the UK is not known.

Charles Frederick Green – Mid Under Gunner
Charles Frederick Green arrived at Mepal on the 16^th of January 1945, along with Gwyn Duglan, both as Mid Under Gunners.

Charlie was born in Peckham in October 1921 and volunteered to join the air force in January 1941 while still only nineteen. In September 1943 he was posted to No. 429 Squadron at R.A.F. Leeming, North Yorkshire.

He went on to complete 34 operations as a Halifax mid-upper gunner before becoming ‘tour expired’ in July 1944.

After further training at RAF Feltwell in the use of the 0.50 calibre machine gun as a Mid Under Gunner. Whilst at Mepal, he completed 13 more operations, all in the same aircraft, AA-L (HK562), but with 6 different crews, including 3 ops with the Mallon crew and 1 Op with my Father’s crew (Zinzan).

Charles married Marjorie, whom he originally met at Mepal, in the Officer’s Mess, in 1947 and moved from his home in Dagenham to the village of Dore, near Sheffield. In 1960, after a holiday in Blackpool, they decided to move to Poulton-le-Fylde.

When V.E. Day cut short his second tour, Charles had completed a total of fifty operations and, on the 25th September 1945, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He always insisted he was not a hero: ‘I was only doing what everyone else was doing’ he said, ‘We all did our bit’.

Our condolences extend to both families at this sad time

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

Update to Nominal Roll – B

Before you all get excited, the apparently quick arrival of ‘B’ to the Nominal Roll section of the site is more to do with the built up reservoir of gathered individual Op histories for this section, than an indication of the speed that the whole list might appear.

A few little tweaks to the database – I realised when I updated ‘A’ that there was no way to automatically differentiate between a single Op and multiple ones, regarding ‘Op’ or ‘Ops’ – a little bit of extra code and that’s been solved. Whilst a small detail perhaps, it looks tidier and saves me from having to manually check and correct prior to up loading.

The surname Brown has been quite problematic, I must confess. A large number of RAF aircrew of this surname have no differentiating initials and a certain amount of conjecture has had to be performed to arrive at what will probably be refined and corrected over time. As always and particularly with this project, I welcome comments, corrections and suggestions regarding the accuracy of the records and especially with individuals where only a surname and therefore possible errors or discrepancies exist.

View the updated section B of the Nominal Roll here.

Update to the Nominal Roll

Personal circumstances have forced me away from broad research, emails and general site activities recently, owing to Mum’s health taking a dip and the family having to take it in turn’s to go down and be with her – but for 97, she’s still going strong!

The time has at least allowed me to push on with the data entry for the Nominal Roll. As I have noted in previous posts, this is a colossal task and will potentially dwarf the Crew Op History database, when it is finally (if ever) completed. Aside from the gathering and researching of information on the individuals in the roll, it’s entry into the database and the subsequent generation of entries for the NR section of the site has proved to be quite problematic – some individuals, such as Dad, flew with just one crew for each of his tours – others have (so far) flown with 8 during their stay with the Squadron.

Initially I had arranged the database with a series of repeated sections to record each crew that an individual might have been part of – resulting in a series of ‘blank’ lines which would contain joining text such as “Flew with xxxx for xxx Ops as xxxx” but no actual data as they were extra to that individual. Initially, I was happy with this and thought I could just delete the empty rows of each entry when I added the information to the relevant page. Of course, as this project has continued, the individual secondary editing of entries prior to publishing is a completely ridiculous strategy, given there are approximately 3,500 individuals contained in the list.

At the start of the new year I decided I had to dig deeper into the database and give it the intelligence to understand presence and absence of data and give it the ability to subsequently gather the separate pieces of information in a presentable format, automatically. 3 months later I am pleased to present the next stage of the NR project – All of the A’s have been updated to the next level of data completion – this will steadily increase as repeated sweeps are performed or new information comes in on individuals, but as you will see, it s shows a significant upgrade from the basic name and trade position that remains for the time, for the rest of the NR section. Perhaps a little smugly, I would draw your attention to the fact that the entries added have been added as is, straight from the database – the only work I have done is to bold the surname and add a divider line between each individual’s entry.

I have also taken the decision to generate a ‘completion’ rate for each individual. In discussion with Chris, it seems that at least the post war “Manna” flights were counted as a third of an Op, however in the absence of confirmation for the other post war sorties, the CR figure is based on completed operational sorties undertaken during the War. Broadly, an Op that resulted in the individual’s death, capture etc have been not counted, but an entry of this kind does reflect the event – the individual in question having for example 7 Ops as completed, but killed on the 8th Op. I am aware that there are instances where an aircraft would have been bought down after bombing and thus the sortie would count – these will be identified and corrected accordingly in time.

View the new updated ‘A’ section of the Nominal Roll here.

George Augustus Shotun Williams – Navigator, Wright crew

George Augustus Shotun Williams – the portrait clearly has been taken at some point during his training. Flying first with 296, 297 and then 196 Squadron, being awarded a DFC on the 12th of December 1943. Image supplied by the family of George Williams.

Many thanks to Mike for contacting me recently about George Augustus Shotun Williams, with a query regarding his presence in the Squadron. Mike had visited the site and came back to me with a question about the recorded Navigator for Jack Wright’s crew – listed at this point as a F/Lt C. Williams. Mike, thanks to impeccable prior research, noted that on the day of the Wright’s crew arrival at Mepal, on the 28th of November 1944, 2 other crews also arrived, all from No.31 Base.

On all the operations that Jack Wright took part in from the 5th December 1944 to the 2nd of January 1945, his navigator was shown as Ft/Lt C. Williams. At this point, the only Navigators of a rank of F/Lt. was C. Williams of the Wright crew, Ron Payne, Jack Brewster and Arthur Creagh.

As Mike noted: “As ‘A’ Flight leader Jack Wright seems to have assembled an experienced crew, many with a DFC and mainly composed of officers, and George Williams fits into this perfectly. He was a navigation instructor at RAF Stradishall before he transferred to 75(NZ) Sqdn”.

The additional fact that George’s service record clearly shows his arrival at Mepal on the 28th of November clearly identifies him as ‘C’ Williams. Anyone who has spent any time in Squadron documentation knows the number of errors present when one, as it were, knows the truth and it would seem that up until Mike’s contact, George was lost in these errors – to this end it’s always a wonderful personal feeling when we are able to add another name and thus another actual person to the Squadron’s history.

George flew 6 Ops with Jack Wrights crew, the last being on the 2nd of January 1945, to Nuremberg. On the 20th of February he was posted to 218 Squadron. Ironically Mike reports that here at 218 he is recorded as ‘H’ Williams

If anybody is able to shed any further light on Georges wartime career, i am sure his family would love to find out.

It’s a pleasure to meet you George……

We will remember them

All lost with 75(NZ) Squadron – 1940 to 1945

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them.

Ake AKe Kia Kaha

Another milestone – 600,000 views!

Just to let everybody that we have just passed the latest big viewing milestone – 600,000 views!

Almost 13 months to the day since we passed the half a million mark, you, the blog audience have added another 100,000 views to our tally and with it we get another small step closer to the magic figure of 1 million views. I think the passing of this new milestone, in the time it has happened is all the more remarkable given my silence regarding posts for essentially 1/4 of the year owing to the self inflicted loss of my laptop!

I have received questions over the years regarding what has been claimed to be my unnecessary emphasis on statistics and particularly the total viewing figures. In the past, I have tried to explain, but now I simply refute these queries. Put simply, this website has become, the largest single resource for 75(NZ) Squadron RAF in the world. It has achieved this by having the most comprehensive collection of records, information and images on the Squadron, which is freely accessible to all. This complete open door policy regarding information is vindicated by the volume of visitors and views that are recorded.

Frustratingly I am picking my way through the busiest part of my professional year – assessment, the awarding of Degrees, the preparation for our annual London show and planning for next academic year means that I am waiting for a clear gap in the next few months to present new material that has come to me over the last 6 months or so – all of you have have contacted me, please be patient – it will all be presented as soon as I can!.

Without sounding like a broken record – please can everybody share the site – so many relatives of the boys who flew with the Squadron have made contact over the years, that it makes me think that there are still many more that have yet to find the site. Please, share the site address, on social media, through the facebook groups you are members of – we need to find these people and we need to encourage them to share what they have or might know.

Also, please, please, please apply for your relatives service records! I cannot overstate the value and importance of the contents of these records to me and the site. Many dates and locations, because of the points of formation of a crew and their subsequent training means that details supplied for one person means that the same details of movement and training can be added to up 6 other individuals. As soon as I can, I will make a downloadable template available to hopefully streamline the transfer of personal details etc that I need for the database.

Here’s to the next 100,000 views!

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

D-Day

75(NZ) Squadron RAF Operations log for the 5th/6th of June 1944.
The Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

Thanks to Chris for this piece, on the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Allied liberation of Europe.

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch holds a copy of the 75(NZ) Sqn Operations Log, a document which we were not previously aware of, and which gives us a much more detailed insight into 75 (NZ) Squadron’s contribution to D-Day. On the night of 5th of June 1944, 75(NZ) Squadron had prepared twenty-six Lancasters (a record at that point), and they took off either side of 0330hrs in the morning of the 6th to attack the coastal battery at Ouistreham. They were timed to reach the target at first light, and, on arrival, found a layer of cloud at 7,000 feet, with occasional gaps, through which some crews were able to see the markers. The bombing appeared to be fairly concentrated, no opposition was met, and all aircraft returned safely to Mepal after a round-trip of less than four hours. 

Ouistreham was at the eastern end of the invasion area, where Sword and Juno Beaches would be the scene of the Anglo-Canadian landings. However Mepal crews had not been told of the invasion, but they knew something was up as they were told that more than a thousand aircraft would be operating throughout the night, and that they must adhere to assigned flight routes, heights and times, and not jettison bombs over the Channel.  

From the 75(NZ) Sqn Operations Log: 
At 0730hrs,15 minutes after the last aircraft had landed back at Mepal, one of several ‘top secret’ messages came through from Waterbeach:

 ”D-Day is 6-6-44,  H Hour 0600” 

There were also messages about the distinctive markings of aircraft, and tight restrictions on the use of I.F.F. 

At 0810hrs Waterbeach advised the Colours of the Day: 
1400 – 2000 RY – Q – O
2000 – 0200 RG – J – I   Chaffinch OX
0200 – 0800 GG – C – D
0800 – 1400 GY – H – W 

Duty Beacon 62 – 285

 At 1105hrs Group requested 24 Lancasters be made available for an attack that night, Bomb Loads 18 x 500, petrol 1250 (gallons). 

W/T call signs were advised:  A & B Flt  M.K.H. and C Flt  P.O.K. 

At 1130hrs Target and Aiming Point coordinates were advised and an amendment to the Bomb Load, specifying 90% .025 fusing and 10% long delay (spread evenly over a period of 6 to 36hrs). H Hour 0235hrs. 

At 1610hrs W/C Leslie put the petrol up to 1366 (gallons). 

At 1620hrs Waterbeach advised the route coordinates (there and back). They also advised a bomb jettison location and repeated the instructions not to jettison in the Channel, mentioning “a very considerable volume of shipping”. 

At  1935hrs the target was altered to one of two possible targets (Lisieux one of them) and new route coordinates were advised.  

“Note: The alteration in route is to avoid low flying airborne forces, which are again operating tonight”. 

“A/C in two waves … 75 Sqdn 12 A/C in 1st wave, 12 2nd wave”. 

I.F.F. not to be used except in real emergency – sets were to be sealed in the “Off” position. “Window” and photography instructions given.  

2130hrs – target confirmed as Lisieux.
Strict adherence to routes and times required. Crews to fly below any bad weather over England, up to Thames Estuary, then climb through clouds to 7 or 8000 ft. Keep that height over enemy coast if weather fine, but if 5/10 cloud or more, drop below cloud and bomb below. Be prepared to come down below cloud over the target if markers are not visible. Balloon locations advised. PFF Aiming Point marking colours advised (Red & Green at H-3 to H-2, followed by Yellow & White) 

Master Bomber call sign “Wastepipe 1”
Deputy M/B call sign       “Wastepipe 2”
Cease Bombing call sign  “Sugar-plum”
B/C Frequency 5105 Kc (B); 6440 Kc (D) 

At 2250hrs new instructions came through from BC HQ: 

– no Window- if crews can’t visually identify the target must not bomb any other target
– if any light flak received do not fire back (could be ours)
– route coordinates confirmed, H Hour brought forward to 0135hrs. 

At 2344hrs the first of 24 Lancasters took off from Mepal to attack the railway junction in the town of Lisieux, some twenty miles to the east of Caen.. They reached the target to find a thin layer of cloud at 5,000 feet, which obscured the aiming-point, but the Oboe markers could be seen clearly, and the bombing was considered accurate and concentrated. All returned home safely, the last landing at 0359hrs early on the morning of the 7th.

Squadron Nominal Roll – ‘1st occurrence list’

I am pleased to announce the addition to the top menu of a ‘Nominal Roll’ section.

I realise that I have already been working on this project for about a year and a half, gathering information, researching and creating a database. Based on what I have so far done and what therefore seems to remain to do, I now know that is impossible to even, at this point, estimate a completion date.

To this end, I have decided, in the first instance, to put up the original ‘1st occurrence’ list that the database is based on. This list, as the name suggests represents the first occurrence of every individual name that appears in the original crew database. My focus has also further refined – initially I took the reluctant decision to only focus on aircrew, based on the almost complete absence of a verifiable list of groundcrew. I have now taken the decision to focus on aircrew who flew at least 1 recorded Op or post War (Europe) sortie with the Squadron. The Form 540 records, particularly from the very well administered period of 1943, shows the very high number of movements in and out of the Squadron by aircrew who never actually flew operationally. The only exception to this new focus will be those individuals that were killed whilst with the Squadron, but whose death did not occur whilst on Ops.

On inspection, you will see that in its first iteration, the list is very basic, presenting an individual as follows:

ABBOT
D.A. Abbot. RNZAF NZ401219 – Air Gunner

Whilst overall, I have more information for most individuals than this, it is not constant or complete. To this end, I think it is better to provide this first complete list and then add/ edit it, regarding extra information than delay publishing for a mythical point of completion that might never be achieved. This current entry should be considered, relative, to what I believe is entirely achievable for the Squadron based on gathered information on my own Father, below:

SOMMERVILLE 
Robert Douglas ‘Jock’ Sommerville RAF 1562617/ 161049
Arrived at RAF Mepal on Wednesday, 21 July 1943, from 1651 H.C.U., Waterbeach aged 20
Trained as Air Bomber
Op total with Squadron, 21 

Undertook 21 Ops with AJ Mayfield’s crew as A/B

Tour History
30/07/1943 – Mining off the Frisian Islands, 02/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Hamburg, 06/08/1943 – Mining in the Gironde Estuary, 10/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Nurenburg, 12/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Turin, 16/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Turin, 17/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Peenemunde, 27/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Nuremburg, 30/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Munchen-Gladbach, 31/08/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Berlin, 05/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Mannheim, 08/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Boulogne, 15/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Montlucon, 16/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Modene, 22/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Hanover, 23/09/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Mannheim, 03/10/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Kassel, 04/10/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Frankfurt, 08/10/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Bremen, 18/11/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Mannheim, 19/11/1943 – Attack Against Targets at Leverkusen.

The Mayfield crew were screened on direct orders from 3 Group Headquarters, prior to the regulation 1st Tour total of 30 Ops being completed. The news was delivered to the crew on the morning of the 20th of November, along with one other crew, as yet to be identified. It would appear, the decision to screen the crew at this point in their tour, was to show the remaining crews that there was in fact a chance to survive the ‘chop’ Squadron, as 75(NZ) Squadron was beginning to be described, at a point in time where crew losses were beginning to mount.

Time with Squadron, 4 months 24 days (arrival to departure date)

Posted to No.3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, for instructional duties Wednesday, 15 December 1943.

2nd Tour 
Arrived at RAF Mepal on Thursday, 25 January 1945 from No.3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, age 22
Op total with Squadron, 21 – plus 1 dnc, (02/03/45 Attack Against Cologne) 

Undertook 22 Ops with VJ Zinzan’s crew as A/B

Tour History
01/02/1945 – Attack Against Munchen Gladbach, 02/02/1945 – Attack Against Wiesbaden, 09/02/1945 – Attack Against Hohenbudburg, 13/02/1945 – Attack Against Dresden, 14/02/1945 – Attack Against Chemnitz, 16/02/1945 – Attack Against Wesel, 19/02/1945 – Attack Against Wesel, 20/02/1945 – Attack Against Dortmund, 02/03/1945 – Attack Against Cologne (DNC), 04/03/1945 – Attack Against Wanne Eickel, 06/03/1945 – Attack Against Salzbergen, 07/03/1945 – Attack Against Dessau, 09/03/1945 – Attack Against Datteln, 10/03/1945 – Attack Against Gelsenkirchen Buer, 12/03/1945 – Attack Against Dortmund, 14/03/1945 – Attack Against Heinrich Hutte, 20/03/1945 – Attack Against Hamm, 23/03/1945 – Attack Against Wesel, 29/03/1945 – Attack Against Salzgitter, 04/04/1945 – Attack on Meresburg, 13/04/1945 – Attack on Kiel, 14/04/1945 – Attack on Potsdam.

Time with Squadron, 3 months 9 days (arrival to departure)

It also strikes me that by making this basic list available, there is far greater opportunity for new information to be provided by visitors to the site. I have activated comments on all pages of the list with the hope that this provides the easiest way for people to add information that can then be added to the database.

One sobering fact that has already come to light, based on a total count in the list is that almost 1/3 of individuals that flew with the Squadron, died in it.

I am currently keen to get the following information on individuals:
Date of Birth
Dates and location of training bases prior to 75(NZ) Squadron
Post 75(NZ) Squadron postings
Post War career/ achievements
Date of death

Please have a look at the list and if you feel you have any useful information, please leave a comment or email me.

Either go up to the top menu or go to the list here.

New crew pictures

The Curr crew:
L-R: Sgt Leslie Kennedy (front gunner), F/Sgt Ken Crankshaw (rear gunner), Sgt Frankie Curr (skipper), P/O Ronald Hull (wireless operator) and Sgt Ivan “Sully” Sullivan (navigator).
With their regular Wellington BJ721 AA-A “Achtung ANZAC”.
NZ Bomber Command Assn. archives, Ken Crankshaw collection. 

Chris has come up trumps – massively, with a huge collection of crew photographs that have been added to the respective crew pages on the site. The majority come from the New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive and as always I must give sincere thanks to the Association and Peter Wheeler. Also massive thanks to everyone else who has passed on photographs to Chris and to those that have given images that have been previously presented in posts, that have now also been added to the crew pages.

Perhaps as I am yet to find a crew picture containing Bob, I find myself always drawn to these photographs. To see a group of the boys together, usually smiling at the camera, despite the situation they found themselves in makes me think that what we see shining out of these pictures is true spirit and camaraderie – caught in a split second of time, but now persisting forever.

This is a significant addition not only to the crew pages but to the site as a whole and I am sure that some visitors are going to find, perhaps for the first time, a picture of a loved one. Please take the time to have a look via the links below – there are some remarkable examples – and if you can identify anybody in them – as always, please contact us!

New photographs have been added to the following crew pages:

V.A. Adolph
J.K. Aitken
K.E. Amohanga
B.L.D. Anderson
A. Ashworth
J.M. Bailey (1st Tour)
R.B. Berney
E.V. Best
I.E. Blance
A.A.N. Breckon
E.F. Butler
I.S. Carroll
F.L. Curr
A.G. Daly
F.H. Denton
J.A. Emslie
J.F. Fisher
R.C. Flamank
R.E.E. Fotheringham
A.A. Fraser
C. Glossop
D.V. Hamer
W.L. Hardy
N.J.N. Hockaday
D.G.G. Horgan
J.Joll (2nd Tour)
C.E. Kay
J.R. Layton
R. Leggett
F.J. Lucas
F.J. Lucas (2nd Tour)
R.D. Max
C.A.G. McKenzie
I.G.E. McPhail
C.A. Megson
E.L.K. Meharry
H.A.D. Meyer
A.G. Osborne
G.N. Parker
W.G. Reay
R.W. Russell
D.L. Thompson
H.J.D. Treewheela
L.G. Trott
F.H. Turner
R.J. Urlich
E.E.D. Ware
White
N. Williams
S. Wilson
E.F. Witting
J.H.T. Wood
J.L. Wright
J.L. Wright (2nd Tour)
J.S. Young

The JN-Dog Boys – new website

I am really pleased to be able to announce another website, dedicated to the boys that flew with 75(NZ) Squadron.

This time, it’s the Wood crew and the site has been created by Chris Newey, research and post contributing stalwart to this site. Chris, through dedicated research and the help of his cousin’s Phil and Bruce.

The site picks up with the boys as they arrive at No.12 Operational Training Unit , Chipping Warden, on the 30th of May 1944. Here, John Wood, John Pauling, Noel Hooper, Gerry Newey and Bert Cash formed, what would become, with the subsequent arrival of Dougie Williamson and Ralph Sparrow the ‘JN-Dog boys’

The crew arrived at Mepal on Saturday 2 December 1944. They flew 32 sorties – the final Op to Meresburg on the 4th of April 1945, where their luck almost ran out, returning sans Flight Engineer – but thats a tale to read on the site!

Read the story of the JN-Dog boys here.

 

 

ANZAC Day 2019

“Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.“

 In 1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered these words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. They were later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington.

Let us take this day to remember all those, from Australia and New Zealand who gave their lives, not only in 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, but in every conflict before and after.

We shall remember them………….

AHE AKE KIA KAHA

The Evans crew – and a bit of a mystery………

I t was lovely to meet up with Kevin two Sundays ago for the November Remembrance Ceremony at Mepal. Kevin mentioned that he had received a photograph from a lady, who had found it in the processions of her late mother. Her assumption was that her mother had perhaps been a pen-pal to the crew pictured in the photograph.

At the time, I was slightly confused by Kevin’s comment that I didn’t have anything on the crew, but when I got back home, I realised a slight faux-pas on my part, I had accidentally overlooked actually adding the history to the crew page!

Referring to the Squadron database, I suddenly became very confused. The Evans crew were returned as flying 5 Ops with the Squadron, their first being a gardening sortie to the Frisian Islands on the 16th of December 1943, their last on the 15th of February 1944, again mining, this time to Kiel, (Roy Evans flying as 2nd Pilot with Osric White on the 18th of November to Mannheim).

Imagine my surprise when looking at the scan of the back of the crew photograph:

Clearly there is a slight discrepancy in totals. One might summise that the crew had already been posted elsewhere, however, all seem to have come to Mepal straight from 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Stradishall.

I would be fascinated to hear from anybody who might have anymore information on the Evans crew, or any of its members and their 27 Ops completed…………

For the Fallen – Lest we forget

Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21 September 1914.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon composed his best known poem while sitting on the cliff-top looking out to sea from the dramatic scenery of the north Cornish coastline. A plaque marks the location at Pentire Point, north of Polzeath. However, there is also a small plaque on the East Cliff north of Portreath, further south on the same north Cornwall coast, which also claims to be the place where the poem was written.

The poem was written in mid September 1914, a few weeks after the outbreak of the First World War. During these weeks the British Expeditionary Force had suffered casualties following its first encounter with the Imperial German Army at the Battle of Mons on 23 August, its rearguard action during the retreat from Mons in late August and the Battle of Le Cateau on 26 August, and its participation with the French Army in holding up the Imperial German Army at the First Battle of the Marne between 5 and 9 September 1914.

Laurence said in 1939 that the four lines of the fourth stanza came to him first. These words of the fourth stanza have become especially familiar and famous, having been adopted by the Royal British Legion as an Exhortation for ceremonies of Remembrance to commemorate fallen Servicemen and women.

Laurence Binyon was too old to enlist in the military forces but he went to work for the Red Cross as a medical orderly in 1916. He lost several close friends and his brother-in-law in the war.

Squadron Leader Garth Reginald Gunn – MiD, RNZAF NZ411397

Many thanks indeed to Ian for having the presence of mind to research the above item, having come across it during a house clearance. One shivers at the thought of the countless items that have been literally thrown away since the War.

This small, folded thank you card, one surmises a reply to an expression of condolence, commemorates the death of S/L Garth Reginald Gunn, who died of injuries on the 21st of September 1944, 3 days after his aircraft crash landed at RAF Hawkinge, having received damage during an Op to Boulogne on the 17th of that month. The thank you card was sent by Mrs Alice Melva Gunn, Garth’s Wife.

S/L Gunn and crew, received a direct hit, from 30mm shell fire, which severely damaged the aircraft necessitating both starboard engines to be shut down. The Captain and Flight Engineer had difficulty in maintaining control of the aircraft returning across the Channel. A decision was made to carry out an emergency landing at RAF Hawkinge, an airfield with a short runway. The Lancaster overshot the runway and crashed. The Captain, Navigator and Air Bomber were injured, two seriously. The Flight Engineer was killed in the crash. The other three crew escaped uninjured.The Pilot, S/L L G Gunn (‘B’ Flight Commander) died three days later from his injuries.

It was the crew’s 20th sortie with the Squadron and the 4th for Garth, as Squadron Leader of ‘B’ Flight.

The thank you card was found by Ian in a property in Herne Hill, South East London. The owner of the property was a  George Lackford, who Ian informs me, was a Naval Wireless Operator during the War.

S/L Gunn’s death was recorded on the 20th of October 1944 by the New Zealand Evening Post as follows:

DIED OF INJURIES
Flight Lieutenant G. R. Gunn, who has died of injuries received over enemy country, joined the Air Force in March, 1941, and gained his commission in August of that year, sailing immediately afterwards for overseas service. , He served through the African campaign, and after 12 months’ service in the Middle East was sent to England, from where he was flying when he received his injuries. He was 26 years of age, the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Gunn, of Lower Hutt, and was born in Masterton.

An enthusiastic sportsman, he was a senior member of the Hutt Football and Athletic Clubs. He was educated at Miramar South and Eastern Hutt Schools and Wellington Technical College, and was senior sports champion of his college in 1934, 1935, and 1936, and head prefect in 1936. In 1934-35 he was junior champion of the Lower Hutt Athletic Club.

Flight Lieutenant Gunn was attached to Bomber Command,. and was acting Squadron Leader, flying a Lancaster bomber, when he received the injuries from which he later died. He leaves a wife, Mrs. A. M. Gunn, of Dolly Varden Bay, Plimmerton. His brother Sergeant C. H. Gunn, is at present in New Zealand on furlough, and his sister is Mrs. T. E. Mason, of Milford, Auckland. He was well known in the building trade, and prior to enlisting in the Air Force was on the staff of the Fletcher Construction Company, Wellington.

Garth Gunn was laid to rest in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England. Grave location – 8. AA. 10

Whilst I have received this item from Ian and will hold it accordingly, I am also happy to pass it on to any relatives of Garth, if they see this and wish to have it.

 

RAF Bomber Command Profiles – 75(NZ) Squadron

I am quite excited to be able to announce the imminent release of a new book on 75(NZ) Squadron RAF.

This book is the latest of the  RAF Bomber Command Profiles that were first published in the 1990’s and takes and extends the original format.

Due to the special character of the Squadron, and the level of interest, Chris Ward and the publishers wanted to obtain input and perspective from New Zealand, and approached the NZ Bomber Command Assn. for assistance.

Executive Officer of the NZBCA, Peter Wheeler, provided access to the Association’s extensive photo archives and offered the help of NZBCA member and 75 (NZ) Sqdn enthusiast (and our own) Chris Newey.

The last history of the squadron, “Forever Strong”, was published in 1991, 27 years ago. While it contained many valuable personal recollections and photographs, there were some factual errors, and not a lot of operational detail. Given that, and the rare opportunity that this project represents, there was a determination from both parties to make the book as accurate as possible, and the photo collection as comprehensive as possible.

The text is written by Bomber Command specialist Chris Ward, and like his other Profiles, it is based around the squadron’s Operational Record Books. However he brings a detailed knowledge of 3 Group and the broader sweep of events that the squadron operated in, and makes the narrative easy to follow. The extract below gives an idea of the level of detail provided, attempting to include pilot’s full names, aircraft serial numbers, identification codes and details for all significant events, to give readers a strong starting point for further research.

There are 395 photos included, many previously un-published, plus copies of rare documents, the NZBCA’s archives supplemented by sources that include the Air Force Museum of NZ, Archives NZ, Simon Sommerville’s 75nzsquadron.com, Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph, and several collectors, families and individuals who generously contributed to the project.

The soft-back edition will be published in the next few days, to be followed at a later date by a limited edition, glossy hard-back.

The soft cover edition will be available on Amazon, but other distribution and retail details still to be advised.

478 pages, 8.5 inches x 11, 175 pages of photos.  Probably US$ 25 due to the size.

I will update you all when I know exact dates of release, points of sale and price. I would encourage you all to support this publication as an essential printed reference companion to the blog.

 

The Wainwright crew 1944

Johnny Wainwright and the “Dead-Beat crew”.
Back row, (L to R): Harold Howard Bell (Rear Gunner), John Francis Schofield ‘Johnny’ Wainwright (Pilot) andMelvin Russell Bloomfield (Air Bomber).
Front row (L to R): Sydney Clement Woolley (Wireless Operator), John Francis Richards (Navigator), Stanley Starling (Mid Upper Gunner) and Noel Vernon Roberts (Flight Engineer).
Image provided by Lindsey Wainwright.

The “Dead-Beats” re-mustered at Oakington with No.7 P.F.F. in October 1944.
Image supplied by Lindsey Wainwright

Many thanks to Lindsey for providing these 2 fantastic pictures of her Father and his crew for the Wainwright crew page. Johnny and the boys arrived at Mepal from 1657 Conversion Unit on the 27th of December 1943, flying their first Op on the 2nd of January 1944, Gardening in the Frisian Islands. The crew completed 23 Ops, including 3 SOE sorties, initially flying Stirlings, before converting with the rest of the Squadron to Lancasters in March 1944.

The “Dead-Beats” last Op with the Squadron was on the 24th of May with an Op to Aachen. The crew later re mustered at Oakington to fly with No.7 Squadron (P.F.F.)

Lindsey has admitted that, inspired by our very own Vic Jay’s remarkable research into his Father Bob, she has been incredibly lucky to make contact with the son and daughter of Syd Woolley, the crew’s Wireless Operator and also the son of Navigator, John Richards.

Bitten with the bug, she is really keen to try and make contact with other relatives of the crew – particularly those of the two Canadians in the crew  – who knows? – it’s happened before after a blog post!

See the Wainwright crew history page here.

Neville Selwood

Flying Officer Wynn Russell (Pilot) RNZAF left and Flying Officer Neville Selwood (Nav) RNZAF with PB418 AA-C. ,br. New Zealand Bomber Command archive/ Neville Selwood.

Kevin has passed on the sad news of the passing of Archdeacon the Venerable Neville Selwood, on the 19th of April, aged 93.

Neville flew with Wynn Russell’s crew as Navigator in 1945. The crew flew 22 Ops with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, before twice contributing to humanitarian food drops to the Dutch people and 4 flights to repatriate Prisoners of War. His tour with the Squadron concluded with 3 further flights over Germany.

After the War, Neville  was ordained, relatively late in life at the age of 38. He cited a specific experience when flying with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF;

(from The Otago Times)
The catalyst for that move occurred some years before when he was serving with the No 75 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and a wing commander and his bomber crew were killed over France.

“Morale had dropped pretty low. But at a briefing, the acting wing commander said: ‘Good luck boys, hope to see you at breakfast, and by the way, the padre is going to be up there with you tonight’.”

“Sure enough there he was with his parachute harness on, and it made me realise here is a fellow who hated what we were required to do, but he put his life on the line to show that he cared for us.”

Deacon Selwood said it took him years to relate that selfless act with those of Jesus, so he decided to become a deacon.

“Looking back it was a big change for my family, as we were used to a sort of lifestyle.””But if you dream to do something, press on with it.”

His first parish was in Balclutha, before he moved with his family and served Northeast Valley and Mornington before his semi-retirement in 1988.

He was involved with parishes in Central Otago before returning to Dunedin 12 years ago, where he has assisted at the Holy Cross parish and at Montecillo Veterans Home “I just take things one day at a time,” he said.

Our condolences to Nevilles family and friends.

AKE AKE KIA KAHA

 

ANZAC Day 2018

“Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.“

 In 1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered these words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. They were later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington.

What follows for this ANZAC Day post is a list of all RNZAF and RAAF airmen who lost their lives flying with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. They are listed by country and graveyard.

AHE AKE KIA KAHA

UNITED KINGDOM
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England.
GUNN, Garth Reginald    MiD	Age 26	Squadron Leader  411397  RNZAF	21st September  1944
SIMONSEN, Horace Dean	Age 31	Leading Aircraftsman  438024   RNZAF	17th April  1941
Buxton Cemetery, Derbyshire, England.
BEAVEN, James Wilfred	Age 31	Sergeant 403566 RNZAF	22nd May 1942
MACKAY, Andrew Donald	Age 22	Pilot Officer  411919   RNZAF	22nd May  1942
SMEATON, Wilfred Herbert	Age 28	Sergeant  405331   RNZAF	23rd May  1942
Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England.
BLEWETT, Terence Douglas	Age 26	Flight Lieutenant 414376 RNZAF	17th January 1945
BROADY, Raymond Herbert John	Age 28	Sergeant 39691 RNZAF	28th November 1942
DOBSON, Peter Gerald    MiD	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 439022 RNZAF	8th September 1943
EAST, Patton Mason	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 426083 RNZAF	24th October 1943
EMMERSON, Ronald Harry	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 410330 RAAF	16th December 1943
HURDLE, Walter	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421279   RNZAF	4th November  1943
JENKIN, Ralph Francis	Age 23	Flying Officer  416119   RNZAF	16th December  1943
KINROSS, Colin John	Age 30	Pilot Officer  417069   RNZAF	16th December  1943
MENZIES, Ian Robert	Age 21	Flying Officer  415002   RNZAF	8th September  1943
PURVES, James John	Age 35	Flight Sergeant  422207   RNZAF	25th October  1943
RANDLE, James Robert	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  416539   RNZAF	24th October  1943
WILSON, John Stanley	Age 34	Flying Officer  426234   RNZAF	17th January  1945
Chevington Cemetery, Northumberland, England.
McISAAC, Alexander	Age 24	Sergeant  412891   RNZAF	28th November  1942
Feltwell (St. Nicholas) Churchyard, Norfolk, England.
BENTLEY, Loch Lomond	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 403936 RNZAF	23rd December 1941
FOUNTAIN, Cedric Niel	Age 23	Pilot Officer  41981   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
GANNAWAY, Eric Francis	Age 21	Sergeant  402110   RNZAF	12th May  1941
GRENFELL, Richard John	Age 22	Sergeant  404026   RNZAF	29th June  1942
HARRIS, Richard James	Age 24	Sergeant  402999   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
JOYCE, David Campbell	Age 21	Sergeant  401278   RNZAF	16th July  1941
MITCHELL, Norman	Age 25	Sergeant  404084   RNZAF	29th June  1942
NICOL, Trafford McRae	Age 21	Pilot Officer  411929   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
RYAN, Alexander James	Age 25	Pilot Officer  391367   RNZAF	10th January  1941
WOODHAM, Henry William	Age 27	Sergeant  402449   RNZAF	28th February  1942
Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery, Lincolnshire, England.
MEE, Alexander Coutts	Age 23	Sergeant  40656   RNZAF	7th May  1941
NOLA, David Leo	Age 26	Sergeant  39930   RNZAF	7th May  1941
Ilford (Barkingside) Cemetery, Essex, England.
THORPE, Noel Humphrey	Age 21	Flying Officer  428168   RNZAF	26th February  1945
Lakenham (St. John the Baptist and All Saints) Churchyard, Norfolk, England.
HARVEY, Edgar William	Age 27	Sergeant  41902   RNZAF	16th December  1942
Newmarket Cemetery, Suffolk, England.
CLUBB, Selwyn James	Age 20	Flying Officer 414593 RNZAF	13th May 1943
FRANKLIN, Benjamin Allan	Age 21	Sergeant  414277   RNZAF	16th December  1942
HARVEY, Robert Frederick	Age 23	Sergeant  416483   RNZAF	13th May  1943
JOHNSTON, John	Age 28	Flying Officer  416198   RNZAF	13th May  1943
WALSH, John Arthur Ernest	Age 27	Warrant Officer  401294   RNZAF	9th April  1943
WELCH, Harold Rangi	Age 23	Sergeant  41709   RNZAF	16th December  1942
WHITCOMBE, William Henry	Age 32	Sergeant  41561   RNZAF	16th December  1942
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England.
AITCHISON, Richard Justin	Age 28	Pilot Officer 429286 RNZAF	1st January 1945
BABER, Thomas James Edward    MiD Czech Medal for Bravery	Age 23	Flight Lieutenant 39857  RNZAF	12th March 1942
BAGNALL, Trevor Horace	Age 26	Warrant Officer 40640 RNZAF	17th December 1942
BAKER, James Guthrie	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 41142 RNZAF	1st September 1943
BARTON, Arthur James Douglas	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 413700 RNZAF	5th February 1943
BENTLEY, Robert Henry Waldron	Age 23	Pilot Officer 414580 RNZAF	5th May 1943
BOSWELL, John McLaren	Age 26	Sergeant 414491 RNZAF	5th May 1943
BRADEY, George Edward Francis	Age 25	Pilot Officer 401954 RNZAF	11th August 1942
BRAILEY, Clifton Robert	Age 23	Sergeant 404589 RNZAF	21st June 1942
BRIAN, William Leslie Fred	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 411737 RNZAF	28th April 1943
BRIDGMAN, Arthur Mervyn	Age 26	Pilot Officer 41866 RNZAF	3rd March 1943
BROUN, Alan Stewart	Age 32	Pilot Officer 405367 RNZAF	9th July 1942
BROWN, Russell Howard	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 425444 RNZAF	22nd May 1944
BRUHNS, Harold Henry	Age 22	Pilot Officer 42367 RNZAF	24th February 1944
BRYSON, Norman Albert	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 40859 RNZAF	26th July 1942
BUCKLEY, Ross Cameron	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 411206 RNZAF	28th April 1943
BURTON, Clarence Sydney	Age 22	Sergeant 414493 RNZAF	3rd March 1943
BUTLER, Laurie Licence	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 421672 RNZAF	24th February 1944
CAIRNS, Louvain Trevor	Age 25	Flight Sergeant 402437 RNZAF	26th July 1942
CHAMBERLAIN, Lloyd Montgomery	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 40914 RNZAF	12th March 1942
COLLINS, John Noel	Age 23	Flight Lieutenant 2513 RNZAF	21st May 1940
COPPERSMITH, Raymond Patrick	Age 21	Sergeant 391697 RNZAF	26th July 1942
CORIN, Henry George	Age 34	Sergeant 417269 RNZAF	28th April 1943
CUMPSTY, Frederick William Raukawa	Age 25	Pilot Officer 413386 RNZAF	31st July 1943
DANCE, Alfred Thomas	Age 25	Flying Officer 42495 RNZAF	4th November 1943
DARNEY, Jack Neville	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42376 RNZAF	31st July 1943
DARTON, Thomas William	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 416465 RNZAF	26th May 1943
DAVIDSON, Neil Douglas	Age 21	Pilot Officer 422057 RNZAF	21st July 1944
DROMGOOLE, Sydney Houston	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 402171 RNZAF	22nd April 1942
DUNKERLEY, Allan Roy Frank	Age 33	Pilot Officer 423083 RAAF	21st November 1944
DYER, Sydney Allan	Age 19	Sergeant 40101 RNZAF	16th July 1941
EARLE, John	Age 29	Pilot Officer 401756 RNZAF	12th March 1942
ELLIOT, Thomas Isaac	Age 24	Flying Officer 421364 RNZAF	21st November 1944
FALCONER, Arthur James	Age 23	Pilot Officer  39910   RNZAF	21st February  1941
FALKINER, Philip	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425140   RNZAF	30th July  1944
FAWCETT, Arnold Goodrick	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  422698   RNZAF	4th November  1943
FERGUSSON, Allister Archibald	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  425391   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
FINLAYSON, William John	Age 23	Pilot Officer  39911   RNZAF	24th October  1940
FITZGERALD, John	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  424777   RNZAF	30th August  1944
FREEMAN, Patrick Paul Deane	Age 22	Sergeant  413305   RNZAF	5th February  1943
GAVEGAN, Jack Ralph	Age 30	Pilot Officer  402128   RNZAF	9th July  1942
GOING, Raymond Cyril	Age 21	Sergeant  414278   RNZAF	3rd March  1943
GOULD, James Douglas	Age 21	Sergeant  411233   RNZAF	11th July  1942
GREEN, Cyril Vincent	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  402997   RNZAF	11th August  1942
GREENING, Joseph Wesley	Age 27	Pilot Officer  40022   RAAF	3rd July  1941
HADFIELD, Graham Stanley	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  426239   RNZAF	14th March  1944
HALLIBURTON, Keith	Age 23	Sergeant  415411   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HARE, Philip Edgar	Age 19	Sergeant  401227   RNZAF	16th July  1941
HARRISON-SMITH, Francis Charles	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  403959   RNZAF	30th November 1941
HARTSTONE, Roydon Horatio	Age 29	Sergeant  40211   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
HIGGINS, Eric Vincent Keiran	Age 27	Sergeant  400277   RAAF	16th July  1941
HIRST, Raymond John Finlay	Age 22	Sergeant  404067   RNZAF	11th July  1942
HOWELL, Alexander Clunie	Age 22	Sergeant  392104   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HOWES, Victor Charles	Age 20	Sergeant  413418   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HUNTER, Patrick Torre	Age 29	Sergeant  42297   RNZAF	28th April  1943
INNES, Owen Alfred	Age 22	Sergeant  421935   RNZAF	30th May  1943
JONES, Roy King	Age 26	Flying Officer  425611   RNZAF	21st July  1944
JUDD, Douglas Howard	Age 26	Sergeant  413336   RNZAF	10th September  1942
KAY, Alan Lister	Age 35	Flight Sergeant  42299   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
KELLY, Reginald Joseph Stephen	Age 24	Sergeant  403580   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
KILBY, William Adam	Age 40	Flight Sergeant  415261   RNZAF	1st September  1943
KNIGHT, Leon Gaston	Age 22	Sergeant  405494   RNZAF	9th June  1942
LAMB, Erwin Henry Reubin	Age 29	Sergeant  413709   RNZAF	5th May  1943
LEWIS, Alfred Edward	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  412458   RAAF	28th April  1943
LODGE, Tom	Age 35	Flying Officer  417284   RNZAF	4th November  1943
LOVELOCK, James Benjamin	Age 26	Flying Officer  416324   RNZAF	1st September  1943
MacKAY, Kenneth McIndoe	Age 27	Pilot Officer  421829   RNZAF	21st July  1944
MacKINNON, Douglas Malcolm	Age 20	Sergeant  40923   RNZAF	16th July 1941
MAHOOD, Thomas Stanley	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404916   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
MARTYN, Leslie Arthur	Age 35	Flight Lieutenant  417082   RNZAF	21st November  1944
MASON, Frederick David	Age 21	Sergeant  1230433   RAFVR	16th August  1943
MAYO, John Russell	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  417085   RNZAF	7th August  1943
McGREGOR, Keith Alexander	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  415770   RNZAF	1st September  1943
McKENZIE, Frank Edwin	Age 22	Sergeant  391085   RNZAF	9th July  1942
McMAHON, Henry Thomas Owen	Age 27	Sergeant  403019   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
McPHERSON, Colin Valentine	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  404912   RNZAF	26th July  1942
MONK, Walter Jack	Age 24	Pilot Officer  411432   RNZAF	30th June  1942
MOORE, Cyril James	Age 25	Sergeant  410555   RAAF	6th July  1943
MUIR, Anthony Vincent	Age 29	Pilot Officer  40195   RNZAF	21st February  1941
NAIRNE, Colin George	Age 22	Pilot Officer  42117   RNZAF	30th July  1944
NATION, John Ross	Age 22	Sergeant  40945   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
NEWTON, Raymond John   DFC MiD	Age 28	Wing Commander  40984   RNZAF	1st January  1945
OAKEY, Arthur Leslie Archibald	Age 33	Flight Sergeant  4213810   RNZAF	21st March  1945
PARTON, William James	Age 20	Pilot Officer  41932   RNZAF	12th March  1942
PERRY, Lyndon Clifford	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428925   RNZAF	30th July  1944
POTTS, Donald Norman	Age 25	Pilot Officer  412267   RNZAF	9th July  1942
PRICE, Henry John	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404095   RNZAF	12th March  1942
QUINN, Eric James	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  4210077   RNZAF	21st July  1944
REDDING, Randolph Ernest	Age 30	Sergeant  414678   RNZAF	5th February  1943
REID, Ian Laurie	Age 23	Sergeant  391846   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
RICHARDS, James Leonard	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404946   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
RIDDLE, Charles Hudson	Age 21	Flying Officer  41190   RNZAF	30th May  1943
RIORDAN, John Milton Patrick	Age 32	Sergeant  422668   RNZAF	26th May  1943
ROSS, Desmond Ray	Age 23	Sergeant  411451   RNZAF	28th April  1943
ROSS, Stanley David	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  41359   RNZAF	26th July  1942
ROWBERRY, Geoffrey Warren	Age 24	Pilot Officer  414567   RNZAF	14th March  1944
SHALFOON, Charles John	Age 22	Sergeant  413897   RNZAF	11th October  1942
SMART, Randolph Cruickshank	Age 25	Pilot Officer  411006   RNZAF	10th September  1942
SPITTAL, Phillip Charles	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404420   RNZAF	26th July  1942
ST.LEDGER, Peter Sylvestor Anthony	Age 21	Flying Officer 4 25375   RAAF	30th July  1943
STONE, Robert James	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  415383   RNZAF	31st July  1943
STREETER, Donald Frederick	Age 24	Sergeant  401033   RNZAF	24th July  1941
THOMAS, Raymond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  40586   RNZAF	6th July  1943
THOMSON, Jack	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  421145   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
TONG, Harold	Age 34	Flying Officer  416648   RNZAF	30th May  1943
TURNBULL, John George	Age 33	Flying Officer  42490   RNZAF	16th August  1943
TURNER, William	Age 22	Flying Officer  416579   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
TWEEDIE, Norman	Age 25	Sergeant  402474   RAAF	12th September  1941
VERCOE, Terrance James	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  415566   RNZAF	31st July  1943
VERNAZONI, Richard Barry	Age 20	Flying Officer 416185   RNZAF	30th May  1943
WALKER, Graham Stuart	Age 25	Sergeant  401817   RNZAF	24th July  1941
WATSON, Walter Davis	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  428918   RNZAF	30th August  1944
WESTWOOD, Reginald Francis	Age 20	Pilot Officer  416471   RAAF	5th May  1943
WHITELAW, Clifford James	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  416188   RNZAF	25th June  1943
WILLIS, William Jarvis	Age 33	Pilot Officer 421803   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
WILMSHURST, John Charles	Age 25	Sergeant  411962   RNZAF	11th July  1942
WILSON, Norman Clarence Bruce	Age 23	Flying Officer  417139   RNZAF	4th November  1943
WOODCOCK, Roy Joffre Desmond	Age 26	Sergeant  404985   RNZAF	12th March  1942
WORTH, Jim	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  425510   RNZAF	21st July  1944
WRIGHTSON, Cyril Charles	Age 22	Sergeant  411998   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
Belgium
Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium.
ANDERSON, Lindsay Douglas	Age 20	Sergeant 391321 RNZAF	20th September 1940
Chiervres Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
KELL, William Robert	Age 23	Pilot Officer 411766 RNZAF	19th November  1943
MYERS, John William Anthony	Age 25	Flight Lieutenant 405801 RNZAF	19th July  1944
Florennes Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
GRAINGER, James Kennedy	Age 21	Pilot Officer  42295   RNZAF	15th April  1943
McCASKILL, Donald Gordon	Age 19	Pilot Officer  413573   RNZAF	15th April  1943
SMITH, Ronald Alexander	Age 21	Sergeant 415378   RNZAF	15th April  1943
Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
BURKE, Edgar Lawrence	Age 26	Pilot Officer 417016 RNZAF	23rd May 1944
PAGE, Frank Albert	Age 29	Warrant Officer  409481   RAAF	23rd May  1944
PARKIN, Victor Trevor	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  421090   RNZAF	31st August  1943
WATTERS, Terrence	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  417299   RNZAF	31st August  1943
Hoton War Cemetery, Belgium.
ELVIN, William	Age 21	Pilot Officer 426883 RNZAF	12th August 1944
JOHNSTON, Haig Douglas	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  426320   RNZAF	12th August  1944
MULCAHY, Cyril Desmond	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428793   RNZAF	12th August  1944
PARKER, Robert Ronald Smithie	Age 20	Sergeant  1892552   RAFVR	12th August 1944
THOMSON, Edward Leonard	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  4211036   RNZAF	12th August  1944
WRIGHT, John Herbert	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  426209   RNZAF	12th August  1944
Ostende New Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
COATES, Dudley Dobson	Age 33	Sergeant 421318 RNZAF	26th May 1943
Werken Churchyard, Belgium.
ROBERTS, James	Age 20	Sergeant  400310   RAAF	22nd October  1941
SPARK, Frederick Alexander	Age 26	Sergeant  401415   RNZAF	22nd October  1941
Wevelgem Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
FAUVEL, Spencer Francis	Age 21	Flight Lieutenant  414971   RNZAF	28th May  1944
GOWER, Kenneth Wilfred	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421272   RNZAF	28th May  1944
LUKEY, Francis Henry Clark	Age 23	Flying Officer  42990   RNZAF	28th May  1944
MASON, James Rooker	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  421307   RNZAF	28th May  1944
DENMARK
Aabenraa Cemetery, Denmark.
BAILEY, Robert	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 429072 RNZAF	23rd April 1944
LAMMAS, Mauson	Age 30	Pilot Officer  421728   RNZAF	23rd April  1944
SAWTELL, Arthur Hartley	Age 19	Flight Sergeant  417521   RAAF	24th February  1944
VAUGHAN, Douglas William	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  429046   RNZAF	23rd April  1944
Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark.
COBB, Cyril Thomas	Age 30	Flight Sergeant 412315 RNZAF	21st April 1943
EARLE, Frederick Joseph	Age 22	Sergeant    1332585     RAFVR	21st April 1943
SALT, Ian Charles	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  404046   RNZAF	21st April  1943
TOLLEY, Alan Gray	Age 21	Pilot Officer  411954   RNZAF	21st April  1943
UPTON, Frank Wakefield	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  404430   RNZAF	21st April  1943
Frederikshavn Cemetery, Denmark.
CRAWFORD-WATSON, Lewis Stanley	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42734 RNZAF	4th November 1943
IMRIE, George Burns	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  422676   RNZAF	4th November  1943
JAMES, Charles James	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  426333   RNZAF	4th November  1943
MASTERS, William Stuart	Age 21	Pilot Officer  421077   RNZAF	4th November  1943
Gram Churchyard, Denmark.
MURRY, Henry James	Age 26	Flying Officer  415820   RNZAF	19th April  1944
Orslev Churchyard, Denmark.
BIGGAR, John Matthew	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 427945 RNZAF	12th September 1944
HADLEY, William Orchard	Age 30	Flying Officer 426041   RNZAF	12th September  1944
Svino Churchyard, Denmark
BOYD, William James Victor	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 428303 RNZAF	12th September 1944
GILES, John Patrick Arthur	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425836   RNZAF	12th September  1944
GUDGEON, John Bernard	Age 23	Pilot Officer  428786   RNZAF	12th September  1944
JENKINS, Ernest Roy	Age 25	Warrant Officer  405780   RNZAF	29th April  1943
SHOGREN, Malcolm Edward John	Age 29	Sergeant  415375   RNZAF	28th April  1943
THOMPSON, Desmond Lewis	Age 21	Pilot Officer  413152   RNZAF	29th April  1943
WILLIAMS, John Muir	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  401341   RAAF	29th April  1943
FRANCE
Bayeux War Cemetery, France.
BONISCH, Lester Lascelles	Age 21	Pilot Officer 422098 RNZAF	11th June 1944
McKENZIE, James Murdoch Thomas	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  427217   RNZAF	11th June  1944
MILLER, James Stuart	Age 33	Flight Sergeant  427220   RNZAF	11th June  1944
Chateau-Voue Communal Cemetery, France.
McRAE, James Kenneth	Age 27	Flying Officer  415216   RNZAF	25th July  1944
POTTS, Thomas Christopher	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  421143   RNZAF	25th July  1944
Choloy War Cemetery, France.
GROVES, Kelvin Havelock Green	Age 30	Pilot Officer  415819   RNZAF	17th April  1943
STONE, Ronald Charles	Age 26	Sergeant  413281   RNZAF	17th April 1943
Clermont-Ferrand (Des Carmes Dechaux) Communal Cemetery, France.
HENDERSON, Hugh William	Age 24	Flying Officer  421713   RNZAF	5th March  1944
JONES, Arthur Stanley	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421977   RNZAF	5th March  1944
MELVILLE, Robert James Ian	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  42349   RNZAF	5th March  1944
WATSON, Raymond Johnson   DFC	Age 27	Squadron Leader  404978 RNZAF	5th March  1944
Cronenbourg French National (Mixed) Cemetery, Strasbourg, France.
DUDDING, Keat	Age 25	Warrant Officer 415522 RNZAF	25th July    1944
TAVERNER, George Alfred Badge	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  429835   RAAF	25th July  1944
WHITEHOUSE, Keith Owen	Age 23	Flying Officer  428800   RNZAF	25th July  1944
Fruges Communal Cemetery, France.
BATESON, Benjamin William	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 424788 RNZAF	25th June 1944
MILNE, Bruce	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  428017   RNZAF	25th June  1944
Guidel Communal Cemetery, France.
HARDING-SMITH, Dudley	Age 24	Pilot Officer  405265   RNZAF	13th February  1943
Millery Communal Cemetery, France.
BLANCE, Ian Edward	Age 21	Pilot Officer 421496 RNZAF	29th July 1944
CLIMO, Frederick Walter Percival	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 4310148 RNZAF	29th July 1944
JENKINS, Frederick Francis Arthur	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  429888   RNZAF	29th July  1944
Olonne-Sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, France.
WHITTA, Neville Bruce	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  416566   RNZAF	16th August  1943
Poix-de-la-Somme Churchyard, France.
MACKENZIE, Douglas John	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  417211   RAAF	2nd May  1944
PEEVERS, Thomas Alexander	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  417232   RNZAF	2nd May  1944
SACHTLER, Euen William	Age 24	Squadron Leader  41362   RNZAF	2nd May  1944
Rieux Communal Cemetery, France.
BETLEY, Ronald Desmond Ernest	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 421495 RNZAF	16th June 1944
COOK, Peter Jackson	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42708 RNZAF	16th June 1944
HALE, Lawrence Eastmure	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  42395   RNZAF	16th June  1944
TOOHEY, Edward Wallace	Age 22	Warrant Officer 416672   RNZAF	16th June  1944
Therouldeville Churchyard, France.
RITCHIE, Alfred Henry	Age 22	Sergeant  40207   RNZAF	22nd December  1940
Tillieres-Sur-Avre Communal Cemetery, France.
DONAGHY, Thomas Rodgers	Age 33	Flight Sergeant 422267 RNZAF	11th June    1944
Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery, France.
DIMOCK, Vallance Albert Oliver	Age 22	Sergeant     412317    RNZAF	25th October 1942
McCONNELL, James Allison	Age 21	Sergeant  414646   RNZAF	25th October  1942
SMITH, Selwyn Clarence	Age 29	Sergeant  41952   RNZAF	25th October  1942
TONKIN, Douglas Noel	Age 22	Sergeant  413285   RNZAF	25th October  1942
Ville-Sur-Retourne Churchyard, France.
HUGHILL, Howard James	Age 21	Sergeant  414293   RNZAF	25th October  1942
Yevres Communal Cemetery, France.
STOKES, Noel Alfred Deal	Age 25	Flight Lieutenant  421403   RNZAF	29th July  1944
GERMANY
Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
ERIKSON, Mervyn Arthur	Age 26	Pilot Officer 416103 RNZAF	24th August 1943
FISK, Joseph George Arkless	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  412874   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HELM, George Vincent	Age 23	Pilot Officer  416113   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HOPE, Lawrence Beresford Hamilton	Age 28	Warrant Officer  40940   RNZAF	19th April  1945
LUNDON, Francis Patrick	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404718   RNZAF	24th August  1943
MOSS, Douglas Hamilton	Age 23	Pilot Officer  404653   RNZAF	24th August  1943
SEDUNARY, Alan Joseph Lyall   DFC	Age 20	Pilot Officer  416619    RAAF	24th August  1943
STEWART, Donald MacKay	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 421336  RNZAF	1st September 1943
THIRD, James	Age 34	Pilot Officer  422671   RNZAF	24th August  1943
THORSTENSEN, Frederick William	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  414529   RNZAF	24th August  1943
WOOLCOTT, Douglas George	Age 23	Sergeant  1290189   RAFVR	24th August  1943
Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany
BRISCO, Robert Hylton	Age 26	Sergeant 411204 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CAITCHEON, Gordon Edwin	Age 28	Sergeant 404016 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CAMPBELL, Alan	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 391857 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CARNCROSS, Murray Ellis	Age 19	Pilot Officer 411718 RNZAF	29th July 1942
DAVIS, Ronald Fraser	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 403569 RNZAF	29th July 1942
HUTT, George Alister	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  41914   RNZAF	29th July 1942
McMURCHY, James Gordon	Age 31	Sergeant  405539   RNZAF	29th July 1942
O’SHEA, William Clerken	Age 28	Sergeant  411096   RNZAF	29th July 1942
SAVAGE, John Henry	Age 33	Sergeant  404620   RNZAF	29th July 1942
STEWART, Ian Gordon	Age 20	Sergeant  404623   RNZAF	29th July 1942
SUTHERLAND, Alexander George	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  405340   RNZAF	29th July 1942
TABOR, Adrian Oscar	Age 25	Sergeant  411104   RNZAF	29th July 1942
WESTERMAN, Victor Kenneth	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  41970   RNZAF	29th July 1942
WILSON, Peter John	Age 22	Flight Lieutenant  402475   RNZAF	29th July 1942
Hamburg War Cemetery, Germany.
CORLETT, Geoffrey Scott	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 42289 RNZAF	3rd August 1943
COUPER, James Arthur	Age 31	Flight Sergeant 417027 RNZAF	3rd August 1943
CRARER, Thomas Eric	Age 21	Sergeant 405475 RNZAF	29th July 1942
HAWKINS, Anthony Henry Ryder	Age 20	Sergeant  40971   RNZAF	15th September  1941
REEVES, Sydney Cecil Oliver	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  42339   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
WARD, James Allen   VC	Age 22	Sergeant  401793   RNZAF	15th September  1941
Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
ADAMSON, David Maurice	Age 27	Flying Officer 41052 RNZAF	28th September 1943
DALZELL, Errol Thomas Paterson	Age 22	Pilot Officer 411378 RNZAF	28th August 1942
HAUB, Darcy Leslie Conrad	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  42326   RNZAF	31st August 1943
HOGAN, Denis Patrick	Age 23	Sergeant  412331   RNZAF	28th August  1942
JACKSON, Kensington Campbell	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  42330   RNZAF	31st August  1943
RIDDLER, Stanley Winston	Age 22	Sergeant  424999   RNZAF	3rd October  1943
ROBERTS, Eric John	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  417107   RNZAF	31st August  1943
TUNBRIDGE, Victor Arthur	Age 28	Sergeant  411788   RNZAF	28th August  1942
WAEREA, Tame Hawaikirangi	Age 29	Pilot Officer  421300   RNZAF	28th September  1943
WHITMORE, Richard Charles	Age 22	Pilot Officer  421123   RNZAF	28th September  1943
Kiel War Cemetery, Germany.
AITCHISON, Campbell Ewen Justin	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 402974 RNZAF	12th March 1942
BELL, Maurice Perrott	Age 26	Pilot Officer 404882 RNZAF	29th March 1942
BROWN, John Lukies	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 402534 RNZAF	12th March 1942
CRAN, Franklyn Bertram	Age 21	Sergeant 405237 RNZAF	29th March 1942
FIRTH, Ellison George	Age 19	Sergeant  412218   RNZAF	13th October  1942
FRASER, Myles Frederick Gordon	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  403437   RNZAF	16th May  1942
HARRIS, Claude Joseph	Age 31	Sergeant  404028   RNZAF	29th March  1942
McDONALD, Murray Alexander	Age 23	Sergeant  400352   RAAF	12th March  1942
PARKINSON, Lewis Harry	Age 20	Sergeant  412518   RNZAF	13th October  1942
SMITH, Albert Ivan	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  402221   RNZAF	16th May  1942
WATTERS, Ventry	Age 22	Sergeant  413522   RNZAF	13th October  1942
WHITING, Norman Edward	Age 27	Sergeant  404107   RNZAF	16th May  1942
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
ANDERSON, Ronald Alexander John	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 36139 RNZAF	20th July 1940
BARCLAY, Thomas Smith	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 411358 RNZAF	12th August 1942
BISSET, Stuart Richard	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 415738 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
BLANK, John Frederick	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 422175 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
BOAG, Robert James	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 432097 RAAF	30th November 1944
BROWN, Alfred Errol	Age 25	Flying Officer 429139 RNZAF	21st March 1945
COLES, Thomas Edward	Age 28	Sergeant 40161 RNZAF	7th September 1942
COWIE, James Lindis	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42322 RNZAF	22nd November 1943
FRAMPTON, Laurie Albert	Age 20	Sergeant  411753   RNZAF	29th July  1942
GIBSON, John Cuthbert McKechnie	Age 29	Sergeant  40435 2  RNZAF	7th November  1941
GRIMES, Harold Dawson	Age 26	Sergeant  404532   RAAF	15th October  1941
HAZARD, Whelan Fallon	Age 20	Flying Officer  429047   RNZAF	12th August  1944
HOLLOWAY, Edgar John	Age 29	Flying Officer  429923   RNZAF	21st March  1945
INGLIS, William Gordon Lloyd	Age 27	Sergeant  411758   RNZAF	12th August  1942
JARVIS, Claude Joseph Frederick	Age 22	Sergeant  411722   RNZAF	7th September  1942
JOHNS, Arthur Grahame	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  41907   RNZAF	29th July  1942
KAVANAGH, Stanley Leo	Age 24	Warrant Officer  403579   RNZAF	30th May  1943
KRALJEVICH, Mark	Age 25	Sergeant  403458   RNZAF	29th July  1942
MACKENZIE, Stanley Henry	Age 23	Flying Officer  422418   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
MacPHAIL, Allan Corson Anderson	Age 30	Sergeant  41194   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MARSHALL, Eric William Elliott	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  415637   RNZAF	23rd May  1944
McCARTIN, Patrick Leo	Age 28	Flying Officer  419328   RAAF	20th November  1944
McINTOSH, James Alexander	Age 26	Flying Officer  411915   RNZAF	30th November  1944
McWILLIAM, Allan	Age 20	Sergeant  416586   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MILLS, George William	Age 27	Pilot Officer  411769   RNZAF	7th September  1942
MORGAN, Robert Carhampton	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  421389   RNZAF	30th November  1944
NEWMAN, Robert Wynne	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  4210960   RNZAF	30th November  1944
NORMAN, Raymond Fraser	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  416145   RNZAF	30th May  1943
OWEN, John Lewis	Age 24	Sergeant  391332   RNZAF	20th July  1940
PAYNE, Douglas Beardsley	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  426917   RNZAF	23rd May  1944
PLUMMER, Jack    DFC	Age 29	Flight Lieutenant  42451   RNZAF	21st March  1945
RAMSAY, William Robertson	Age 25	Sergeant  405508   RNZAF	9th June  1942
ROBERTSON, Trevor Bernard	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404948   RNZAF	15th October  1941
SAMSON, George King	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  402563   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
SAUL, Norman Priestley	Age 30	Sergeant  411730   RNZAF	7th September  1942
SCOTT, Russell James	Age 23	Flying Officer  428984   RNZAF	21st March  1945
SHARMAN, George William	Age 27	Sergeant  412746   RNZAF	7th September  1942
SMITH, Rupert John	Age 26	Pilot Officer  41950   RNZAF	9th June 1942
STEWART, Leslie Ian	Age 25	Sergeant  41178 5  RNZAF	29th July  1942
THORNLEY, Sydney Russell	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  40109   RNZAF	30th May  1943
TURNER, John Cecil	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  421115   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
WARRING, Robert John	Age 21	Sergeant  411110   RNZAF	12th August  1942
WOOD, James Haswell	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  425811   RNZAF	21st March  1945
Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
ANDERSEN, Kenneth Peder Christian	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 429128 RNZAF	4th November 1944
ASHWIN, Eric Lumley Durham	Age 22	Sergeant 41563 RNZAF	17th December 1942
BENNETT, Raymond Frederick	Age 29	Pilot Officer 415282 RNZAF	30th May 1943
BERNARD, Arthur George	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 424964 RNZAF	22nd November1943
BUDGE, William Finlay	Age 24	Pilot Officer 41977 RNZAF	6th April 1942
CAREY, John Henry Roy	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 414242 RNZAF	30th May 1943
CLARK, Mervyn Oliver	Age 20	Pilot Officer 404895 RNZAF	17th December 1942
COOMBRIDGE, Trevor Walter	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42653 RNZAF	27th December 1944
CURLEWIS, Raymond Fullerton	Age 25	Sergeant 402230 RAAF	11th October 1941
DALE, James Atkinson	Age 27	Flying Officer 425562 RNZAF	25th August 1944
DEBENHAM, Kevin Frederick	Age 26	Pilot Officer 412211 RNZAF	16th April 1943
DEVLIN, Kevin John	Age 26	Pilot Officer 413334 RNZAF	11th September 1942
FLEMING, James Allan	Age 27	Flying Officer  422382   RNZAF	25th August  1944
GALLETLY, Alan Russell	Age 33	Pilot Officer  427481   RNZAF	5th October  1944
HASELDEN, Howard Clive McLeish	Age 22	Sergeant  403003   RNZAF	18th September  1941
HENLEY, Douglas Charles   MiD	Age 23	Pilot Officer  414622   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HOWARD, Edward John Francis	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  424469   RNZAF	4th November  1944
HOWLETT, Arthur Douglas	Age 32	Flying Officer  413335   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
JACOBSON, Gerald Howard	Age 27	Flying Officer  41333   RNZAF	17th December  1942
JARVIS, William Louis	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  414691   RAAF	23rd September  1943
KELCHER, Walter Foch	Age 23	Sergeant  411908   RNZAF	11th September  1942
KENDAL, Christopher James	Age 21	Sergeant  412342   RNZAF	17th December  1942
KIRKPATRICK, Laurence John	Age 20	Flying Officer  414990   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
MacLEOD, Norman Alexander	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  404079   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MARGETTS, John Edward Stanley	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  422665   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
McALPINE, Walter Duncan	Age 30	Pilot Officer  403551   RNZAF	17th December  1942
METCALFE, Thomas Otto	Age 19	Sergeant  414386   RNZAF	11th September  1942
MILES, Haddon Shaw	Age 27	Flying Officer  421746   RNZAF	27th December 1 944
MOSLEY, Stuart Edwin	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  426106   RNZAF	5th October  1944
MURPHY, Timothy Rowley	Age 20	Sergeant  404037   RNZAF	11th October  1941
PULLAR, Henry Welsh	Age 25	Sergeant  411777   RNZAF	17th December  1942
SANDS, Hugh Powell	Age 26	Flying Officer  403287   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
SCOTT, Alexander	Age 20	Sergeant  413484   RNZAF	3rd December  1942
SCOTT, Alistair Henry	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  428259   RNZAF	4th November  1944
SCOTT, John Harold	Age 29	Flying Officer  428797   RNZAF	4th November  1944
SINGLE, Alan Roy	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  413144   RAAF	22nd November  1943
SMITH, Ian Hector Ross	Age 34	Flight  Sergeant  421614   RNZAF	1st September  1943
SMITH, Phillip Francis	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  427206   RAAF	20th November  1944
SOUTHWARD, Keith	Age 28	Flying Officer  411048   RNZAF	6th October  1944
STOKES, Wallace Frederick	Age 27	Sergeant  412326   RNZAF	17th December  1942
THOMPSON, Colin Maurice	Age 23	Sergeant  404427   RNZAF	11th October  1941
WALSHE, Desmond James	Age 25	Sergeant  412912   RNZAF	11th September  1942
WATSON, Clifford Arnold	Age 34	Flying Officer  421946   RNZAF	1st September  1943
WELSH, Neville Henry	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  391334   RNZAF	15th October  1941
WHITE, William George Henry	Age 27	Sergeant  41717   RNZAF	17th December  1942
WHITTINGTON, Eric Richmond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  416030   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
WILKINSON, Ernest Stanley	Age 25	Pilot Officer  417138   RNZAF	6th September  1943
WOOD, Frederick Lionel Roy	Age 23	Sergeant  404439   RNZAF	15th October  1941
Sage War Cemetery, Germany.
BRODIE, Andrew Moore	Age 25	Sergeant 391378 RNZAF	21st February 1941
BUCKLEY, Wallace Edward	Age 28	Pilot Officer 391379 RNZAF	21st June 1942
GILL, John Trevor Vivian	Age 27	Sergeant  403362   RNZAF	4th September  1942
GRANT, Horace Llewellyn	Age 27	Sergeant  405254   RNZAF	4th September  1942
LEES, Reginald Sidney	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404907   RNZAF	27th July 1942
LOWTHER, Peter Desmond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  403583   RNZAF	11th July  1942
NEWMAN, Richard Alfred William	Age 24	Sergeant  405309   RNZAF	4th September  1942
RENTON, Rupert Ernest	Age 22	Sergeant  412352   RNZAF	4th September  1942
ROBERTSON, Norman Bruce	Age 25	Pilot Officer  411101   RNZAF	27th July  1942
SHARP, Richard Edwin	Age 23	Sergeant  405513   RNZAF	11th July  1942
SHEPHERD, Ian James	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404414   RNZAF	27th July  1942
TRENGROVE, Raymond Wickliffe John	Age 20	Pilot Officer  40927   RNZAF	21st June  1942
WINSTANLEY, James Francis	Age 20	Sergeant  412373   RNZAF	27th July  1942
Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
BARKER, Richard Stockdale	Age 28	Pilot Officer 421345 RNZAF	26th August 1944
BRIDGER, Cyril Jack	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 417192 RNZAF	28th August 1943
DAVEY, Charles Raglan	Age 21	Sergeant 413937 RNZAF	8th March 1943
FIRTH, Raymond	Age 28	Warrant Officer  417203   RNZAF	26th August  1944
HENDERSON, Matthew Ronald	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  427204   RNZAF	28th April  1944
HERRON, Robert Weir	Age 23	Flying Officer  422282   RNZAF	28th April  1944
HIGHAM, Frank Douglas	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  416116   RNZAF	28th August  1943
LOGAN, Clifford Charles Pownall	Age 28	Flying Officer  405918   RAAF	23rd September  1943
McLACHLAN, Euen Wilfred	Age 22	Flying Officer  415266   RNZAF	28th April  1944
NORTON, William George	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  413227   RNZAF	26th August  1944
PERKS, Eric	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  411934   RNZAF	29th August  1942
SMITH, Keith Alfred	Age 23	Warrant Officer  416022 RNZAF	28th April  1944
SOWERBY, Geoffrey Phillips	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  417243   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
HOLLAND
Aardenburg General Cemetery, Holland.
HEWETT, Harold Max	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  419311   RAAF	12th May  1944
Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery, Holland.
BLINCOE, Kenneth Howard DFC	Age 33	Pilot Officer 412194  RNZAF	3rd February 1943
CLEARWATER, Desmond	Age 24	Sergeant 412314 RNZAF	3rd February 1943
COOK, George Wood	Age 24	Sergeant 412514 RNZAF	3rd February 1943
SCOTT, Andrew James Newell	Age 21	Pilot Officer  414685   RNZAF	3rd February  1943
Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, Holland.
ANNAN, William Douglas Francis	Age 20	Sergeant 391377 RNZAF	26th July 1940
BYRNE, Martin John	Age 32	Flight Sergeant 404529 RNZAF	29th July 1942
COLEMAN, William Harcourt DFC	Age 23	Flying Officer 2526 RNZAF	26th July 1940
GILBERTSON, John Edward	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  41894   RNZAF	29th July  1942
PERROTT, William Rosser	Age 21	Flying Officer  416155   RNZAF	25th June  1943
Beesd General Cemetery, Holland.
JOBLIN, Frederick John Leigh	Age 25	Sergeant  417063   RNZAF	24th May  1943
TURNBULL, George Watson	Age 24	Sergeant  421342   RNZAF	24th May  1943
TIETJENS, Stephen Muir	Age 26	Sergeant  415640   RNZAF	24th May 1 943
Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Holland.
BLACK, John William	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 402843 RNZAF	7th November 1941
COOKSEY, James Brett	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 416460 RNZAF	24th June 1943
FOTHERINGHAM, Robert Ewen Ernest	Age 29	Sergeant  391833   RNZAF	16th July  1941
GRAY, Trevor Hedley	Age 27	Sergeant  404356   RNZAF	7th November  1941
LLOYD, Eric	Age 28	Pilot Officer  402197   RNZAF	7th November  1941
MURDOCH, Graham Edward	Age 26	Pilot Officer  411927   RNZAF	9th June  1942
O’DOWD, Albert William	Age 25	Sergeant  41544   RNZAF	9th June  1942
PENMAN, Alexander Mitchell	Age 23	Flying Officer  416154   RNZAF	21st October  1944
Doetinchem (Loolaan) General Cemetery, Holland.
HARRISON, Alfred Herbert	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  403000   RNZAF	8th November  1941
WYLLIE, Thomas Young	Age 25	Sergeant  404011   RNZAF	8th November  1941
Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, Holland.
GILMOUR, Hugh Edward	Age 24	Warrant Officer  422667   RAAF	21st July  1944
MILLS, Samuel	Age 32	Flight Sergeant  425036   RAAF	21st July  1944
OSBORNE, John Edward	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  417877   RAAF	21st July  1944
Flushing  (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Holland.
BLUCK, Norman Bradford	Age 22	Pilot Officer 40364 RNZAF	24th June 1943
STRONG, Geoffrey Walter	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  413905   RNZAF	24th June  1943
Gilze-En-Rijen (Gilze) Roman Catholic Cemetery,  Holland.
COOK, Stephen Astley	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 421142 RNZAF	28th May 1944
SCOTT, Francis Alexander Jack	Age 28	Sergeant  421105   RNZAF	28th May  1944
Harderwijk General Cemetery, Holland.
THOMSON, Gordon Douglas	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42317   RNZAF	25th June  1943
Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen, Holland.
CALLOW, Horace	Age 27	Flying Officer 427185 RNZAF	21st July 1944
DOBBIN, Laurence St.George	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 401375 RNZAF	12th August 1942
HICKFORD, Leonard Charles	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  426886   RNZAF	21st July  1944
HOWELL, Edward	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428819   RNZAF	21st July  1944
JURY, Jack Leslie	Age 20	Sergeant  411764   RNZAF	12th August  1942
McKENZIE, Francis Max	Age 26	Pilot Officer  41344   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
REDWOOD, Gerard Henry	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  425012   RNZAF	21st July  1944
ROCHE, Gerald Brian	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  413219   RNZAF	21st July  1944
SMITH, Keith Emmett	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425179   RNZAF	21st July  1944
Markelo General Cemetery, Holland.
BURBIDGE, Kenneth Alfred	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 412200 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
MARTIN, Donald Ernest	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  413872   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
McEWIN, Andrew James	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  417077   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
WILCOCKSON, Walter Frederick	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  42314   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
Oldebroek General Cemetery, Holland.
SMITH, Trevor Harry	Age 24	Pilot Officer  41953   RNZAF	9th July  1942
Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery, Holland.
FOSTER, Ralph Owen	Age 29	Pilot Officer  402443   RNZAF	8th November  1941
RYDER, Robert Leslie Owen	Age 25	Pilot Officer  404626   RAAF	8th November  1941
WILSON, John Stephen	Age 27	Sergeant  402530   RNZAF	8th November  1941
Schiermonnikoog (Vredenhof) Cemetery, Holland.
CHRISTIE, Arthur Stafford	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 402982 RNZAF	21st June 1942
FRASER, Allan Armistice	Age 23	Flying Officer  405030   RNZAF	21st June  1942
YOUNG, George Anthony	Age 21	Sergeant  405771   RNZAF	9th July 1 942
Tilburg (Gilzerbaan) General Cemetery, Holland.
BURTT, Henry John	Age 31	Flying Officer 414560 RNZAF	21st July 1944
CRAWFORD, Henry Varley Gibb	Age 28	Sergeant 404339 RNZAF	7th September 1942
GILLAN, Gottfred Lyall	Age 21	Warrant Officer  42324   RNZAF	21st July  1944
GROVES, Alpheus Leslie	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  403574   RNZAF	7th September  1942
PARKES, William Ronald	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  403822   RNZAF	7th September  1942
ROSE, George Herbert	Age 30	Sergeant  391713   RNZAF	7th September  1942
WILSON, Eric Glover	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  403035   RNZAF	7th September  1942
Uden War Cemetery, Holland.
FLETCHER, Andrew Crawford	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  42675   RNZAF	21st July  1944
SIMPSON, Alfred Alexander	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  425212   RNZAF	21st July  1944
WHITTINGTON, Harold	Age 26	Pilot Officer  42488   RNZAF	21st July  1944
Westdongeradeel (Holwerd) Protestant Cemetery, Holland.
HEGAN, John Gordon George	Age 23	Sergeant  411075   RNZAF	30th June  1942
McGREGOR, Murdoch Gordon	Age 23	Sergeant  411079   RNZAF	30th June  1942
MONCRIEF, Eric Francis Sydney	Age 25	Sergeant  411087   RNZAF	30th June  1942
RANDLE, Douglas Haig	Age 24	Sergeant  405454   RNZAF	30th June  1942
Wierden General Cemetery, Holland.
McCULLOUGH, John   DFC	Age 30	Pilot Officer  40410 RNZAF	3rd February  1943
MURPHY, Terence Austin	Age 30	Sergeant  413307   RNZAF	3rd February 1943

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

 

 

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

We shall remember them

For the Fallen

Poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21^st September 1914.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

ANZAC Day 2017

“Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.“

 In 1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered these words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. They were later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington.

I would like to take this years ANZAC Day post to announce another significant update to the 75(NZ) Squadron RAF Roll of Honour.

The Roll of Honour in its original guise was very generously gifted to the Blog when it began, by Kevin King, Chairman of the UK Squadron Association. Its original creation was a significant undertaking, taking Kevin and John Tyler several years to compile the full Roll in the days before the internet.

Two years ago, a first significant advance was announced with the addition of gravestone images to the Roll of Honour from the New Zealand War Graves Project.

This year sees the re-presentation of the Roll of Honour with significant extra information for each individual listed. Added to the existing information is the individuals trade position and where it exists their memorial inscription. Additionally, the Form 540 Diary entry is added along with the full list of the crew that the individual in question was flying with. Finally, any known details of the fate of the individual and their crew are included.

With a total of 1,139 Squadron members lost during the Second World War, the addition of this extra material has been a significant, but, I feel, a very worthwhile project. I would welcome any additional material that relatives might wish to add and I intend as time allows to add, where available, images of the lost airmen.

Sections of the new Roll of honour can be accessed here:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y

What follows for this ANZAC Day post is a list of all RNZAF and RAAF airmen who lost their lives flying with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. They are listed by country and graveyard.

AHE AKE KIA KAHA

UNITED KINGDOM
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England.
GUNN, Garth Reginald    MiD	Age 26	Squadron Leader  411397  RNZAF	21st September  1944
SIMONSEN, Horace Dean	Age 31	Leading Aircraftsman  438024   RNZAF	17th April  1941
Buxton Cemetery, Derbyshire, England.
BEAVEN, James Wilfred	Age 31	Sergeant 403566 RNZAF	22nd May 1942
MACKAY, Andrew Donald	Age 22	Pilot Officer  411919   RNZAF	22nd May  1942
SMEATON, Wilfred Herbert	Age 28	Sergeant  405331   RNZAF	23rd May  1942
Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England.
BLEWETT, Terence Douglas	Age 26	Flight Lieutenant 414376 RNZAF	17th January 1945
BROADY, Raymond Herbert John	Age 28	Sergeant 39691 RNZAF	28th November 1942
DOBSON, Peter Gerald    MiD	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 439022 RNZAF	8th September 1943
EAST, Patton Mason	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 426083 RNZAF	24th October 1943
EMMERSON, Ronald Harry	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 410330 RAAF	16th December 1943
HURDLE, Walter	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421279   RNZAF	4th November  1943
JENKIN, Ralph Francis	Age 23	Flying Officer  416119   RNZAF	16th December  1943
KINROSS, Colin John	Age 30	Pilot Officer  417069   RNZAF	16th December  1943
MENZIES, Ian Robert	Age 21	Flying Officer  415002   RNZAF	8th September  1943
PURVES, James John	Age 35	Flight Sergeant  422207   RNZAF	25th October  1943
RANDLE, James Robert	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  416539   RNZAF	24th October  1943
WILSON, John Stanley	Age 34	Flying Officer  426234   RNZAF	17th January  1945
Chevington Cemetery, Northumberland, England.
McISAAC, Alexander	Age 24	Sergeant  412891   RNZAF	28th November  1942
Feltwell (St. Nicholas) Churchyard, Norfolk, England.
BENTLEY, Loch Lomond	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 403936 RNZAF	23rd December 1941
FOUNTAIN, Cedric Niel	Age 23	Pilot Officer  41981   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
GANNAWAY, Eric Francis	Age 21	Sergeant  402110   RNZAF	12th May  1941
GRENFELL, Richard John	Age 22	Sergeant  404026   RNZAF	29th June  1942
HARRIS, Richard James	Age 24	Sergeant  402999   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
JOYCE, David Campbell	Age 21	Sergeant  401278   RNZAF	16th July  1941
MITCHELL, Norman	Age 25	Sergeant  404084   RNZAF	29th June  1942
NICOL, Trafford McRae	Age 21	Pilot Officer  411929   RNZAF	23rd April  1942
RYAN, Alexander James	Age 25	Pilot Officer  391367   RNZAF	10th January  1941
WOODHAM, Henry William	Age 27	Sergeant  402449   RNZAF	28th February  1942
Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery, Lincolnshire, England.
MEE, Alexander Coutts	Age 23	Sergeant  40656   RNZAF	7th May  1941
NOLA, David Leo	Age 26	Sergeant  39930   RNZAF	7th May  1941
Guilford Cemetery, Surrey, England.
ANDREWS, James Samuel	Age 23	Sergeant 634968 RAF	13th May 1943
Ham (St Andrew) Churchyard, Richmond, Surrey, England.
DIBBEN, Ronald Oswald	Age 22	Sergeant    1252627     RAFVR	28th November 1942
Ilford (Barkingside) Cemetery, Essex, England.
THORPE, Noel Humphrey	Age 21	Flying Officer  428168   RNZAF	26th February  1945
Jarrow Cemetery, County Durham, England.
BRUCE, John Henry	Age 23	Sergeant 1566967 RAFVR	17th September 1944
Lakenham (St. John the Baptist and All Saints) Churchyard, Norfolk, England.
HARVEY, Edgar William	Age 27	Sergeant  41902   RNZAF	16th December  1942
Newmarket Cemetery, Suffolk, England.
CLUBB, Selwyn James	Age 20	Flying Officer 414593 RNZAF	13th May 1943
FRANKLIN, Benjamin Allan	Age 21	Sergeant  414277   RNZAF	16th December  1942
HARVEY, Robert Frederick	Age 23	Sergeant  416483   RNZAF	13th May  1943
JOHNSTON, John	Age 28	Flying Officer  416198   RNZAF	13th May  1943
WALSH, John Arthur Ernest	Age 27	Warrant Officer  401294   RNZAF	9th April  1943
WELCH, Harold Rangi	Age 23	Sergeant  41709   RNZAF	16th December  1942
WHITCOMBE, William Henry	Age 32	Sergeant  41561   RNZAF	16th December  1942
Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England.
AITCHISON, Richard Justin	Age 28	Pilot Officer 429286 RNZAF	1st January 1945
BABER, Thomas James Edward    MiD Czech Medal for Bravery	Age 23	Flight Lieutenant 39857  RNZAF	12th March 1942
BAGNALL, Trevor Horace	Age 26	Warrant Officer 40640 RNZAF	17th December 1942
BAKER, James Guthrie	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 41142 RNZAF	1st September 1943
BARTON, Arthur James Douglas	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 413700 RNZAF	5th February 1943
BENTLEY, Robert Henry Waldron	Age 23	Pilot Officer 414580 RNZAF	5th May 1943
BOSWELL, John McLaren	Age 26	Sergeant 414491 RNZAF	5th May 1943
BRADEY, George Edward Francis	Age 25	Pilot Officer 401954 RNZAF	11th August 1942
BRAILEY, Clifton Robert	Age 23	Sergeant 404589 RNZAF	21st June 1942
BRIAN, William Leslie Fred	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 411737 RNZAF	28th April 1943
BRIDGMAN, Arthur Mervyn	Age 26	Pilot Officer 41866 RNZAF	3rd March 1943
BROUN, Alan Stewart	Age 32	Pilot Officer 405367 RNZAF	9th July 1942
BROWN, Russell Howard	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 425444 RNZAF	22nd May 1944
BRUHNS, Harold Henry	Age 22	Pilot Officer 42367 RNZAF	24th February 1944
BRYSON, Norman Albert	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 40859 RNZAF	26th July 1942
BUCKLEY, Ross Cameron	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 411206 RNZAF	28th April 1943
BURTON, Clarence Sydney	Age 22	Sergeant 414493 RNZAF	3rd March 1943
BUTLER, Laurie Licence	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 421672 RNZAF	24th February 1944
CAIRNS, Louvain Trevor	Age 25	Flight Sergeant 402437 RNZAF	26th July 1942
CHAMBERLAIN, Lloyd Montgomery	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 40914 RNZAF	12th March 1942
COLLINS, John Noel	Age 23	Flight Lieutenant 2513 RNZAF	21st May 1940
COPPERSMITH, Raymond Patrick	Age 21	Sergeant 391697 RNZAF	26th July 1942
CORIN, Henry George	Age 34	Sergeant 417269 RNZAF	28th April 1943
CUMPSTY, Frederick William Raukawa	Age 25	Pilot Officer 413386 RNZAF	31st July 1943
DANCE, Alfred Thomas	Age 25	Flying Officer 42495 RNZAF	4th November 1943
DARNEY, Jack Neville	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42376 RNZAF	31st July 1943
DARTON, Thomas William	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 416465 RNZAF	26th May 1943
DAVIDSON, Neil Douglas	Age 21	Pilot Officer 422057 RNZAF	21st July 1944
DROMGOOLE, Sydney Houston	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 402171 RNZAF	22nd April 1942
DUNKERLEY, Allan Roy Frank	Age 33	Pilot Officer 423083 RAAF	21st November 1944
DYER, Sydney Allan	Age 19	Sergeant 40101 RNZAF	16th July 1941
EARLE, John	Age 29	Pilot Officer 401756 RNZAF	12th March 1942
ELLIOT, Thomas Isaac	Age 24	Flying Officer 421364 RNZAF	21st November 1944
FALCONER, Arthur James	Age 23	Pilot Officer  39910   RNZAF	21st February  1941
FALKINER, Philip	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425140   RNZAF	30th July  1944
FAWCETT, Arnold Goodrick	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  422698   RNZAF	4th November  1943
FERGUSSON, Allister Archibald	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  425391   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
FINLAYSON, William John	Age 23	Pilot Officer  39911   RNZAF	24th October  1940
FITZGERALD, John	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  424777   RNZAF	30th August  1944
FREEMAN, Patrick Paul Deane	Age 22	Sergeant  413305   RNZAF	5th February  1943
GAVEGAN, Jack Ralph	Age 30	Pilot Officer  402128   RNZAF	9th July  1942
GOING, Raymond Cyril	Age 21	Sergeant  414278   RNZAF	3rd March  1943
GOULD, James Douglas	Age 21	Sergeant  411233   RNZAF	11th July  1942
GREEN, Cyril Vincent	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  402997   RNZAF	11th August  1942
GREENING, Joseph Wesley	Age 27	Pilot Officer  40022   RAAF	3rd July  1941
HADFIELD, Graham Stanley	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  426239   RNZAF	14th March  1944
HALLIBURTON, Keith	Age 23	Sergeant  415411   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HARE, Philip Edgar	Age 19	Sergeant  401227   RNZAF	16th July  1941
HARRISON-SMITH, Francis Charles	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  403959   RNZAF	30th November 1941
HARTSTONE, Roydon Horatio	Age 29	Sergeant  40211   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
HIGGINS, Eric Vincent Keiran	Age 27	Sergeant  400277   RAAF	16th July  1941
HIRST, Raymond John Finlay	Age 22	Sergeant  404067   RNZAF	11th July  1942
HOWELL, Alexander Clunie	Age 22	Sergeant  392104   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HOWES, Victor Charles	Age 20	Sergeant  413418   RNZAF	28th April  1943
HUNTER, Patrick Torre	Age 29	Sergeant  42297   RNZAF	28th April  1943
INNES, Owen Alfred	Age 22	Sergeant  421935   RNZAF	30th May  1943
JONES, Roy King	Age 26	Flying Officer  425611   RNZAF	21st July  1944
JUDD, Douglas Howard	Age 26	Sergeant  413336   RNZAF	10th September  1942
KAY, Alan Lister	Age 35	Flight Sergeant  42299   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
KELLY, Reginald Joseph Stephen	Age 24	Sergeant  403580   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
KILBY, William Adam	Age 40	Flight Sergeant  415261   RNZAF	1st September  1943
KNIGHT, Leon Gaston	Age 22	Sergeant  405494   RNZAF	9th June  1942
LAMB, Erwin Henry Reubin	Age 29	Sergeant  413709   RNZAF	5th May  1943
LEWIS, Alfred Edward	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  412458   RAAF	28th April  1943
LODGE, Tom	Age 35	Flying Officer  417284   RNZAF	4th November  1943
LOVELOCK, James Benjamin	Age 26	Flying Officer  416324   RNZAF	1st September  1943
MacKAY, Kenneth McIndoe	Age 27	Pilot Officer  421829   RNZAF	21st July  1944
MacKINNON, Douglas Malcolm	Age 20	Sergeant  40923   RNZAF	16th July 1941
MAHOOD, Thomas Stanley	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404916   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
MARTYN, Leslie Arthur	Age 35	Flight Lieutenant  417082   RNZAF	21st November  1944
MASON, Frederick David	Age 21	Sergeant  1230433   RAFVR	16th August  1943
MAYO, John Russell	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  417085   RNZAF	7th August  1943
McGREGOR, Keith Alexander	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  415770   RNZAF	1st September  1943
McKENZIE, Frank Edwin	Age 22	Sergeant  391085   RNZAF	9th July  1942
McMAHON, Henry Thomas Owen	Age 27	Sergeant  403019   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
McPHERSON, Colin Valentine	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  404912   RNZAF	26th July  1942
MONK, Walter Jack	Age 24	Pilot Officer  411432   RNZAF	30th June  1942
MOORE, Cyril James	Age 25	Sergeant  410555   RAAF	6th July  1943
MUIR, Anthony Vincent	Age 29	Pilot Officer  40195   RNZAF	21st February  1941
NAIRNE, Colin George	Age 22	Pilot Officer  42117   RNZAF	30th July  1944
NATION, John Ross	Age 22	Sergeant  40945   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
NEWTON, Raymond John   DFC MiD	Age 28	Wing Commander  40984   RNZAF	1st January  1945
OAKEY, Arthur Leslie Archibald	Age 33	Flight Sergeant  4213810   RNZAF	21st March  1945
PARTON, William James	Age 20	Pilot Officer  41932   RNZAF	12th March  1942
PERRY, Lyndon Clifford	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428925   RNZAF	30th July  1944
POTTS, Donald Norman	Age 25	Pilot Officer  412267   RNZAF	9th July  1942
PRICE, Henry John	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404095   RNZAF	12th March  1942
QUINN, Eric James	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  4210077   RNZAF	21st July  1944
REDDING, Randolph Ernest	Age 30	Sergeant  414678   RNZAF	5th February  1943
REID, Ian Laurie	Age 23	Sergeant  391846   RNZAF	3rd July  1941
RICHARDS, James Leonard	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404946   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
RIDDLE, Charles Hudson	Age 21	Flying Officer  41190   RNZAF	30th May  1943
RIORDAN, John Milton Patrick	Age 32	Sergeant  422668   RNZAF	26th May  1943
ROSS, Desmond Ray	Age 23	Sergeant  411451   RNZAF	28th April  1943
ROSS, Stanley David	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  41359   RNZAF	26th July  1942
ROWBERRY, Geoffrey Warren	Age 24	Pilot Officer  414567   RNZAF	14th March  1944
SHALFOON, Charles John	Age 22	Sergeant  413897   RNZAF	11th October  1942
SMART, Randolph Cruickshank	Age 25	Pilot Officer  411006   RNZAF	10th September  1942
SPITTAL, Phillip Charles	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404420   RNZAF	26th July  1942
ST.LEDGER, Peter Sylvestor Anthony	Age 21	Flying Officer 4 25375   RAAF	30th July  1943
STONE, Robert James	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  415383   RNZAF	31st July  1943
STREETER, Donald Frederick	Age 24	Sergeant  401033   RNZAF	24th July  1941
THOMAS, Raymond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  40586   RNZAF	6th July  1943
THOMSON, Jack	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  421145   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
TONG, Harold	Age 34	Flying Officer  416648   RNZAF	30th May  1943
TURNBULL, John George	Age 33	Flying Officer  42490   RNZAF	16th August  1943
TURNER, William	Age 22	Flying Officer  416579   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
TWEEDIE, Norman	Age 25	Sergeant  402474   RAAF	12th September  1941
VERCOE, Terrance James	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  415566   RNZAF	31st July  1943
VERNAZONI, Richard Barry	Age 20	Flying Officer 416185   RNZAF	30th May  1943
WALKER, Graham Stuart	Age 25	Sergeant  401817   RNZAF	24th July  1941
WATSON, Walter Davis	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  428918   RNZAF	30th August  1944
WESTWOOD, Reginald Francis	Age 20	Pilot Officer  416471   RAAF	5th May  1943
WHITELAW, Clifford James	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  416188   RNZAF	25th June  1943
WILLIS, William Jarvis	Age 33	Pilot Officer 421803   RNZAF	22nd May  1944
WILMSHURST, John Charles	Age 25	Sergeant  411962   RNZAF	11th July  1942
WILSON, Norman Clarence Bruce	Age 23	Flying Officer  417139   RNZAF	4th November  1943
WOODCOCK, Roy Joffre Desmond	Age 26	Sergeant  404985   RNZAF	12th March  1942
WORTH, Jim	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  425510   RNZAF	21st July  1944
WRIGHTSON, Cyril Charles	Age 22	Sergeant  411998   RNZAF	22nd April  1942
Belgium
Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium.
ANDERSON, Lindsay Douglas	Age 20	Sergeant 391321 RNZAF	20th September 1940
Chiervres Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
KELL, William Robert	Age 23	Pilot Officer 411766 RNZAF	19th November  1943
MYERS, John William Anthony	Age 25	Flight Lieutenant 405801 RNZAF	19th July  1944
Florennes Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
GRAINGER, James Kennedy	Age 21	Pilot Officer  42295   RNZAF	15th April  1943
McCASKILL, Donald Gordon	Age 19	Pilot Officer  413573   RNZAF	15th April  1943
SMITH, Ronald Alexander	Age 21	Sergeant 415378   RNZAF	15th April  1943
Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
BURKE, Edgar Lawrence	Age 26	Pilot Officer 417016 RNZAF	23rd May 1944
PAGE, Frank Albert	Age 29	Warrant Officer  409481   RAAF	23rd May  1944
PARKIN, Victor Trevor	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  421090   RNZAF	31st August  1943
WATTERS, Terrence	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  417299   RNZAF	31st August  1943
Hoton War Cemetery, Belgium.
ELVIN, William	Age 21	Pilot Officer 426883 RNZAF	12th August 1944
JOHNSTON, Haig Douglas	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  426320   RNZAF	12th August  1944
MULCAHY, Cyril Desmond	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428793   RNZAF	12th August  1944
PARKER, Robert Ronald Smithie	Age 20	Sergeant  1892552   RAFVR	12th August 1944
THOMSON, Edward Leonard	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  4211036   RNZAF	12th August  1944
WRIGHT, John Herbert	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  426209   RNZAF	12th August  1944
Ostende New Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
COATES, Dudley Dobson	Age 33	Sergeant 421318 RNZAF	26th May 1943
Werken Churchyard, Belgium.
ROBERTS, James	Age 20	Sergeant  400310   RAAF	22nd October  1941
SPARK, Frederick Alexander	Age 26	Sergeant  401415   RNZAF	22nd October  1941
Wevelgem Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
FAUVEL, Spencer Francis	Age 21	Flight Lieutenant  414971   RNZAF	28th May  1944
GOWER, Kenneth Wilfred	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421272   RNZAF	28th May  1944
LUKEY, Francis Henry Clark	Age 23	Flying Officer  42990   RNZAF	28th May  1944
MASON, James Rooker	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  421307   RNZAF	28th May  1944
DENMARK
Aabenraa Cemetery, Denmark.
BAILEY, Robert	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 429072 RNZAF	23rd April 1944
LAMMAS, Mauson	Age 30	Pilot Officer  421728   RNZAF	23rd April  1944
SAWTELL, Arthur Hartley	Age 19	Flight Sergeant  417521   RAAF	24th February  1944
VAUGHAN, Douglas William	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  429046   RNZAF	23rd April  1944
Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery, Denmark.
COBB, Cyril Thomas	Age 30	Flight Sergeant 412315 RNZAF	21st April 1943
EARLE, Frederick Joseph	Age 22	Sergeant    1332585     RAFVR	21st April 1943
SALT, Ian Charles	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  404046   RNZAF	21st April  1943
TOLLEY, Alan Gray	Age 21	Pilot Officer  411954   RNZAF	21st April  1943
UPTON, Frank Wakefield	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  404430   RNZAF	21st April  1943
Frederikshavn Cemetery, Denmark.
CRAWFORD-WATSON, Lewis Stanley	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42734 RNZAF	4th November 1943
IMRIE, George Burns	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  422676   RNZAF	4th November  1943
JAMES, Charles James	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  426333   RNZAF	4th November  1943
MASTERS, William Stuart	Age 21	Pilot Officer  421077   RNZAF	4th November  1943
Gram Churchyard, Denmark.
MURRY, Henry James	Age 26	Flying Officer  415820   RNZAF	19th April  1944
Orslev Churchyard, Denmark.
BIGGAR, John Matthew	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 427945 RNZAF	12th September 1944
HADLEY, William Orchard	Age 30	Flying Officer 426041   RNZAF	12th September  1944
Svino Churchyard, Denmark
BOYD, William James Victor	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 428303 RNZAF	12th September 1944
GILES, John Patrick Arthur	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425836   RNZAF	12th September  1944
GUDGEON, John Bernard	Age 23	Pilot Officer  428786   RNZAF	12th September  1944
JENKINS, Ernest Roy	Age 25	Warrant Officer  405780   RNZAF	29th April  1943
SHOGREN, Malcolm Edward John	Age 29	Sergeant  415375   RNZAF	28th April  1943
THOMPSON, Desmond Lewis	Age 21	Pilot Officer  413152   RNZAF	29th April  1943
WILLIAMS, John Muir	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  401341   RAAF	29th April  1943
FRANCE
Bayeux War Cemetery, France.
BONISCH, Lester Lascelles	Age 21	Pilot Officer 422098 RNZAF	11th June 1944
McKENZIE, James Murdoch Thomas	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  427217   RNZAF	11th June  1944
MILLER, James Stuart	Age 33	Flight Sergeant  427220   RNZAF	11th June  1944
Chateau-Voue Communal Cemetery, France.
McRAE, James Kenneth	Age 27	Flying Officer  415216   RNZAF	25th July  1944
POTTS, Thomas Christopher	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  421143   RNZAF	25th July  1944
Choloy War Cemetery, France.
GROVES, Kelvin Havelock Green	Age 30	Pilot Officer  415819   RNZAF	17th April  1943
STONE, Ronald Charles	Age 26	Sergeant  413281   RNZAF	17th April 1943
Clermont-Ferrand (Des Carmes Dechaux) Communal Cemetery, France.
HENDERSON, Hugh William	Age 24	Flying Officer  421713   RNZAF	5th March  1944
JONES, Arthur Stanley	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  421977   RNZAF	5th March  1944
MELVILLE, Robert James Ian	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  42349   RNZAF	5th March  1944
WATSON, Raymond Johnson   DFC	Age 27	Squadron Leader  404978 RNZAF	5th March  1944
Cronenbourg French National (Mixed) Cemetery, Strasbourg, France.
DUDDING, Keat	Age 25	Warrant Officer 415522 RNZAF	25th July    1944
TAVERNER, George Alfred Badge	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  429835   RAAF	25th July  1944
WHITEHOUSE, Keith Owen	Age 23	Flying Officer  428800   RNZAF	25th July  1944
Fruges Communal Cemetery, France.
BATESON, Benjamin William	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 424788 RNZAF	25th June 1944
MILNE, Bruce	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  428017   RNZAF	25th June  1944
Guidel Communal Cemetery, France.
HARDING-SMITH, Dudley	Age 24	Pilot Officer  405265   RNZAF	13th February  1943
Millery Communal Cemetery, France.
BLANCE, Ian Edward	Age 21	Pilot Officer 421496 RNZAF	29th July 1944
CLIMO, Frederick Walter Percival	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 4310148 RNZAF	29th July 1944
JENKINS, Frederick Francis Arthur	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  429888   RNZAF	29th July  1944
Olonne-Sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, France.
WHITTA, Neville Bruce	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  416566   RNZAF	16th August  1943
Poix-de-la-Somme Churchyard, France.
MACKENZIE, Douglas John	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  417211   RAAF	2nd May  1944
PEEVERS, Thomas Alexander	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  417232   RNZAF	2nd May  1944
SACHTLER, Euen William	Age 24	Squadron Leader  41362   RNZAF	2nd May  1944
Rieux Communal Cemetery, France.
BETLEY, Ronald Desmond Ernest	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 421495 RNZAF	16th June 1944
COOK, Peter Jackson	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42708 RNZAF	16th June 1944
HALE, Lawrence Eastmure	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  42395   RNZAF	16th June  1944
TOOHEY, Edward Wallace	Age 22	Warrant Officer 416672   RNZAF	16th June  1944
Therouldeville Churchyard, France.
RITCHIE, Alfred Henry	Age 22	Sergeant  40207   RNZAF	22nd December  1940
Tillieres-Sur-Avre Communal Cemetery, France.
DONAGHY, Thomas Rodgers	Age 33	Flight Sergeant 422267 RNZAF	11th June    1944
Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery, France.
DIMOCK, Vallance Albert Oliver	Age 22	Sergeant     412317    RNZAF	25th October 1942
McCONNELL, James Allison	Age 21	Sergeant  414646   RNZAF	25th October  1942
SMITH, Selwyn Clarence	Age 29	Sergeant  41952   RNZAF	25th October  1942
TONKIN, Douglas Noel	Age 22	Sergeant  413285   RNZAF	25th October  1942
Ville-Sur-Retourne Churchyard, France.
HUGHILL, Howard James	Age 21	Sergeant  414293   RNZAF	25th October  1942
Yevres Communal Cemetery, France.
STOKES, Noel Alfred Deal	Age 25	Flight Lieutenant  421403   RNZAF	29th July  1944
GERMANY
Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Germany.
ERIKSON, Mervyn Arthur	Age 26	Pilot Officer 416103 RNZAF	24th August 1943
FISK, Joseph George Arkless	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  412874   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HELM, George Vincent	Age 23	Pilot Officer  416113   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HOPE, Lawrence Beresford Hamilton	Age 28	Warrant Officer  40940   RNZAF	19th April  1945
LUNDON, Francis Patrick	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  404718   RNZAF	24th August  1943
MOSS, Douglas Hamilton	Age 23	Pilot Officer  404653   RNZAF	24th August  1943
SEDUNARY, Alan Joseph Lyall   DFC	Age 20	Pilot Officer  416619    RAAF	24th August  1943
STEWART, Donald MacKay	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 421336  RNZAF	1st September 1943
THIRD, James	Age 34	Pilot Officer  422671   RNZAF	24th August  1943
THORSTENSEN, Frederick William	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  414529   RNZAF	24th August  1943
WOOLCOTT, Douglas George	Age 23	Sergeant  1290189   RAFVR	24th August  1943
Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany
BRISCO, Robert Hylton	Age 26	Sergeant 411204 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CAITCHEON, Gordon Edwin	Age 28	Sergeant 404016 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CAMPBELL, Alan	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 391857 RNZAF	29th July 1942
CARNCROSS, Murray Ellis	Age 19	Pilot Officer 411718 RNZAF	29th July 1942
DAVIS, Ronald Fraser	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 403569 RNZAF	29th July 1942
HUTT, George Alister	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  41914   RNZAF	29th July 1942
McMURCHY, James Gordon	Age 31	Sergeant  405539   RNZAF	29th July 1942
O’SHEA, William Clerken	Age 28	Sergeant  411096   RNZAF	29th July 1942
SAVAGE, John Henry	Age 33	Sergeant  404620   RNZAF	29th July 1942
STEWART, Ian Gordon	Age 20	Sergeant  404623   RNZAF	29th July 1942
SUTHERLAND, Alexander George	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  405340   RNZAF	29th July 1942
TABOR, Adrian Oscar	Age 25	Sergeant  411104   RNZAF	29th July 1942
WESTERMAN, Victor Kenneth	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  41970   RNZAF	29th July 1942
WILSON, Peter John	Age 22	Flight Lieutenant  402475   RNZAF	29th July 1942
Hamburg War Cemetery, Germany.
CORLETT, Geoffrey Scott	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 42289 RNZAF	3rd August 1943
COUPER, James Arthur	Age 31	Flight Sergeant 417027 RNZAF	3rd August 1943
CRARER, Thomas Eric	Age 21	Sergeant 405475 RNZAF	29th July 1942
HAWKINS, Anthony Henry Ryder	Age 20	Sergeant  40971   RNZAF	15th September  1941
REEVES, Sydney Cecil Oliver	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  42339   RNZAF	3rd August  1943
WARD, James Allen   VC	Age 22	Sergeant  401793   RNZAF	15th September  1941
Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
ADAMSON, David Maurice	Age 27	Flying Officer 41052 RNZAF	28th September 1943
DALZELL, Errol Thomas Paterson	Age 22	Pilot Officer 411378 RNZAF	28th August 1942
HAUB, Darcy Leslie Conrad	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  42326   RNZAF	31st August 1943
HOGAN, Denis Patrick	Age 23	Sergeant  412331   RNZAF	28th August  1942
JACKSON, Kensington Campbell	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  42330   RNZAF	31st August  1943
RIDDLER, Stanley Winston	Age 22	Sergeant  424999   RNZAF	3rd October  1943
ROBERTS, Eric John	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  417107   RNZAF	31st August  1943
TUNBRIDGE, Victor Arthur	Age 28	Sergeant  411788   RNZAF	28th August  1942
WAEREA, Tame Hawaikirangi	Age 29	Pilot Officer  421300   RNZAF	28th September  1943
WHITMORE, Richard Charles	Age 22	Pilot Officer  421123   RNZAF	28th September  1943
Kiel War Cemetery, Germany.
AITCHISON, Campbell Ewen Justin	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 402974 RNZAF	12th March 1942
BELL, Maurice Perrott	Age 26	Pilot Officer 404882 RNZAF	29th March 1942
BROWN, John Lukies	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 402534 RNZAF	12th March 1942
CRAN, Franklyn Bertram	Age 21	Sergeant 405237 RNZAF	29th March 1942
FIRTH, Ellison George	Age 19	Sergeant  412218   RNZAF	13th October  1942
FRASER, Myles Frederick Gordon	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  403437   RNZAF	16th May  1942
HARRIS, Claude Joseph	Age 31	Sergeant  404028   RNZAF	29th March  1942
McDONALD, Murray Alexander	Age 23	Sergeant  400352   RAAF	12th March  1942
PARKINSON, Lewis Harry	Age 20	Sergeant  412518   RNZAF	13th October  1942
SMITH, Albert Ivan	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  402221   RNZAF	16th May  1942
WATTERS, Ventry	Age 22	Sergeant  413522   RNZAF	13th October  1942
WHITING, Norman Edward	Age 27	Sergeant  404107   RNZAF	16th May  1942
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
ANDERSON, Ronald Alexander John	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 36139 RNZAF	20th July 1940
BARCLAY, Thomas Smith	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 411358 RNZAF	12th August 1942
BISSET, Stuart Richard	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 415738 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
BLANK, John Frederick	Age 20	Flight Sergeant 422175 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
BOAG, Robert James	Age 24	Flight Sergeant 432097 RAAF	30th November 1944
BROWN, Alfred Errol	Age 25	Flying Officer 429139 RNZAF	21st March 1945
COLES, Thomas Edward	Age 28	Sergeant 40161 RNZAF	7th September 1942
COWIE, James Lindis	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42322 RNZAF	22nd November 1943
FRAMPTON, Laurie Albert	Age 20	Sergeant  411753   RNZAF	29th July  1942
GIBSON, John Cuthbert McKechnie	Age 29	Sergeant  40435 2  RNZAF	7th November  1941
GRIMES, Harold Dawson	Age 26	Sergeant  404532   RAAF	15th October  1941
HAZARD, Whelan Fallon	Age 20	Flying Officer  429047   RNZAF	12th August  1944
HOLLOWAY, Edgar John	Age 29	Flying Officer  429923   RNZAF	21st March  1945
INGLIS, William Gordon Lloyd	Age 27	Sergeant  411758   RNZAF	12th August  1942
JARVIS, Claude Joseph Frederick	Age 22	Sergeant  411722   RNZAF	7th September  1942
JOHNS, Arthur Grahame	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  41907   RNZAF	29th July  1942
KAVANAGH, Stanley Leo	Age 24	Warrant Officer  403579   RNZAF	30th May  1943
KRALJEVICH, Mark	Age 25	Sergeant  403458   RNZAF	29th July  1942
MACKENZIE, Stanley Henry	Age 23	Flying Officer  422418   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
MacPHAIL, Allan Corson Anderson	Age 30	Sergeant  41194   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MARSHALL, Eric William Elliott	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  415637   RNZAF	23rd May  1944
McCARTIN, Patrick Leo	Age 28	Flying Officer  419328   RAAF	20th November  1944
McINTOSH, James Alexander	Age 26	Flying Officer  411915   RNZAF	30th November  1944
McWILLIAM, Allan	Age 20	Sergeant  416586   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MILLS, George William	Age 27	Pilot Officer  411769   RNZAF	7th September  1942
MORGAN, Robert Carhampton	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  421389   RNZAF	30th November  1944
NEWMAN, Robert Wynne	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  4210960   RNZAF	30th November  1944
NORMAN, Raymond Fraser	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  416145   RNZAF	30th May  1943
OWEN, John Lewis	Age 24	Sergeant  391332   RNZAF	20th July  1940
PAYNE, Douglas Beardsley	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  426917   RNZAF	23rd May  1944
PLUMMER, Jack    DFC	Age 29	Flight Lieutenant  42451   RNZAF	21st March  1945
RAMSAY, William Robertson	Age 25	Sergeant  405508   RNZAF	9th June  1942
ROBERTSON, Trevor Bernard	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404948   RNZAF	15th October  1941
SAMSON, George King	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  402563   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
SAUL, Norman Priestley	Age 30	Sergeant  411730   RNZAF	7th September  1942
SCOTT, Russell James	Age 23	Flying Officer  428984   RNZAF	21st March  1945
SHARMAN, George William	Age 27	Sergeant  412746   RNZAF	7th September  1942
SMITH, Rupert John	Age 26	Pilot Officer  41950   RNZAF	9th June 1942
STEWART, Leslie Ian	Age 25	Sergeant  41178 5  RNZAF	29th July  1942
THORNLEY, Sydney Russell	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  40109   RNZAF	30th May  1943
TURNER, John Cecil	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  421115   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
WARRING, Robert John	Age 21	Sergeant  411110   RNZAF	12th August  1942
WOOD, James Haswell	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  425811   RNZAF	21st March  1945
Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.
ANDERSEN, Kenneth Peder Christian	Age 28	Flight Sergeant 429128 RNZAF	4th November 1944
ASHWIN, Eric Lumley Durham	Age 22	Sergeant 41563 RNZAF	17th December 1942
BENNETT, Raymond Frederick	Age 29	Pilot Officer 415282 RNZAF	30th May 1943
BERNARD, Arthur George	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 424964 RNZAF	22nd November1943
BUDGE, William Finlay	Age 24	Pilot Officer 41977 RNZAF	6th April 1942
CAREY, John Henry Roy	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 414242 RNZAF	30th May 1943
CLARK, Mervyn Oliver	Age 20	Pilot Officer 404895 RNZAF	17th December 1942
COOMBRIDGE, Trevor Walter	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 42653 RNZAF	27th December 1944
CURLEWIS, Raymond Fullerton	Age 25	Sergeant 402230 RAAF	11th October 1941
DALE, James Atkinson	Age 27	Flying Officer 425562 RNZAF	25th August 1944
DEBENHAM, Kevin Frederick	Age 26	Pilot Officer 412211 RNZAF	16th April 1943
DEVLIN, Kevin John	Age 26	Pilot Officer 413334 RNZAF	11th September 1942
FLEMING, James Allan	Age 27	Flying Officer  422382   RNZAF	25th August  1944
GALLETLY, Alan Russell	Age 33	Pilot Officer  427481   RNZAF	5th October  1944
HASELDEN, Howard Clive McLeish	Age 22	Sergeant  403003   RNZAF	18th September  1941
HENLEY, Douglas Charles   MiD	Age 23	Pilot Officer  414622   RNZAF	1st September  1943
HOWARD, Edward John Francis	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  424469   RNZAF	4th November  1944
HOWLETT, Arthur Douglas	Age 32	Flying Officer  413335   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
JACOBSON, Gerald Howard	Age 27	Flying Officer  41333   RNZAF	17th December  1942
JARVIS, William Louis	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  414691   RAAF	23rd September  1943
KELCHER, Walter Foch	Age 23	Sergeant  411908   RNZAF	11th September  1942
KENDAL, Christopher James	Age 21	Sergeant  412342   RNZAF	17th December  1942
KIRKPATRICK, Laurence John	Age 20	Flying Officer  414990   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
MacLEOD, Norman Alexander	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  404079   RNZAF	30th May  1943
MARGETTS, John Edward Stanley	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  422665   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
McALPINE, Walter Duncan	Age 30	Pilot Officer  403551   RNZAF	17th December  1942
METCALFE, Thomas Otto	Age 19	Sergeant  414386   RNZAF	11th September  1942
MILES, Haddon Shaw	Age 27	Flying Officer  421746   RNZAF	27th December 1 944
MOSLEY, Stuart Edwin	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  426106   RNZAF	5th October  1944
MURPHY, Timothy Rowley	Age 20	Sergeant  404037   RNZAF	11th October  1941
PULLAR, Henry Welsh	Age 25	Sergeant  411777   RNZAF	17th December  1942
SANDS, Hugh Powell	Age 26	Flying Officer  403287   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
SCOTT, Alexander	Age 20	Sergeant  413484   RNZAF	3rd December  1942
SCOTT, Alistair Henry	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  428259   RNZAF	4th November  1944
SCOTT, John Harold	Age 29	Flying Officer  428797   RNZAF	4th November  1944
SINGLE, Alan Roy	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  413144   RAAF	22nd November  1943
SMITH, Ian Hector Ross	Age 34	Flight  Sergeant  421614   RNZAF	1st September  1943
SMITH, Phillip Francis	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  427206   RAAF	20th November  1944
SOUTHWARD, Keith	Age 28	Flying Officer  411048   RNZAF	6th October  1944
STOKES, Wallace Frederick	Age 27	Sergeant  412326   RNZAF	17th December  1942
THOMPSON, Colin Maurice	Age 23	Sergeant  404427   RNZAF	11th October  1941
WALSHE, Desmond James	Age 25	Sergeant  412912   RNZAF	11th September  1942
WATSON, Clifford Arnold	Age 34	Flying Officer  421946   RNZAF	1st September  1943
WELSH, Neville Henry	Age 20	Flight Sergeant  391334   RNZAF	15th October  1941
WHITE, William George Henry	Age 27	Sergeant  41717   RNZAF	17th December  1942
WHITTINGTON, Eric Richmond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  416030   RNZAF	22nd November  1943
WILKINSON, Ernest Stanley	Age 25	Pilot Officer  417138   RNZAF	6th September  1943
WOOD, Frederick Lionel Roy	Age 23	Sergeant  404439   RNZAF	15th October  1941
Sage War Cemetery, Germany.
BRODIE, Andrew Moore	Age 25	Sergeant 391378 RNZAF	21st February 1941
BUCKLEY, Wallace Edward	Age 28	Pilot Officer 391379 RNZAF	21st June 1942
GILL, John Trevor Vivian	Age 27	Sergeant  403362   RNZAF	4th September  1942
GRANT, Horace Llewellyn	Age 27	Sergeant  405254   RNZAF	4th September  1942
LEES, Reginald Sidney	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404907   RNZAF	27th July 1942
LOWTHER, Peter Desmond	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  403583   RNZAF	11th July  1942
NEWMAN, Richard Alfred William	Age 24	Sergeant  405309   RNZAF	4th September  1942
RENTON, Rupert Ernest	Age 22	Sergeant  412352   RNZAF	4th September  1942
ROBERTSON, Norman Bruce	Age 25	Pilot Officer  411101   RNZAF	27th July  1942
SHARP, Richard Edwin	Age 23	Sergeant  405513   RNZAF	11th July  1942
SHEPHERD, Ian James	Age 26	Pilot Officer  404414   RNZAF	27th July  1942
TRENGROVE, Raymond Wickliffe John	Age 20	Pilot Officer  40927   RNZAF	21st June  1942
WINSTANLEY, James Francis	Age 20	Sergeant  412373   RNZAF	27th July  1942
Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
BARKER, Richard Stockdale	Age 28	Pilot Officer 421345 RNZAF	26th August 1944
BRIDGER, Cyril Jack	Age 26	Flight Sergeant 417192 RNZAF	28th August 1943
DAVEY, Charles Raglan	Age 21	Sergeant 413937 RNZAF	8th March 1943
FIRTH, Raymond	Age 28	Warrant Officer  417203   RNZAF	26th August  1944
HENDERSON, Matthew Ronald	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  427204   RNZAF	28th April  1944
HERRON, Robert Weir	Age 23	Flying Officer  422282   RNZAF	28th April  1944
HIGHAM, Frank Douglas	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  416116   RNZAF	28th August  1943
LOGAN, Clifford Charles Pownall	Age 28	Flying Officer  405918   RAAF	23rd September  1943
McLACHLAN, Euen Wilfred	Age 22	Flying Officer  415266   RNZAF	28th April  1944
NORTON, William George	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  413227   RNZAF	26th August  1944
PERKS, Eric	Age 29	Flight Sergeant  411934   RNZAF	29th August  1942
SMITH, Keith Alfred	Age 23	Warrant Officer  416022 RNZAF	28th April  1944
SOWERBY, Geoffrey Phillips	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  417243   RNZAF	23rd September  1943
HOLLAND
Aardenburg General Cemetery, Holland.
HEWETT, Harold Max	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  419311   RAAF	12th May  1944
Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery, Holland.
BLINCOE, Kenneth Howard DFC	Age 33	Pilot Officer 412194  RNZAF	3rd February 1943
CLEARWATER, Desmond	Age 24	Sergeant 412314 RNZAF	3rd February 1943
COOK, George Wood	Age 24	Sergeant 412514 RNZAF	3rd February 1943
SCOTT, Andrew James Newell	Age 21	Pilot Officer  414685   RNZAF	3rd February  1943
Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, Holland.
ANNAN, William Douglas Francis	Age 20	Sergeant 391377 RNZAF	26th July 1940
BYRNE, Martin John	Age 32	Flight Sergeant 404529 RNZAF	29th July 1942
COLEMAN, William Harcourt DFC	Age 23	Flying Officer 2526 RNZAF	26th July 1940
GILBERTSON, John Edward	Age 22	Flight Sergeant  41894   RNZAF	29th July  1942
PERROTT, William Rosser	Age 21	Flying Officer  416155   RNZAF	25th June  1943
Beesd General Cemetery, Holland.
JOBLIN, Frederick John Leigh	Age 25	Sergeant  417063   RNZAF	24th May  1943
TURNBULL, George Watson	Age 24	Sergeant  421342   RNZAF	24th May  1943
TIETJENS, Stephen Muir	Age 26	Sergeant  415640   RNZAF	24th May 1 943
Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Holland.
BLACK, John William	Age 27	Flight Sergeant 402843 RNZAF	7th November 1941
COOKSEY, James Brett	Age 23	Flight Sergeant 416460 RNZAF	24th June 1943
FOTHERINGHAM, Robert Ewen Ernest	Age 29	Sergeant  391833   RNZAF	16th July  1941
GRAY, Trevor Hedley	Age 27	Sergeant  404356   RNZAF	7th November  1941
LLOYD, Eric	Age 28	Pilot Officer  402197   RNZAF	7th November  1941
MURDOCH, Graham Edward	Age 26	Pilot Officer  411927   RNZAF	9th June  1942
O’DOWD, Albert William	Age 25	Sergeant  41544   RNZAF	9th June  1942
PENMAN, Alexander Mitchell	Age 23	Flying Officer  416154   RNZAF	21st October  1944
Doetinchem (Loolaan) General Cemetery, Holland.
HARRISON, Alfred Herbert	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  403000   RNZAF	8th November  1941
WYLLIE, Thomas Young	Age 25	Sergeant  404011   RNZAF	8th November  1941
Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, Holland.
GILMOUR, Hugh Edward	Age 24	Warrant Officer  422667   RAAF	21st July  1944
MILLS, Samuel	Age 32	Flight Sergeant  425036   RAAF	21st July  1944
OSBORNE, John Edward	Age 23	Flight Sergeant  417877   RAAF	21st July  1944
Flushing  (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, Holland.
BLUCK, Norman Bradford	Age 22	Pilot Officer 40364 RNZAF	24th June 1943
STRONG, Geoffrey Walter	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  413905   RNZAF	24th June  1943
Gilze-En-Rijen (Gilze) Roman Catholic Cemetery,  Holland.
COOK, Stephen Astley	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 421142 RNZAF	28th May 1944
SCOTT, Francis Alexander Jack	Age 28	Sergeant  421105   RNZAF	28th May  1944
Harderwijk General Cemetery, Holland.
THOMSON, Gordon Douglas	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 42317   RNZAF	25th June  1943
Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen, Holland.
CALLOW, Horace	Age 27	Flying Officer 427185 RNZAF	21st July 1944
DOBBIN, Laurence St.George	Age 29	Flight Sergeant 401375 RNZAF	12th August 1942
HICKFORD, Leonard Charles	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  426886   RNZAF	21st July  1944
HOWELL, Edward	Age 21	Pilot Officer  428819   RNZAF	21st July  1944
JURY, Jack Leslie	Age 20	Sergeant  411764   RNZAF	12th August  1942
McKENZIE, Francis Max	Age 26	Pilot Officer  41344   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
REDWOOD, Gerard Henry	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  425012   RNZAF	21st July  1944
ROCHE, Gerald Brian	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  413219   RNZAF	21st July  1944
SMITH, Keith Emmett	Age 21	Flight Sergeant  425179   RNZAF	21st July  1944
Markelo General Cemetery, Holland.
BURBIDGE, Kenneth Alfred	Age 22	Flight Sergeant 412200 RNZAF	23rd June 1943
MARTIN, Donald Ernest	Age 26	Flight Sergeant  413872   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
McEWIN, Andrew James	Age 25	Flight Sergeant  417077   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
WILCOCKSON, Walter Frederick	Age 34	Flight Sergeant  42314   RNZAF	23rd June  1943
Oldebroek General Cemetery, Holland.
SMITH, Trevor Harry	Age 24	Pilot Officer  41953   RNZAF	9th July  1942
Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery, Holland.
FOSTER, Ralph Owen	Age 29	Pilot Officer  402443   RNZAF	8th November  1941
RYDER, Robert Leslie Owen	Age 25	Pilot Officer  404626   RAAF	8th November  1941
WILSON, John Stephen	Age 27	Sergeant  402530   RNZAF	8th November  1941
Schiermonnikoog (Vredenhof) Cemetery, Holland.
CHRISTIE, Arthur Stafford	Age 21	Flight Sergeant 402982 RNZAF	21st June 1942
FRASER, Allan Armistice	Age 23	Flying Officer  405030   RNZAF	21st June  1942
YOUNG, George Anthony	Age 21	Sergeant  405771   RNZAF	9th July 1 942
Tilburg (Gilzerbaan) General Cemetery, Holland.
BURTT, Henry John	Age 31	Flying Officer 414560 RNZAF	21st July 1944
CRAWFORD, Henry Varley Gibb	Age 28	Sergeant 404339 RNZAF	7th September 1942
GILLAN, Gottfred Lyall	Age 21	Warrant Officer  42324   RNZAF	21st July  1944
GROVES, Alpheus Leslie	Age 30	Flight Sergeant  403574   RNZAF	7th September  1942
PARKES, William Ronald	Age 31	Flight Sergeant  403822   RNZAF	7th September  1942
ROSE, George Herbert	Age 30	Sergeant  391713   RNZAF	7th September  1942
WILSON, Eric Glover	Age 27	Flight Sergeant  403035   RNZAF	7th September  1942
Uden War Cemetery, Holland.
FLETCHER, Andrew Crawford	Age 24	Flight Sergeant  42675   RNZAF	21st July  1944
SIMPSON, Alfred Alexander	Age 28	Flight Sergeant  425212   RNZAF	21st July  1944
WHITTINGTON, Harold	Age 26	Pilot Officer  42488   RNZAF	21st July  1944
Westdongeradeel (Holwerd) Protestant Cemetery, Holland.
HEGAN, John Gordon George	Age 23	Sergeant  411075   RNZAF	30th June  1942
McGREGOR, Murdoch Gordon	Age 23	Sergeant  411079   RNZAF	30th June  1942
MONCRIEF, Eric Francis Sydney	Age 25	Sergeant  411087   RNZAF	30th June  1942
RANDLE, Douglas Haig	Age 24	Sergeant  405454   RNZAF	30th June  1942
Wierden General Cemetery, Holland.
McCULLOUGH, John   DFC	Age 30	Pilot Officer  40410 RNZAF	3rd February  1943
MURPHY, Terence Austin	Age 30	Sergeant  413307   RNZAF	3rd February 1943

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

 

 

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

Harold Whittington crew 1944

The Whittington crew. Back Row: F/S Andrew Crawford Fletcher, RNZAF, Rear Gunner; F/O Philip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR, Wireless Operator; Sgt Don W Gore, RAFVR, Flight Engineer; Sgt Alfred Alexander Simpson, RNZAF, Bomb Aimer. Front Row: F/L Joseph Stevens, RAFVR, Navigator; P/O Harold (Dick) Whittington, RNZAF, Pilot; Sgt Ronald John Morton Batty, RAFVR, Mid Upper Gunner.
Photo from Graham Nicholson.

Many thanks to Chris and all those involved in gathering information for this post!

On the 20th/ 21st of July 1944, 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF suffered one of its worst disasters, the loss of seven Lancasters and their crews in the attack on an oil refinery at Homberg. This the story of one of those crews.

Pilot Harold Whittington, from Hamilton, NZ, initially crewed up at No. 11 OTU, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, while training on Vickers Wellingtons.

11 OTU graduation photo, Course 66, 1944 – cropped version below to identify crew members: Back Row: 9th from left – Andrew Crawford Fletcher. Middle Row: 2nd, 3rd and 4th from left – Don W Gore, Alfred Alexander Simpson and Harold Whittington. Front Row: 1st and 2nd from left – Philip E Tompkins, Joseph Stevens and on the end Ronald John Morton Batty.
Photo from Graham Nicholson.

During April the full seven man crew, two Kiwis and four Englishmen, converted to Stirling bombers at 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Stradishall, Suffolk. They then spent about a week at Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Feltwell.

 The Whittington crew was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at Mepal, Cambridgeshire, arriving on the 12th of June 1944, to report for operational duties.

The crew was:
F/S Harold “Dick” Whittington, RNZAF NZ42488 – Pilot.
F/O Joseph Stevens, RAFVR 125607 – Navigator.
Sgt. Alfred Alexander Simpson, RNZAF NZ425112 – Air Bomber.
F/O Phillip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR 157922 – Wireless Operator .
Sgt. Don W. Gore, RAFVR 1624691 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Ronald John Morton Batty, RAFVR 548542 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Andrew Crawford Fletcher, RNZAF NZ42675 – Rear Gunner.

As part of his preparation for operations, Whittington flew a second dickie trip to Le Havre on the 14th of June with the McRae crew in Lancaster ND752, AA-O “Oboe”.

ND752 was at the time starring in a short film being made at Mepal, “Maximum Effort”, featuring Eric Witting’s crew.

Then the crew flew their first op’ together on the night of the 15th/16th of June, an attack on the Marshalling Yards at Valenciennes in France.

15/16.6.1944 – Attack Against Valenciennes
Lancaster Mk.III ND756, AA-M
F/S Harold Whittington, RNZAF NZ42488 – Pilot.
F/O Joseph Stevens, RAFVR 125607 – Navigator.
Sgt. Alfred Alexander Simpson, RNZAF NZ425112 – Air Bomber.
F/O Phillip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR 157922 – Wireless Operator .
Sgt. Don W. Gore, RAFVR 1624691 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Ronald John Morton Batty, RAFVR 548542 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Andrew Crawford Fletcher, RNZAF NZ42675 – Rear Gunner.

The crew flew eight more op’s over France, in support of the Normandy invasion, and attacking V1 rocket launching sites:

17.6.44 – ND756, AA-M – Montdidier.
 Jettisoned bombs in the Channel after combat with a Fw190 – claimed as possibly destroyed.

 24/25.6.44 – ND747, AA-T – Rimeux.

 27/28.6.44 – ME691, AA-R – Biennais
The Form 541 says that F/S David Fox RNZAF NZ426065 replaced Andrew Fletcher as R/Gnr for this operation.

2.7.44 – ME691, AA-R – Beauvoir.
Harold Whittington promotion – now listed as W/O.

12.7.44 – ND747, AA-T – Vaires.

15/16.7.44 – ND747, AA-T –  Chalons Sur Marne.

17.7.44 HK562, AA-L – Vaires.
Recalled, refuelled and placed on standby.

18.7.44 HK562, AA-L Cagny.

18/19.7.44 HK562, AA-L Aulnoye.

See the crew’s full operational history here: https://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/h-whittington-crew-15-6-44/

Then came the fateful Homberg operation on the night of the 20th/21st of July.

A force of 147 Lancasters, including 26 from 75 (NZ) Squadron, and 11 Mosquito’s of 1, 3 and 8 Groups, were dispatched to attack the synthetic oil plant at Homberg (8 mls NE of Düsseldorf). Although the refinery was severely damaged in this attack, aircraft losses were heavy. German night-fighters wrought havoc on the bombers, shooting down 20 aircraft – 13.6 per cent of the attacking force.

20/07/1944 – Attack Against Homberg
Twenty six aircraft took off, as detailed, to attack the oil refinery at Homberg. Nineteen aircraft were successful in bombing the target, with the aid of markers, which seemed well concentrated. Two good explosions were seen and smoke came up from the target area. Heavy A.A. fire was moderate, but fighters were very active, eight combats taking place. Seven aircraft failed to return, the captains were AUS22776 W/O. Gilmour, H., NZ428819 F/S. Howell, E., NZ421829 F/S. Mackay, K., NZ422057 F/S. Davidson, N., NZ42488 W/O. Whittington, H., NZ413219 F/S. Roche, G. & NZ414560 P/O. Burtt, H.

Lancaster Mk.I ME691 AA-R

W/O Harold Whittington, RNZAF NZ42488 – Pilot.
F/O Joseph Stevens, RAFVR 125607 – Navigator.
Sgt. Alfred Alexander Simpson, RNZAF NZ425112 – Air Bomber.
P/O Phillip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR 157922 – Wireless Operator .
Sgt. D. W. Gore, RAFVR 1624691 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Ronald John Morton Batty*, RAFVR 548542 – Mid Upper Gunner.
* ORB for this Op lists Sgt. Leslie De’Lungo, RAFVR as Mid Upper Gunner, however the recorded loss of Sgt. Batty clearly identifies this as an error.
F/S Andrew Crawford Fletcher, RNZAF NZ42675 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:35 – Landed –
Flight Time Missing

Lancaster Mk.I ME691 AA-R was brought down by an enemy aircraft at 01:33hrs beside a road near Veghel (Noord Brabant), 4 miles South West of Uden. All but the flight engineer perished in the crash and were buried in the local War Cemetery, Uden. Sgt Gore, the flight engineer, survived but was taken as a P.o.W.

P/O Harold Whittington, RNZAF NZ42488 – Pilot.
Killed age 26.
Son of John Richard and Minnie Whittington, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 3. I. 2. 203

F/L Joseph Stevens, RAFVR 125607 – Navigator.
Killed age 32.
Son of Joseph and Hilda Stevens, of Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. M.Sc.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 5. A. 8. 103
‘Greater love Hath no man than this,
That a man lay down
His life for his friends’

F/S Alfred Alexander Simpson, RNZAF NZ425212 – Air Bomber.
Killed age 28.
Son of Frederick John and Jessie Ann Simpson, of Gisborne, Auckland, New Zealand; husband of Gladys Simpson, of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 3. I. 4. 205

F/O Phillip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR 157922 – Wireless Operator.
Killed age 21.
Son of Edwin George and Gladys Elizabeth Tompkins; of Merton Park, Surrey; husband of Joan Grace Tompkins, of Merton Park.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 5. A. 10. 105
‘Father, In Thy gracious keeping
Leave we now
Thy servant sleeping’

Sgt. Donald W. Gore, RAFVR 1624691 – Flight Engineer.
P.o.W
Prisoner of War Number: 455
Prison Camps: Dulag Luft, Stalag Luft VII
Date of return to United Kingdom: not known

Sgt. Ronald John Morton Batty, RAF 549542 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Killed age 26.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 5. A. 9. 104

F/S Andrew Crawford Fletcher, RNZAF NZ42675 – Rear Gunner.
Killed age 24.
Son of Daniel Fletcher and of Jeanie Fletcher (nee McNeill), of Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand; husband of Dorothy May Fletcher, of Devonport, Auckland.
Buried Uden War Cemetery, Holland.     .
Grave location – 5. A. 1. 101

Back in New Zealand, Harold Whittington, Alfred Simpson and Andrew Fletcher were listed as missing.
photos from the Weekly News, via AWMM Online Cenotaph.

It is incredibly sad to note that at least three of  the crew left behind young widows.

Dave Homewood has put together a wonderful record of Andrew Fletcher’s life and full service history on his Wings Over Cambridge website:  http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Andrew%20Fletcher.htm

F/O Philip Edwin Tompkins, RAFVR, Wireless Operator.
Photo from Graham Nicholson.

Wireless Operator Philip Tompkins was 21, and had married the girl next door, Joan, only two months earlier.

Later, she re-married, and it is her second husband, Graham Nicholson, that we have to thank for these photos of Philip and his crew. Graham (86 at the time) posted about Lancaster ME691 on the Wings Over New Zealand forum a couple of years back, and he and I briefly corresponded by email. He was very keen to share the photos, to make sure that the crew is remembered.

A further postscript can now be added to the story, as the same WONZ thread recently led to contact with Dutch researcher Adrian van Zantvoort. Adrian has long been interested in crash sites in the area where he lives, the South East of The Netherlands.

In 2005, he spotted an article in a local newspaper, the Udens Weekblad, about the discovery of a wartime photo album. This is Adrian’s translation:

Herman du Maine, a citizen from Haarlem, found a shelter from November 1943 until the liberation in September 1944 in a farm at Maria-Heide (a village east of Veghel).  After his death his daughter, Willie Bloks-du Maine, discovered a pile of letters and documents about the war period, and also a photo album with never published pictures.

It took some to getting used to but the stay of Herman went very well. He started with buying postcards and also he got a photo camera and a few rolls of film to take pictures of certain events in his neighbourhood. The pics he took were printed by Johan van Eerd, a photographer from Veghel. Herman started with taking some pics of his fellow hiding comrades. In the night of 20/21 July 1944, a Lancaster bomber crashed on the edge of Maria-Heide village. The cockpit touched the farmhouse which was belonging to the Family A. Vissers. The remainder of the aircraft fell around the farm in a field. Six crew members where killed and buried at Uden War Cemetery. One crew member managed to bale out, but was arrested later and became a POW. Willie Bloks-du Maine said “as soon as he got the chance my Father Herman made a pic of the damaged farm with in front a part of the aircraft”. 

The article was published alongside Herman’s photo of the crash site. Adrian contacted his daughter Willie, and has obtained a copy:

ME691 crash site, with the Vissers family and their damaged farmhouse, 1944. Piece of Lancaster wreckage at left.
Photo from Mr H.F.du Maine, via his Daughter Mrs Willie Bloks-du Maine, and Adrian van Zantvoort.

Adrian is very keen to visit the crash site, although Willie says that the original farmhouse is currently being demolished to make way for a new one. Apparently Mr du Maine only took the one photo, but Mrs Bloks-du Maine has provided a map.

The photo has revealed another piece of fascinating information. The aircraft wreckage lying on the ground at left of the photo is part of the fuselage, from just below the cockpit where the Pilot would be sitting, and there are faint bomb markings and clear writing on it – evidence of nose art and probably a name that was applied to ME691.

The visible lettering is “.. RGAN GRINDER’S SWING”, probably “Organ Grinder’s Swing”. This was a popular song of the 30s and 40s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_Grinder’s_Swing) and perhaps there is also a humorous reference to the place where the (street entertainer) organ grinder’s monkey sat, ie., the guy who is not really the boss at all.

Referring back to the operational history of the aircraft, Avro Lancaster ME691, AA-R (https://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/me691/), her first five op’s were flown by W/O Des HORGAN and his crew! So the nose art was probably applied by or for them.

In fact, Des Horgan & crew flew all of their last seven op’s in ME691 before ending their tour (https://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/horgan-crew-27-8-43-empty/).

There may be more to add to this story, as Adrian continues his research, as I try and track down Andrew Fletcher’s family (he came from Devonport where I live), and as we try and learn about Flight Engineer Don Gore’s POW exploits. Hopefully, someone will see this post and be able to contribute more about the other crew members.

However, in the meantime it is very satisfying to put together the pieces that we do have, in memory of Harold Whittington, Philip Tompkins, Andrew Fletcher and the rest of the crew of Lancaster ME691.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

Special thanks to Graham Nicholson, Adrian van Zantvoort, Mrs Willie Bloks-du Maine. Thanks also to Dave Homewood and the fantastic resources and community that he has created and fostered at Wings Over New Zealand and Wings Over Cambridge.

 

Roy Akehurst, Wireless Operator – Egglestone crew

Chris has contacted me to pass on the sad news that Roy Akehurst, Wireless Operator with Val Egglestone’s crew has passed away.

Roy and the crew arrived at Mepal on the 19th of December 1944 and completed 29 Ops with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF between the 28th of December 1944 and the 18th of April 1945.

Chris has also passed on the following reference to Roy that is in his Uncle Gerry’s diary:

On the 1st of May 1945, with the end of the war imminent, Gerry received a telegram to return from leave in London to Mepal.

 The next day, he wrote,
“Took the 11.40 to Ely & met Roy Akehurst who also has a recall. Arrived in camp at 2 and the Adj (Adjutant F/L Charles Bewsher) informed us that we are on a signals attachment effort. We have to go to Waterbeach tomorrow & get the lowdown from the Base Signals Officer.”

 As part of the planning for anticipated mass P.o.W repatriation flights from Europe, the Waterbeach Signals Officer told them they were to be posted to Germany to help with flying control. “We are to have a portable R/T set & two mechanics to maintain it.” However, the posting fell through for Gerry, as it was decided that no Dominion aircrew would take part. Instead he was posted to Air Crew Allocation Centre (ACAC) at RAF Catterick, basically a holding camp, and eventually to wait for passage back to NZ.

It is not clear, whether indeed Roy did go to Germany………

Roy’s full tour history with the Squadron can be seen here.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!