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

Owen Joseph ‘Cookie’ Cook – 1921 – 2021

It is with true sadness that I must report the recent passing of Owen Cook. This news is doubly sad as it was only a few weeks that we were wishing Owen congratulations of reaching the magnificent age of 100 years old.

As part of his birthday celebrations Owen had received representatives from the Royal Australian Air Force (also celebrating their centenary) – to receive a plaque commemorating Owen’s service and also the fact that he was older than the RAAF itself. Sadly a few days later on the 14th of May, Owen left us.

I have simply decided to reproduce the post below that I made for the celebration of Owen’s 100th, this time as a celebration of his life.

Owen arrived with crew, at Mepal, on the 2nd of March 1945 and as it would transpire later, we discovered that in fact his 2^nd, 2^nd Dickie Op was with my own Father’s crew, during his 2^nd Tour with the Squadron.

Owen, flew 6 Ops before the War’s end and then undertook 2 Manna and 2 Prisoner Repatriation sorties, before finally posting out of the Squadron on the 3^rd of July 1945.

Whilst transcribing Bob’s tour and crew histories, early in my research on him, I hit a brick wall regarding the identity of a second pilot added to the Form 541 by hand for the Dessau Op of 7th March 1945.

On the Sunday morning of the summer reunion at Mepal 2012, my sister, mother and I went to the memorial garden so mum could see it and the plaque for Dad. while we were there, an old couple, their daughter and her husband arrived. A brief discussion about their whereabouts (i.e. that this was the memorial garden for 75(NZ) Squadron) led to a discussion in the garden and then the 3 Pickerels pub. The elderly gentleman was called Owen Cook and he had been at the squadron towards the end of the war. On returning home I looked through the nominal roll and the ORB and found Owen’s arrival and Op history. Finding his serial number suddenly made me realise that the Pilot that flew with the Zinzan crew on this raid was in fact, Owen Cook……..

I am pleased also to recall, that having met Owen and his family and posted about our meeting on the site, we were able to reconnect Own with his Navigator, Jack Mitcherson.

Owens recollections of the War and his time in the Squadron can be read in more detail here, on the Australian War Memorial website

I am sure you will all join me in passing our condolences to Owen’s family

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

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

Owen Joseph ‘Cookie’ Cook – Birthday celebrations – 100 years young!

Perhaps now a silver lining to the recent sad cloud of the losses of some of our veterans

I am pleased to report, albeit a little belatedly that Owen Cook, Pilot with 75(NZ) Squadron reached, on Saturday the 27th of March, the magnificent age of 100!

Owen arrived with crew, at Mepal, on the 2nd of March 1945 and as it would transpire later, we discovered that in fact his 2^nd, 2^nd Dickie Op was with my own Father’s crew, during his 2^nd Tour with the Squadron.

Owen, flew 6 Ops before the War’s end and then undertook 2 Manna and 2 Prisoner Repatriation sorties, before finally posting out of the Squadron on the 3^rd of July 1945.

Whilst transcribing Bob’s tour and crew histories, early in my research on him, I hit a brick wall regarding the identity of a second pilot added to the Form 541 by hand for the Dessau Op of 7th March 1945.

On the Sunday morning of the summer reunion at Mepal 2012, my sister, mother and I went to the memorial garden so mum could see it and the plaque for Dad. while we were there, an old couple, their daughter and her husband arrived. A brief discussion about their whereabouts (i.e. that this was the memorial garden for 75(NZ) Squadron) led to a discussion in the garden and then the 3 Pickerels pub. The elderly gentleman was called Owen Cook and he had been at the squadron towards the end of the war. On returning home I looked through the nominal roll and the ORB and found Owen’s arrival and Op history. Finding his serial number suddenly made me realise that the Pilot that flew with the Zinzan crew on this raid was in fact, Owen Cook……..

I am pleased also to recall, that having met Owen and his family and posted about our meeting on the site, we were able to reconnect Own with his Navigator, Jack Mitcherson.

Owens recollections of the War and his time in the Squadron can be read in more detail here, on the Australian War Memorial website

So, I am sure you will all be happy to raise a glass to Owen on reaching this fantastic milestone!

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

Jack Francis David Jarmy DFC– Navigator

It is with profound sadness that I must pass on the news of the loss of another member of 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. Jack Francis David Jarmy passed away after a long illness on the 27^th of March, less than a month before his 99^th birthday.

Jack arrived at Mepal on the 21^st of July 1943 as a Navigator in the Mayfield crew, with my own Father, who was Air Bomber with the crew.

The Mayfield crew completed their first tour with the Squadron after only 21 Ops – on instruction from Group to try to show the remaining crews that it was in fact possible to survive a stay at Mepal – at what was at the time, a dangerous period in the Squadron’s history.

After an instructional posting Jack joined 218 Gold Coast Squadron and completed his 2^nd Tour, just 2 months or so before the end of the War.

Jack stayed in the RAF and retired in 1977.

Jack’s widow and son have written an obituary to Jack which can be read in full here on the International Bomber Command Centre’s Facebook page – it is of course, entirely fitting that the family should remember him in full, so I thought it would be fitting to offer my own tribute to Jack based on my conversations with him about his time with 75(NZ) Squadron and my Father

It was only after my Father’s death that I felt compelled to find out more what he had done in the RAF and at least initially, something of the boys he had flown with. One night, when beginning my research, I – for whatever reason – felt compelled to search through a box. I came across a printout of information on the Squadron and on the back, written in Bob’s hand, were the names Mayfield and Jarmy. Struck by the astonishment that at some time forgotten, I must have spoken to Dad about the Squadron – I contacted Kevin King, Chairman of the UK Squadron Association to ask if he knew anything about these 2 individuals. Even then, I was resigned to the fact that I was probably chasing ghosts – but a call from Kevin floored me when he said that not only did he know him – but that Jack would love to speak to me!

There followed several phone calls and a wonderful weekend spent with Jack and his wife Joyce. At the time, I was astonished by his energy, both physical and mental and we talked for 2 days and late into 1 night!

Like my Father, Jack also originally enlisted and was rated as suitable for Pilot training. Unlike Bob, Jack went to the United States to train and was victim to their rather mechanistic approach of 1/3’s regarding training and progression. Having missed out in that final 1/3 cut, Jack was given the option of either transferring onto an Air Bombers course, or to wait (peeling potatoes as it transpired) for a Navigators course, where the 2 top graduates would be commissioned.

P/O Jack Jarmy arrived with many other young airmen at No.11 Operational Training Unit, Oakley on the 6^th of April 1943. Methods of crew creation were not at all scientific – beer, sandwiches and a few hours left to their own devices seemed enough. Jack recalled he first met the Pilot, Allan – he was impressed with his moustache and therefore thought he could probably fly as well. When the 2 bumped into my Father, an enquiry as to his proficiency as an Air Bomber was met with, if I imagine my Father, a suitably compelling and expletive filled response and that was enough for them! – and so the crew began to form…..

Listening to Jack, I think what struck me was the precarious nature of the operational flights – I knew they weren’t pleasure flights, but I suppose I had tended to view the ORB reports of the raids and occurrences therein as a definitive description of ‘what happened’. Jack made it clear to me that this was certainly not the case – he actually said that he personally didn’t expect to last 30 ops. Whilst he didn’t say he thought he would die, he was resigned to ending up a PoW.

Jack and the boys never returned with all 4 engines working and they were hit by flak on every raid. On one raid, just prior to making the final run into target, Jack went up into the astro dome, first looking to the back of the aircraft, only to turn his head to see a Lancaster only 50 foot above them with it’s bomb bay doors open – a screamed ‘STARBOARD BANK NOW!’ to Allan resulted in the Stirling banking to vertical as the Lanc’s bombs silently fell through the space that their wing had occupied only seconds before.

On their second raid the Flight Engineer accidentally turned the wrong fuel valve whilst balancing wing fuel loads as they approached the Dutch coast on the way out. All four engines stopped mid-air and everybody was reaching for their chutes – luckily the F/E realised what had happened and opened the valve pretty quick smartish and they flew on to the target.

It also appears that Dad’s remark in the logbook referring to ‘shot up train’ did in fact relate to him shooting the train up himself! Returning from their 3rd Op –  Gardening in the Gironde Estuary, Dad saw a train and got Allan to drop the plane down to about 150 foot and they shot the hell out of it – when they got back they were as pleased as punch – when they told the Intelligence officer during their debrief, he apparently ‘bollocked’ them and said if they pulled a stunt like that again, they would be on a court martial – apparently the Germans often sent out flak trains with the express intention of luring allied aircraft down to low level, before dropping a side panel on a carriage and cutting the aircraft to ribbons with a set of 20mm cannons.

On a fighter affiliation and flight check, a Typhoon came in a bit too tight and a bit too fast, despite the pilots best efforts, the Typhoon took the end 4 foot off of their wing – Jack rather calmly observed ‘if it had been a foot more, we would have been buggered……..’

It was clear from talking to Jack that the friendship between himself, my father and their Pilot Allan Mayfield was strong. Despite being the only commissioned officer in the crew, and thus sleeping and eating separately from the rest of the crew, they grew close – perhaps as they all occupied the front end of the aircraft.

As was the practice, at the end of the tour the crew were spilt up and set on instructional duties. Perhaps by luck, Jack and my Father stayed together when they were both posted to No.3 Lancaster Finishing School at Feltwell. No doubt they spent time together and one day cycled over to No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit, at Waterbeach, to meet up with Allan.

Eventually it was time to leave and perhaps a little worse for wear, Jack and Dad started the long cycle ride back to Feltwell. On rounding a corner, the sudden appearance of a policeman startled both and the decision was made perhaps foolhardily to out cycle him – a sound plan till they both rode into his car parked around the next corner! Now caught, details – all made up of course were given to the officer and they returned to Base possibly more chastened than when they had left. A few days later, Jack whilst instructing a group on Navigation techniques was rudely interrupted by the arrival of the same police officer – my Father, rather shame faced in tow behind. Perhaps inevitably My Father found himself, sometime later in front of a magistrate in Ely. Having listened to the details of that night my father was fined 1 shilling. Upon asking the whereabouts of Officer Jarmy, My Father was pleased to inform his Honour that sadly F/O Jarmy was currently in Ely Hospital suffering from a bad case of tonsilitis – but, that he should rest assured that as soon as was humanly possible, he would be well enough again to continue his fight against the tyranny of the Third Reich. Duly noted, the Magistrate then fined Jack 2 shillings. My father never one to let an injustice escape him, challenged the unfairness of this decision and promptly had his fine raised to the same 2 shillings………

At the end of their instructional posting, Jack and Bob had to go their separate ways – Dad went back to 75(NZ) Squadron and Jack was posted to 218 Gold Coast Squadron.

It was only in talking to Jack that we each discovered something. Jack had spent years after the War trawling through the phonebooks of Scotland trying to find Bob. Bob was ignorant of this till the day he died and had, fatefully for Jack’s efforts, not in fact returned to Scotland, but had stayed in England, having married my Mother.

Twice on our visit Jack stopped rigid and stared at me – remarking that I looked just like Bob – I felt honoured – doubly so………

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

Hoturoa Arnel Dean ‘Arnie’ Meyer

Portrait of Hoturoa Arnel Dean Meyer, NZ416968 (2014). © NZIPP Photograph by Tracy Stamatakos 9999-5064. CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Hoturoa Arnel Dean Meyer, a Pilot with the Squadron passed away on the 6^th
of December. ‘Arnie’ formed with his crew on the 11^th of December
1943 at No.11 Operational Training Unit, Wescott, before arriving with 75(NZ)
Squadron on the 12^th of June 1944 – completing 30 Ops, before and
without a break, continuing to complete a further 25 ops with No.7 Squadron
(Path Finder Force). During 1948 he served in Japan with the British and
Commonwealth Occupation Forces.

Hoturoa was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on the 12^th of December 1944.

Arnie was a source of confusion for Chris and I when we began to research the Maori aircrew of the Squadron, some years ago. With such an obvious first name, we initially assumed that Arnie was of Maori stock, however this was quickly corrected by his Daughter Lorraine, who explained the following;

“Hoturoa Arnel Dean Meyer is not Maori.  No Maori blood anywhere in his heritage.! His mother’s best friend was Tainui and asked to honour the baby inutero with a royal Maori name. Princess Te Puea was approached and gave permission for Dad to be called Hoturoa, which was a huge honour and one we have passed down to one of our sons.  His heritage is Danish (his father’s side) and English/kiwi on his mother’s side).”

In 2015 he was awarded Frances highest honour of the Croix de Guerre for his participation in Operations to support the liberation of France during D-Day.

AKE AKE KIA KAHA!

Jimmy Ward meets the Prime Minister

Image from the Jack Way personal album collection. A group of, believed to be No. 75 Squadron aircrew, gathered in front of a Wellington to meet the New Zealand High Commissioner Bill Jordan. Unknown location. NB. The Wellington is not a No. 75 Squadron aircraft. – Air Force Museum of NZ ref. ALB88125123b098.

From Chris…..

Just recently the Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Keeper of the Photographs, Matthew O’Sullivan has published a wonderful online collection of beautiful photographs from the Museum’s archives:

https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/

Amongst them is this photo, showing a visit by NZ High Commissioner Bill Jordan to 75(NZ) Squadron at Feltwell.

However, the gentleman in the dark suit shaking hands right of centre is clearly the New Zealand Prime Minister of the time, Peter Fraser. Jordan appears to be at far left, also in a dark suit.

A bit of searching of newspaper reports from 1941 has revealed more information.

NZ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Peter Fraser NZ and High Commissioner Bill Jordan visited the NZ Bomber Squadron at Feltwell on 13 August 1941, as reported in The Press:

“Arriving at their station a few hours after their aeroplanes returned from plastering Hanover, Mr Fraser visited the New Zealand bomber squadron.

Among the men he saw was Sergeant Pilot J. A. Ward, V.C..

Mr Fraser said: “New Zealand is very proud of you. I congratulate you heartily on your well deserved honour.”

Mr Fraser was introduced to members of Sergeant Pilot Ward’s crew, including Sergeant Gunner A. R. T. Box, D.F.M., of Auckland, and Sergeant Observer L. A. Lawton, of Wellington.

The squadron paraded in a hangar, and Mr Fraser walked down the lines, shaking hands with every man. He talked with the men in the sergeants’ mess. His audience included more than a dozen winners of D.F.C.’s and D.F.M.’s, who have distinguished themselves over Germany.”

In the photo, Bill Jordan is 2nd to left, and next to him is Sgt James Ward V.C., and then two of his crew mates, skipper S/L Reuben “Ben” Widdowson DFC RCAF (with moustache) and rear gunner Sgt Allan “Shorty” Box DFM RNZAF. Another crew mate, navigator Sgt Joe Lawton RNZAF is identifiable five along from Box, standing at the rear.

In the official party in the foreground, 2nd from left is Station Commander W/C Maurice Buckley, performing one of his final duties before being posted out from Feltwell. PM Fraser (in dark suit) is shaking hands with an unknown airman.

Several other airmen are identifiable – Sgt Joe White (Wireless Specialist, in front of Joe Lawton, looking back towards Ward & Jordan), unknown, F/O Graham Parker (pilot), Sgt Alec Rowe (rear gunner, Parker crew), and (F/O?) Ted Williams (squadron Signals Leader, with moustache, behind W/C Buckley).

Mr Jordan had also been at Feltwell two nights earlier, when the squadron held a special smoking concert in Jimmy Ward’s honour.

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!

Leslie Edgerton, 1921 – 2020

by David Yates

My father-in-law Leslie Edgerton passed away in Conquest Hospital, Hastings in the early hours of Tuesday 14th January.  Another 75 man, and another of the dwindling band of Bomber Command veterans, has quit us.

Leslie photographed on the occasion of his 98th birthday on 23rd April – St George’s Day – 2019.

 

 

 

 

Leslie volunteered for RAF service in the autumn of 1942 hoping, as they all did, to be a pilot.  It wasn’t until spring of 1943, as the Battle for Berlin was hitting the headlines, that things began to get going for him.  A reserved, unassuming, and thoughtful man, Leslie was not selected for pilot training but was sent to No2 Radio School, Yatesbury.  He gained his first air experience on 6^th April 1943.  He was then sent on a gunnery course at RAF Manby, and on to AFU at Millom.

A transfer to No.11 OTU Westcott followed, and after an ab initio course in which he was subjected to the usual night vision and decompression tests, he had his first taste of crewing a medium bomber.  On 3^rd September 1943 he flew for the first time with F/S C.E. Armstrong, with whom he had crewed up.  The fateful eight-month journey to Dortmund had begun.  The Armstrong crew was signed off on 24^th October 1943 and despatched to Wratting Common for conversion to Stirlings.  After little more than 40 hours flying and then two-weeks’ leave the Amstrong crew mustered at Mepal for operational duty with 75 RNZAF Squadron, Mepal.  They had arrived on the front line.

They had a good initial run, starting on 14^th January 1943 with laying six mines in the Fresians area.  The squadron was untroubled by losses until 24^th February 1943.  But then on their seventh op, laying mines in Kiel Bay, Stirling EH984 captained by PO H.H. Bruhns crew went down.  They were all killed.  Leslie and the Armstrong boys came safe home.

The next day Leslie was asked to fill in for the absent w/op of the Willis crew, who were down for mine-laying in Copenhagen Bay.  Their Stirling was attacked head-on by a flight of six JU88s.  The aircraft was riddled with canon-fire, and Leslie later reported actually seeing the tracers scorching by him as he sat at his station.  Everyone survived and the aircraft landed safely back at Mepal.

No doubt gratefully, Leslie returned to his crew mates.  A couple of quiet mine-laying ops followed and then on 4^th March they were sent on a special French op where another Stirling was lost, captained by the New Zealander PO S.L. Watson.  The Mid-Upper was taken prisoner.  Watson and the other crew members were killed.  But the ops, either mine-laying or targets in France, continued to tick quietly by for Leslie.  Then, suddenly, the great change finally came to 3 Group and Mepal, and the conversion from Stirlings to Lancasters was begun.  The Armstrong crew were among the first shipped off to Feltwell for conversion, followed back at Mepal by a series of preparation flights in the beautiful, shining new machines.  Then on the evening of 9^th April their first 75 op was mounted.  The Armstrong crew were given ND768 F-Freddie.  In the words of my father Harry:

“Eleven of them were sent to attack the railway yards at Villeneuve St.Georges.  They had all bombed successfully in clear weather, though one had been damaged by friendly bombing and landed at Ford, a fighter station conveniently situated on the coast across from Selsey Bill.”

After the Villeneuve raid the crew flew three ops to Germany – first Karlsruhe, then Essen, then Friedrichshaven; and it was on the latter that another loss occurred.  FO R.W. Herron and his crew were all killed.

By this point Leslie had flown 22 ops and would not have been blamed for beginning to look forward to the end of his tour.  But in early May he began to feel unwell and was diagnosed with a contagious childhood disease most unwelcome at the advanced age of 22.  He was whisked off to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely and put in isolation.  It quite likely saved his life.  On 22^nd May, Armstrong and his boys, with Sgt C.A. Warburton replacing Leslie, flew F-Freddie to Dortmund and never came back.

Again in my father’s words:
“Knowing nothing of this, a fully recovered F/Sgt Edgerton returned to Mepal resigned to the fact that his crew mates would have completed their tour, but nevertheless hopeful of hearing something of them.  In fact, nothing was offered.  He managed to discover that they were logged FTR, but that was all.  As a pool w/op he went dicing with scratch crews to the end of his tour,”

I have told the story, on this site, of how Harry was able to inform Leslie of the fate of his crew, and how that came to happen fifty years after the event itself, and anyone who would like to read about that can do so here:

Leslie went into the pool, and flew seven more ops with the Crawford, Adolph, and Lethbridge crews.  His last but one op was to Bremen on the night of 18^th August 1944, when Harry’s crew were given such a fiery time; and his finale was to the Kamen refinery in daylight on 11^th September 1944, when Harry’s R-Roger lost its nose and Harry himself was consigned to Littleport Eye Hospital for seven weeks.

Tour-expired and with other things on his mind, Leslie married Joan Underwood, a Red Cross nurse, on 21^st September 1944 at St Mary’s Church, Sanderstead.  The church had been damaged at some point by a stray bomb, and workmen on ladders stopped their repairs and took off their caps to peer benignly down, the most earthly of angels, while the ceremony proceeded.  The couple would have four children over the ensuing ten or so years, the third of them my wife Geraldine.  Leslie worked as an accountant in the post-war years, and did pretty well for himself, living a life of respectable, quiet prosperity in Purley, Surrey and, in retirement, on the south coast near Eastbourne.   But I don’t think he was ever free from the sense of guilt and loss which consumed him that day he returned to Mepal to find his crew mates missing.

Leslie and Joan’s elder daughter Helen and her husband Andrew McGillivray have kindly forwarded me photographs of the crew’s graves, including that of Sgt Warburton, which we hope will serve as an on-line memoir of those brave boys as long as this website is active.

Andrew writes:
“In 2012, on one of Helen’s visits to Seaford, Leslie had mentioned that the name of the wireless operator who stood in for him on the Dortmund trip was Warburton.  Out of interest I visited the Commonwealth Graves Commission website and found that he and the other members of the crew were buried in a large military cemetery in Germany, close to the Dutch border.  As it happened, we had been invited to a 60th birthday party in a town close by and we decided whilst we were there to visit Arnhem and the cemetery on the same trip. As with all of the Commonwealth Grave cemeteries that I have visited it is beautifully maintained and very moving when you see the perfectly aligned white headstones stretching out in all directions. What makes it all the more saddening is the ages of these young men most of which were in their early twenties. The entire crew are buried beside one another including Leslie’s replacement.”

In old age Leslie, who kept his wits about him till the end, thought more and more about those times at Mepal.  He was the lucky one.  Now he is gone one wonders how many others are still with us.

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.

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

75nzsquadron.com – back on Ops!

I am pleased to say that having finally taken ownership of a replacement to my once faithful MacBook Air, I am back and up and running!

Thankfully, the archived image of, lets call it MBA 001, whilst inaccessible as files has populated MBA 002 exactly and nothing of any significance has been lost whatsoever relating to the site or my archives – testament to the benefits of regular backing up methinks……..

It’s been a frustrating few months, but having said this, a constant stream of emails has ensured that there is plenty of content to add and this will happen through posts and updates over the next few months.

I owe a sincere thanks to 2 truly kind hearted souls who actually not only clicked on the ‘just Giving’ link of my ‘dead MacBook’ post from before Christmas, but also were prepared to put their hands in their pockets! In honest truth, as they were the only donations, I didn’t feel it fair to take the money, so I returned it. Many thanks to my lovely wife as always for having the financial clout to be able to step in during my darkest hour(s) and contribute to the effort!

During my imposed absence I have at least been able to continue with the Nominal Roll research, albeit on a PC (yuk). I have now reconciled the original Form 540 database to generate a list of all individuals who flew with the Squadron during the War. I am currently merging this information with individual information gathered form the Form 78 records for RAF personnel, as well as promotions and awards from the London Gazette. Additionally, book references have also added a significant amount of detail.

My searching has highlighted the significant discrepancies and variability of accessible information depending on country. A massive applause to the Australian National Archive, who have digitised the service records of those RAAF personnel who flew with the Squadron – to a level that is only, it seems, possible to obtain form other nations archives if you are a direct relative.

As I have already asked, please, find the time to contact your nations archives and request your loved ones service records – I have often remarked on the fact that this site is only what it is because of the generous contributions by all of you – this is so much more true in the creation of this new record.

As an aside and as a result of my database noodling, I would also like to know the dates of birth of your relatives. Whilst a small detail perhaps, it allows me vey easily to generate the actually, very poignant in some cases, age of the boys when they arrived at a front line bomber squadron. To this end, dates of passing, post-war would also be most welcomingly received.

In other, but potentially far more exciting news, Chris has begun to dig through the Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s archive and it seems at the moment almost every day is discovering some astonishing documents and records. Some material, is so unique as to have not even thought that it might exist! Having wetted your appetite, I am sure more details and posts will follow!

a thousand thanks for sticking with it!

Simon

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.

Half a million views!

Half a million views!

I must take this opportunity to let everybody know, that today, 75nzsquadron.com passed the incredible milestone of 500,000 views. This amazing figure has taken almost 7 years to reach, but it has truly been worth the wait, given the amazing journey that many others and I have enjoyed in the mean time.

The growth and success of the blog has really been remarkable – I have said it before – but I certainly never dreamt that it would grow the way it has and been able to engage so many people – as I write, the blog contains 721 posts, is followed across all platforms by 852 people and has been visited over 123,000 times.

The interest in the Squadron seems unabated and it’s my plan to get back to the old days of regular posts – we have a lot of new material in the pipeline which will all be share in due course. We have now complete all the large structural projects, so as new information appears, it can all be added to what is possibly the most detailed record of an RAF Bomber Squadron that exists.

This wonderful event in the site’s history is perhaps a timely point to make another important announcement:

Project ORB is complete!

Five and a half years ago I began the slow transcription of the Squadron’s Form 540 “Operations Carried Out” for the duration of 75(NZ) Squadrons existence. Many have contributed, but special thanks must go to Hubert, David and Brian for their protracted efforts to complete certain years. In recent months I have turned my attention to 1942, and the latter months of 1940 – finally it is finished.

Whilst other Squadrons have already had their diary documents transcribed in whole, this is the first time that it has been achieved for 75(NZ) Squadron – an other first for the site!

I have also added a little navigation to make the reading of the individual months a little easier. Clicking in the “75(NZ) Squadron RAF Records” section in the top menu and then clicking on any specific year will give you a page with links to all months in that particular years (as opposed to holding on a year to get the jump off menu that will take you to a certain month).

In addition, at the foot of each month is a link which will take you automatically to the next month – at December you will progress to the following year.

For ease of entry to the records, please click below to go to the relevant year sets:

1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

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

Sir Douglas Charles Lowe

The Lowe crew, Douglas is stood far right. Source unknown

Kevin has passed on the sad news of the passing of Sir Douglas Charles Lowe, aged 95.

Arriving at the Squadron, then at Newmarket, at the very end of January 1943, Douglas flew between February and May 1943, completing 19 Ops, which can be viewed on their crew page here.

On the crew’s 11th Op, on the 8th of March 1943 to Nurenburg, both Douglas and his Second Pilot, Charles Eddy, were injured.

From the 541 diary:
Stirling 1 BK646 captained by P/O Lowe, was attacked by an enemy aircraft near Saarbrucken on the return journey. The enemy aircraft opened fire with cannon and a stream of tracer came into the cockpit, one exploding near the second pilot’s leg. Corkscrew tactics were adopted, but after seven minutes the enemy aircraft was lost. The only casualties were the second pilot, who was wounded in the leg and the Captain, who had slight face cuts. The aircraft successfully returned to base.

The combat report adds extra detail to this incident:
North of Saarbrucken 00.30 hrs 11,000 feet
Stirling Mk I was on homeward journey having bombed its target when at a position 49° 27′ N., 07° 10 ‘ E. approx. 10 miles North of Saarbrucken, a twin engined E/A identified as a Ju.88. Our aircraft was on a course of 285° M. at a height of 11,000 feet with an I.A.S.. Vertical visibility to aircraft level was poor there being a heavy ground mist but above it was a clear star lit night.

The Rear Gunner sighted a Ju 88 passing 300 feet beneath the tail travelling from Starboard to port at right angle to the heading of our aircraft. E/A carried a single white light about amidships. At the time of sighting our aircraft was gently weaving, this was immediately converted into a corkscrew. when E/A was seen. Three seconds after the first E/A had been sighted an attack was delivered by a second E/A from the starboard quarter below firing cannon. This E/A was not seen by any member of the crew, the position of an attack being substantiated by strikes on our aircraft.

After the attack the E/A carrying a white light dropped astern to approximately 800 yards, keeping in contact with our aircraft for five minutes and was finally lost to sight and was not seen again. During the encounter our gunners did not open fire. The pilot in out aircraft is of the opinion that they make have been silhouetted against a large cone of searchlights over Saarbrucken. There was no flak activity and no ground lights indication our track.

Cannon shell burst in the Pilot’s cocktail wounding the second pilot in the leg and starting a small fire on the starboard side of the instrument panel. All lighting in the aircraft failed except cell-lights which came on automatically. The starboard flap and elevators were also damaged.

On the 16th of April, the crew’s 15th Op, this time to Ludwigshaven, the crew crashed on return. Having experienced very accurate Anti Aircraft fire over the target, on return Douglas discovered that the throttles were jammed open. Despite crashing into a partially  built aircraft hanger and completely wrecking the Stirling they were in. All of the crew escaped, but not without injuries……

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross at the end of his tour, the citation read as follows:
Flight Lieutenant Lowe has proved to be an outstanding captain of aircraft throughout many operational missions over such heavily defended targets as Hamburg, Essen and Berlin. From these sorties he has frequently brought back photographs of the target area. On more than one occasion he has successfully evaded attacks by enemy night fighters. He has also brought his aircraft back to base when almost disabled by anti-aircraft fire. His splendid work has been an inspiration to the Squadron.

From upclosded.com
He was confirmed in his rank of flying officer on 23 December 1943, and received a mention in dispatches in January 1945. Lowe was promoted to flight lieutenant (war-substantive) on 1 January 1945. In the 1946 Birthday Honours, Lowe was decorated with the Air Force Cross (AFC). He remained in the RAF post-war, being awarded a permanent commission in the rank of flying officer on 1 July 1946, with a subsequent promotion to flight lieutenant on 4 July.

Lowe was promoted to Ssquadron Leader on 1 July 1952 and to Wing Commander on 1 January 1958. Promoted to Group Captain on 1 July 1962, he served as Station Commander RAF Cranwell from November 1963 to 1965. With his promotion to air commodore on 1 July 1966, he attained air officer rank. He was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal on 1 January 1970 and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), Military Division, in the 1971 Birthday Honours.

In 1973 Lowe was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group and he continued in this post until 1975. Thereafter, he was promoted to air chief marshal and was appointed the Controller of Aircraft: he remained in that post until late 1982. Lowe was the Chief of Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence from 1982 to 1983. He retired on 22 August 1983.

You can read Sir Douglas’ obituary in the Telegraph here.

and watch Sir Douglas give an interview in March 2013, then aged 91, to a School Report team, about his time in the RAF here.

 

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.

 

Alfred George Daly, RNZAF NZ4211789 – Pilot.

Sad news indeed, has reached me from Paul, son of RIchard Collings, via Ron, of the recent passing of his Father George Daly, a Pilot with 75(NZ) Squadron, on the 25th of February, 2017 at the venerable age of 97.

George and his crew arrived at Mepal on the 8th of June 1945 and thus did not fly Operationally, though they flew twice before the Squadron moved to Spilsby as part of Tiger Force.

18/06/1945 – Viewing the Effects of the Bombing Offensive
5 Aircraft were detailed for viewing the effects of the Bombing Offensive.

Lancaster Mk.III PB132 AA-T

F/S Alfred George Daly, RNZAF NZ4211789 – Pilot.
F/S S. Peterson, RAFVR – Navigator.
F/S Gordon John Dennis, RNZAF NZ4215822 – Air Bomber.
F/S John Benjamin Garland, RNZAF NZ4216682 – Wireless Operator.
F/S John Sayers , RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Roy Dawkins, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Richard ‘Dick’ Collings, RAFVR 1852784 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 09:50 – Landed 14:26
Flight Time 04:36

25/06/1945 – Checking German Radar Equipment
21 aircraft were detailed for the Postmortem operation for checking German Radar Equipment. W/O S. Sutherland (JN.K)had to make an early return through flat accumulators, but took off again in JN.T and completed the operation. F/L S. Peryer (JN.V)had a petrol leak and made an early return on three engines.

Lancaster Mk.III LM544 AA-O

F/S Alfred George Daly, RNZAF NZ4211789 – Pilot.
F/S S. Peterson, RAFVR – Navigator.
F/S Gordon John Dennis, RNZAF NZ4215822 – Air Bomber.
F/S John Benjamin Garland, RNZAF NZ4216682 – Wireless Operator.
F/S John Sayers , RAFVR – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Roy Dawkins, RAFVR – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Richard ‘Dick’ Collings, RAFVR 1852784 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 09:57 – Landed 16:05
Flight Time 06:08

I am sure that you will all join with me in offering our most heartfelt condolences to Paul and his family at this sad time.

Paul’s original contact with us was almost 4 years ago, with a request for information on the other members of George’s crew. At the time, we didn’t hear anything, but I wonder whether now, given how the blog has grown, if we now have a chance to learn a little more about the Daly crew…….

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

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!

Jack Meehan – Wireless Operator, Glossop crew

Jack Meehan, Wireless Operator with the Glossop crew
image copyright New Zealand Herald

It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of Jack Meehan, Wireless Operator with the Glossop crew, on the 27th of December.

Jack and the Glossop crew flew out of Mepal with the Squadron between July and December 1944, taking part in Ops to support the Allied invasion of Europe, before switching back to the main bomber campaign against targets in Germany.

Jack’s full obituary in the New Zealand Herald can be read here.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

333,333 – a third of a million views………..

Albeit a little late, but another MASSIVE milestone was reached on Wednesday night when we clocked up a third of a million views for the blog – utterly fantastic and amazing.

To think, to within a month of it being 5 years since Dad passed away, this ‘thing’ is still going and still adding to the information that we all now have to access regarding 75(NZ) Squadron RAF.

Since the last significant viewer milestone of a quarter of a million views, the posts, thanks to you all have continued and also, the blog from a structural point of view has undergone some significant additions.

In April, I was finally able to publish the fruits of some 4 years work of adding the Form 541’s to a database – physically meaning the addition of Op histories for every crew that flew with the Squadron during and after the War, before the Squadron was disbanded on the 15th of October 1945.

This in itself is a massive addition to the site and as I said at the time, I do not think another record in this format exist for any other Squadron  through the same period.

Not long after I was able to also add the entire set of Combat Reports for the Squadron, transcribed and in numerical order. In time the relevant CR’s will be reproduced where necessary in the Crew pages.

Having said all of this, the site would be fairly dry if it simply existed around the recorded documents that we have. Its depth, incredible scope and movingly personal relevance, is solely  down to you, the readership. Without your contributions, your generosity, your patience and your support, the blog would be a far poorer place.

All the amazing things that have been so generously shared over the last 4 and a half odd years has now, to be slowly moved to the relevant crew pages. The posts will all obviously still exist, but the crew pages will now become the enduring record for the crews that flew, died or survived the Squadron.

I stand by my original view that this record is best placed as it is – digitally, on the web, available to all and able to be constantly updated.

The blog, thanks to you, now has its own critical mass. It is the largest resource online for the Squadron and in real terms, regarding accessible information, is probably also simply the largest physical resource, full stop. Long may this continue, I see no reason why it will not.

Thank you to you all – to all of the relatives and interested parties who have continued to care enough to bring new material to us. A massive and continuing thanks to Chris Newey, not only for his excellently researched posts, but also for his council and for, from time to time, being an ear I scream down when things start annoying me. A continuing thanks also to Peter Wheeler and the New Zealand Bomber Command Association/ Archive for continuing to provide access to Chris for all things 75(NZ) related.

WE have got this far, because WE, collectively have had the will and want to do this. WE will carry on and make sure that THEY will never be forgotten………..

 

AKE AKE KIA KAHA

 

Trevor Dill, Navigator – Williams crew 1943

The Williams crew, RAF Mepal, 75(NZ) Squadron RAF, 1943
From L to R: Hilton Clifford ‘Speed’ Williams (Pilot), Ivon George Kaye (Rear Gunner), Adrian Leslie Bernard ‘Shorty’ Carson (Air Bomber), ‘Taffy Williams (Wireless Operator), Trevor Dill (Navigator), ‘Dicky ‘Dickinson (Flight Engineer) and William ‘Billy’ Hemsley (Mid Upper Gunner)
© New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive and/or others.

The sad news has reached me, via the New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook page of the passing of Trevor Dill, Navigator with ‘Speedy Williams’ crew.

Trevor and his crew began Operations on the 27th of April 1943 with what seemed like the almost standard first sortie to lay mines in the Frisian Islands – 27 Ops later a final trip to Bremen on the 8th of October saw the boys stay with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF come to an end, but then to continue with 7 Squadron PFF.

I have taken the liberty of reproducing the above picture, also presented on the NZBCA Facebook page today to record Trevor’s passing – on his 95th birthday.

From the New Zealand Herald’s obituary section, the following:

“DILL, Trevor Gordon. Service No NZ 42292 Flight Lieutenant, DFM, mid, 75 NZ sqdn UK, 7 PFF sqdn UK. WWII. Passed away peacefully 28th June 2016 at home on his 95th birthday. Dearly loved husband of Jessie (war bride, England) who walked with me for 69 years. “I cannot bear to part from you, We’ve been so long together. You’ve travelled with me on life’s road, no matter what the weather. You’ve never gave me cause for pain, Though days were sad and rough. Just walking with you, seemed to be enough.Together we’ve climbed hills and mountains And paddled in the sea, But you, my loved and trusted mate, Were always true to me. We’ve both grown old and shabby, But you I’ll hate to lose, You’ve grown a part of me.” Much loved father and father- in-law of Malcolm, Janice and Brian, Denise and Robin, Jeanette and Henk, Richard and Debbie. Dad you leave us with lasting memories of hiking, camping and world travel adventures. An active and ‘loads of fun’ Poppa for the grandchildren. Phillipa, Alice and Fred, Sean and Liam, Eva and Daniel, Daniel, Morgan and Kyran. The best story-teller for the great-grandchildren. Regan, Mariska, Carlos, and Dominic, Hannah and Sarah, Luca, Kaylin.

A celebration of Trevor’s life will be held at Ranfurly Hall, Kaipara Flats Road, Kaipara Flats on Monday 4th July at 1:00 pm followed by private cremation.”

 

Ake AKe Kia Kaha!

 

View the ‘Speedy’ Williams crew history here.

Alfred George Humphreys RAAF AUS.413157 – Pilot

Alfred George Humphreys, Pilot with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. © Alfred Humphreys/ John Humphreys

It is with great sadness that I must announce another significant addition to the Crew Op Histories section of the blog and with it, record the passing of another of the brave boys who flew with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF. This time it is Alfred George Humphreys, RAAF, who flew with the Squadron from Mepal between 1943 and 1944.

John, his son, contacted me and passed on a personal account of Alf’s time in training, Operations with 75(NZ) and subsequent War-time experiences as an Instructor.

Sadly, 10 days later Alf passed away.

In December of 2015, Alf was one of 5 veterans to be awarded the Légion d’Honneur by the French Ambassador to Australia. His award was featured in the Australian press (see below). Alf captured in so few words the events of the Op with 75(NZ) Squadron RAF on the 21st of May 1944 on the return from Duisberg, when their Lancaster was attacked be an Me,110.

“We were badly shot up by fighter aircraft. My navigator was wounded, we had one engine out and there was a hole in the plane where my parachute fell out – I told the crew to bale out and they said they would stay. We had to fly 100 miles across the North Sea to get back to our base at Mepal in Cambridgeshire….”

Read a more detailed account of this Op, as well personal anecdotes of his time with the Squadron on the Humphreys Crew Op page here.

The article that appeared in the Leader
piece supplied by John Humphreys

 

Ake Ake Kia Kaha!

P/O Trafford McRae Nicol and the Jarman crew, 1942

The first Jarman crew, in front of Vickers Wellington X3636, AA-R, probably March 1942.
Back row, L-R: John Fernie, Wireless Operator, Trafford Nicol, 2nd Pilot, Eric Jarman, Captain, Stanley Hall, Navigator.
Front, L-R: Jim Harris, Rear Gunner, Ron Davey, Front Gunner / Bomb Aimer.
– NZ Bomber Command Assn, Stan Brooks collection, via Anna Rhodes-Sayer.

Thanks as always to Chris and special thanks to James and Barbara Ogilvie and the Nicol family for sharing these photos and their own research. Thanks to Anna Rhodes-Sayer and the NZ Bomber Command Assn for permission to reproduce the main crew photo.

Trafford McRae Nicol was born in 1921, son of James Alexander & Louisa Clara Nicol who lived in Inglis St., Seatoun, Wellington, New Zealand.

He went to school at Rongotai College, and Wellington College, and enlisted in the RNZAF in early 1941, aged 20, undergoing Initial Training (probably at Levin), then pilot training at No. 2 Service Flying Training School (2 SFTS), Woodbourne.

Graduation photo for No. 14B (War) Course, 2S.F.T.S., Woodbourne, 1941. Trafford Nicol, back row, second from right.
– Barbara Ogilvie.

Five other 75 (NZ) Squadron pilots appear in this group:

– middle row left, Graham Murdoch, whose path closely followed Trafford’s (see below);
– next to him, Alan Tolley, lost with all the crew of Stirling BF506, AA-P on 21st April 1943 in a raid on Rostock ;
– front row left, a very young Cyril “Mac” Baigent, DSO, DFC, AFC, later to become Wing Commander and Commanding Officer of 75, the youngest CO in Bomber Command;
– next to him, John McCullough, DFC, lost with Stirling BK604, AA-S on 3 Feb 1943.
– William Horne, who flew 2nd Pilot with S/L Ray Newton.

Trafford then sailed to England, and went through Operational Training at 12 O.T.U, Chipping Warden:

No. 23 Course – Pilots – Chipping Warden, UK, December 1941.
Back row, L-R: 3. Rip Rogers (+), 4. Johnny Wilmshurst (missing), 5. Cyril Wrightson (+).
Middle row, L-R: 4. ? Buller (+), 6. Roy Willson (+).
Front row, L-R: 1. Roy Spear (missing), 2. Jim Cowan (missing), 3. Trafford Nicol (+), 4. Stinker Murdoch (+), 8. John Keenberg, 9. Ric Richardson (+), 10. Rupert Smith (missing).
– Barbara Ogilvie.

Again, several of the pilots named in this photo went on to serve with 75 (NZ) Sqdn.

Sgt Johnny Wilmshurst was lost with all his crew on a daylight op’ to Duisburg on the 10th of July.

Incredibly, P/O Graham “Stinker” Murdoch and P/O Rupert John Smith, both died on the same night captaining separate aircraft, both with all crew lost, on the 9th of June during a raid on Essen.

And equally incredible, Sgt Cyril Wrightson died flying 2nd Pilot with F/S Mahood, with all crew lost, on the night of the 22nd/23rd of April during a raid on Cologne, the same operation that resulted in Trafford Nicol’s death.

75 (NZ) Squadron Operational Record Book,  Form 540, March 1942: P/O Nicol, T.M. Posted to this unit from No, 12 O.T.U w.e.f. 10.3.42

Trafford was posted in from 12 OTU on the 10th of March, together P/O Graham Murdoch, and must have joined Eric Jarman’s crew within a day or two.

Sgt Eric “Rick” or “Riki” Jarman came from Yeppoon, in Queensland, Australia, and was a clerk at Rockhampton before he enlisted in the RAAF in September, 1940.

He had arrived at 75 (NZ) Sqdn in November the previous year, and had been flying as 2nd Pilot with S/L Peter Kitchin. The squadron had flown very few operations during this period as Bomber Command re-assessed strategies after a disastrous Berlin raid on 7/8 November, and then as 75 became busy training and converting from the 1C Wellingtons to the new Mark IIIs.

Jarman carried out his first Night Flying Test as Captain of his own aircraft on 9 March, a 15 minute flight in Wellington III  X3587, AA-P.

The Jarman crew were:
Sgt Eric George Delancey Jarman, RAAF AUS404507 – Pilot
P/O Trafford McRae Nicol, RNZAF NZ411929 – 2nd Pilot
Sgt Stanley Frederick Hall, RNZAF NZ402182 – Navigator
Sgt John Alexander Fernie, RAF 980003 – Wireless Operator
Sgt Ron S. Davey, RAF – Front Gunner / Bomb Aimer
Sgt Richard James Harris, RNZAF NZ402999 – Rear Gunner

Stanley Hall and Richard Harris had arrived separately on Squadron only a week or so earlier, but John Fernie and Ron Davey had been on the Squadron since November the previous year.

Fernie originally crewed up with Sgt Robert Arthur Colville RNZAF, and had already flown 7 op’s.

He had very fortunately not been on board when Colville took Wellington X3355, AA-Y up for an air test on 28 February, although as was the norm at the time, four ground crew had gone along for the ride. Just after take-off, Colville lost his starboard engine, and then as he attempted to turn back to the airfield to make an emergency landing, the port engine failed as well. The aircraft crashed near Lakenheath, killing two of the ground crew, and leaving the 2nd Pilot Sgt Woodham fatally injured. Colville and the other two ground crew were seriously injured, Colville almost losing both legs.

Davey had flown 2 op’s with Sgt Giddens, but for some reason Giddens left the Squadron in December. Davey may have trained with other crews during January and February.

RIck Jarman flew his first Op as skipper on the 13th March 1943, bombing targets at Dunkirk. Twelve days later, Trafford Nichol would join the crew as 2nd Pilot for an OP to Essen and St.Nazaire on the 25th of March.

The Jarman crew would fly a further 7 Ops, before they boarded Wellington Mk.III X.3487 AA-O on the 22nd of April, that night flying to Cologne.

22/04/1942 – Operations – Attack Against Targets at Cologne
Ten Well.III a\c were detailed attack the above targets. Bomb load of 4000lbs, 100lbs, 500lbs, 250lbs, 30lb and 4lb incendiaries was dropped in the target area but no results seen owing to cloud. There were only a few searchlights active and A.A. fire was slight. Well.III, X3487 captained by P/O Jarman was attacked by a JU.88 which attacked once and broke away to port. The results of this short attack were however serious the second pilot, P/O Nicol being mortally wounded, the rear gunner Sgt. Harris being killed and the Navigator Sgt. Taylor and W/Op. Sgt. Fernie were wounded. The bomb load was not dropped on the target but was dropped in the sea. The a/c was brought back to base and crash landed. Well.III, X3705, captained by F/S. McLachlan, was also attacked and the second pilot killed (P/O. Fountain) and Sgt. Tutty was wounded. F/Sgt. McLachlan managed to reach base and crash land.

Wellington Mk.III X.3487 AA-O
a/c shot up by JU88 and crash landed on return. Sgt. Harris was killed in the attack. P/O Nicol died of injuries the day after

P/O Eric George Delancey ‘Rick/ Riki’  Jarman , RAAF AUS.404507 – Pilot.
P/O Trafford McRae Nicol RNZAF NZ411929 2nd Pilot.
Sgt. William Henderson Taylor, RAFVR 1051621/ 122053 – Navigator.
Sgt. John Alexander Fernie, RAFVR 980003/ 127783 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. R.S. Davey, RAFVR – Front Gunner.
Sgt. Richard James Harris, RNZAF NZ402999 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:15 – Landed 04:40
Flight Time 06:25

Feltwell Station Log Wednesday 23rd April 1942: “0442 O.75 crash-landed (18th) last A/c.”

Rick Jarman was awarded the DFC for his part in the incident:
DFC citation E.G.D. Jarman, RAAF:
Citation DFC (Imm) (15 May 1942) “One night in April 1942 this officer was the captain of an aircraft detailed to attack Cologne. Whilst over the target area, the aircraft was hit by shellfire and sustained damage. The navigator, wireless operator and front gunner were injured, but despite this, Pilot Officer Jarman flew on to make his attack. On the return journey it was discovered that a bomb had not fallen owing to the damage caused by the enemy’s shellfire whereupon Pilot Officer Jarman altered course and headed for the North Sea so that the bomb could be jettisoned. Before reaching the sea, however, his aircraft was subjected to an attack by an enemy fighter whose fire killed the rear gunner, wounded the second pilot and inflicted further damage on the aircraft. Skilfully controlling the bomber Pilot Officer Jarman continued his flight and after jettisoning the bomb in the sea, he finally reached this country where he made a safe landing with the undercarriage retracted.”

They crash-landed at 4:40 in the morning. Trafford was badly wounded, and passed away later that day.

From “New Zealanders in the Air War”, by Alan Mitchell:

On these five operations only one aircraft was lost, but several injured men were brought back. One, Pilot Officer T. McRae Nicol, of Welling­ton, had been badly hit in the abdomen by shell-splinters. He was in great pain when they lifted him tenderly from the aircraft into the ambulance, but he had a smile for Olson.

” I’ve got a guts full of lead, sir,” he told the CO., almost proudly. Morphia eased the rack of the pain, but although he probably knew he had little chance of survival, he remained cheerful until he died.

Trafford’s niece, Barbara remembers reading a letter from the Squadron’s Chaplin to Trafford’s parents saying that Trafford was a great leader, was always so positive and one of his favourites.  The letter also said that a WAAF had given Trafford a cup of hot tea before he was removed from his Wellington, and that the hot tea may have caused more damage to his stomach.  Barbara says she always thought that it was funny how her uncle died in the war from a hot cup of tea…….

Trafford was buried with full military honours at Feltwell’s St. Nicholas Churchyard, Row C Grave 11, on the 29th of April.

His crewmate Jim Harris was buried the same day at St. Nicholas Churchyard, Row B Grave 11.
 
Returning from the same Cologne operation in the early hours of 23 April, another night fighter had attacked the McLachlan crew’s Wellington X3705, AA-F, killing 2nd Pilot P/O Cedric Fountain, RNZAF (NZ41981). They also struggled to reach Base, and had crash-landed at Feltwell about an hour before the Jarman crew.  Trafford, Jim and Cedric were all buried at St Nicholas Churchyard on the same day, and the photograph of the funeral party suggests that the three airmen were taken on the same carriage:

P/O Trafford Nicol’s funeral, Feltwell, 29 June 1942.
– Barbara Ogilvie.

Rick Jarman eventually flew 41 op’s to complete his tour with 75 (NZ) Squadron on 3 August, and after a stint instructing at 27 OTU, went on to a second tour with 460 Squadron. He was promoted to Squadron Leader, but sadly on their 9th op’, he and 5 of his crew were lost over Germany on 28 April 1944. The crew is immortalised in a famous painting, “Bomber Crew”, which was still being worked on by the artist when they were shot down.

Trevor Smith went on to skipper his own aircraft, but was lost with all his crew on the 9th of July, during a raid on Wilhelmshaven. Fernie and Chunn survived the war.

– Read more about the events of the night of 22nd /23rd of April, within a post about Feltwell Cemetery here  (about half way down the post)

To read the crew history in full, please click here to be taken to the Jarman crew Op history page.

Again, special thanks to James and Barbara Ogilvie and the Nicol family for sharing these photos and their own research. Thanks to Anna Rhodes-Sayer and the NZ Bomber Command Assn for permission to reproduce the main crew photo