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Post by Luther Moore on Aug 14, 2011 22:35:44 GMT 12
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Post by Tony on Aug 14, 2011 23:20:25 GMT 12
Errol may be able to fill in the blanks but for an appetiser:
Fg Off Nicholas Joseph Maitch DSO DFM. NZ414658
35 Sqn.
1943: 27/28th September; Halifax HR907 TL-P. Ops: Hannover. FTR. Shot down from 17,000ft by a night-fighter. Evaded.
Crew:
P: Plt Off N J. Matich DFM - Evaded
Sgt R A MacI Mather - PoW
Flt Lt C A Hewlett - PoW
Plt Off R W Tully RCAF - PoW
Plt Off F R Dolling DFM - PoW
AG: Plt Off A T Tuck DFC RAAF + CWGC: 2101203
AG: Flt Sgt A V Forsyth DFM + CWGC: 2198711
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Post by Luther Moore on Aug 14, 2011 23:28:35 GMT 12
I read somewhere he was in the Path finders squadron.
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Post by errolmartyn on Aug 14, 2011 23:30:21 GMT 12
From Gp Capt Colin Hanson’s 'By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999', pub by Volplane Press (i.e. me) in 2001:
MATICH, Flight Lieutenant Nicholas, DSO, DFM (pff).
NZ414658; Born Te Kopuru, 25 Jul 1917; RNZAF 17 Aug 1941 to 22 Nov 1944; Pilot.
Citation Distinguished Flying Medal (9 Sep 1943): [35(PFF)Sqn RAF (Halifax)] Flight Sergeant Matich has proved himself to be a most efficient and capable captain of aircraft. On many operational sorties he has achieved most satisfactory results, at all times displaying the keenest desire to attack the enemy, undeterred by the most powerful defences. He has taken part with fine effect in sorties against Cologne, Berlin and many others of the major targets on enemy territory.
Citation Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (12 Jun 1944): [35(PFF)Sqn RAF (Halifax)] In air operations this officer has displayed skill and courage of the highest order.
Also served with 102 Sqn RAF (Halifax). Member of the ‘Caterpillar’ and ‘Late Arrivals’ clubs. On 27 Sep 1943, Fg Off Matich’s 35(PFF)Sqn Halifax was shot down during a raid on Hanover. He baled out safely and successfully evaded capture. Moving by night he headed for Holland, taking nine nights to cover 100 miles to the German-Dutch border. Through taking cover by day, usually in woods and once in a haystack, he had a fairly safe journey. Fg Off Matich reached the Dortmund-Ems canal on the seventh night only to find it securely guarded. All bridges had sentry boxes at each end, with guards also patrolling the area. Creeping into one sentry box, he overpowered the guard and safely crossed the canal. Two nights later he reached Holland and made contact with the escape and evasion organisation. After spending six weeks hiding in a cellar in a wood he was taken by train and escorted across the frontier into Belgium. From Brussels he travelled in company with another British pilot to France and eventually reached Paris. After several days there the two men were guided by a French girl to Bordeaux. They then made their way south taking three days and nights to walk across the Pyrénées into Spain, finally reaching Gibraltar, from where they were flown back to England, arriving there on 14 Jan 1944.
Died Auckland, 25 Sep 1992.
Errol
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Post by Luther Moore on Aug 14, 2011 23:45:31 GMT 12
Very interesting Errol.
It's quite a good story to read.
I see he was on the same mission to Hanover as the one my Uncle Schollum was killed on.
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Post by jonesy on Aug 14, 2011 23:56:27 GMT 12
From Gp Capt Colin Hanson’s 'By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999', pub by Volplane Press (i.e. me) in 2001: MATICH, Flight Lieutenant Nicholas, DSO, DFM (pff). NZ414658; Born Te Kopuru, 25 Jul 1917; RNZAF 17 Aug 1941 to 22 Nov 1944; Pilot. Citation Distinguished Flying Medal (9 Sep 1943): [35(PFF)Sqn RAF (Halifax)] Flight Sergeant Matich has proved himself to be a most efficient and capable captain of aircraft. On many operational sorties he has achieved most satisfactory results, at all times displaying the keenest desire to attack the enemy, undeterred by the most powerful defences. He has taken part with fine effect in sorties against Cologne, Berlin and many others of the major targets on enemy territory. Citation Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (12 Jun 1944): [35(PFF)Sqn RAF (Halifax)] In air operations this officer has displayed skill and courage of the highest order. Also served with 102 Sqn RAF (Halifax). Member of the ‘Caterpillar’ and ‘Late Arrivals’ clubs. On 27 Sep 1943, Fg Off Matich’s 35(PFF)Sqn Halifax was shot down during a raid on Hanover. He baled out safely and successfully evaded capture. Moving by night he headed for Holland, taking nine nights to cover 100 miles to the German-Dutch border. Through taking cover by day, usually in woods and once in a haystack, he had a fairly safe journey. Fg Off Matich reached the Dortmund-Ems canal on the seventh night only to find it securely guarded. All bridges had sentry boxes at each end, with guards also patrolling the area. Creeping into one sentry box, he overpowered the guard and safely crossed the canal. Two nights later he reached Holland and made contact with the escape and evasion organisation. After spending six weeks hiding in a cellar in a wood he was taken by train and escorted across the frontier into Belgium. From Brussels he travelled in company with another British pilot to France and eventually reached Paris. After several days there the two men were guided by a French girl to Bordeaux. They then made their way south taking three days and nights to walk across the Pyrénées into Spain, finally reaching Gibraltar, from where they were flown back to England, arriving there on 14 Jan 1944. Died Auckland, 25 Sep 1992. Errol Errol, You do seem to have a lot of info on aircrew available. I wonder-did you have to trawl this out of official archive or was it given to you by family members of these guys? |
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Post by htbrst on Aug 15, 2011 3:59:07 GMT 12
MATICH, Flight Lieutenant Nicholas, DSO, DFM (pff). NZ414658; Born Te Kopuru, 25 Jul 1917; RNZAF 17 Aug 1941 to 22 Nov 1944; Pilot. Citation Distinguished Flying Medal (9 Sep 1943): [35(PFF)Sqn RAF (Halifax)] Nice to see details of another Kiwi on 35 squadron - not many ended up there. Also poignant to think how hard things were for relatives not getting any news other than MIA - it took 4 months for him to get back to England which must have been hard - and then you have to consider that for so many people, they just never came back. |
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Post by Luther Moore on Aug 15, 2011 4:19:40 GMT 12
You're right about it being Poignant htbrst.
My great Uncle was MIA/KIA in 1943 after a bombing raid over Hanover,Germany. They sent my Great Grandmother a telegram saying his plane was shot down and that his crew members were at luftIII prison camp and that her son is probably there as well. Two years later they sent another one saying they are still looking for him. Finally in 1947 they sent a telegram confirming his death. four year she had to wait to know if her son was dead or alive, imagine that?
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Post by Tony on Aug 15, 2011 5:36:38 GMT 12
Nice to see details of another Kiwi on 35 squadron - not many ended up there. I have notes on the following: Bromley C W, Sqn Ldr. 1944: Lancaster. Brooklands R H. Halifax Harrison J A. Halifax Humphreys R G, Sgt (AG). 1942: 18/19th August. Halifax W1226:J captained by Sgt J Smith. Ops: Flensburg. Attacked by a night fighter (Feldwebel Herbert Altner; 5./ NJG 3). PoW. + Pentelow P J, Fg Off (AG). 1945: 5/6th March; Lancaster ME333:S captained by Sqn Ldr F Watson DFC. Ops: Chemnitz. FTR. MiA. + Russell L P, Flt Sgt (AG). 19th May 1942; Ops Mannheim; FTR. KiA. Sibbald D A. Halifax Silcock C K. Halifax Stephens M O, Fg Off (AG). 1941: 7/8th November; Halifax L9603:P captained by Plt Off G Whitaker. Ops: Rover Patrol of the Rhur / Essen area. FTR. Shot down by Oblt H Lutje, III/NJG.1 and crashed in the Imon Forest (Gelderland) near Rozendaal, Holland. PoW. . |
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Post by htbrst on Aug 15, 2011 8:56:42 GMT 12
Thanks Macfire.
You can add P/O WH Hickson - Shot down 21/22 June 1943 in Halifax HR 799 on a raid to Krefeld where 35 squadron suffered the most losses of any squadron in one night. Evaded for a few weeks then captured by the Gestapo when a rat in the resistance gave them away, then to Stalag Luft III. Feel free to post more details if you have them to hand
For my family,
No 1 was captured on the Rangitane when sunk by a German Raider not far from NZ, no news until raider returned to Germany
No 2 as above, no news until captured weeks later.
No 3, nice letter from Squadron mates that they saw him wave after shot down in a Spitfire over the Falaise gap. Never to be found.
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Post by errolmartyn on Aug 15, 2011 10:34:07 GMT 12
[quote author=jonesy board=Wartime thread=13942 post=130592 time=1313322987
[/quote] Errol, You do seem to have a lot of info on aircrew available. I wonder-did you have to trawl this out of official archive or was it given to you by family members of these guys? [/quote]
Jonesy,
Colin Hanson's By Such Deeds was compiled over a 11 year period with some assistance from me, while my For Your Tomorrow trilogy took about 20 years. The acknowledgements and bibliography sections in each work, especially in Vol Three of For Your Tomorrow, indicate where or how much of the information was sourced.
Errol
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Post by oggie2620 on Aug 19, 2011 10:14:09 GMT 12
Guess I need to add Colins book to my 'must' get list... This is a great thread. Is Matich still with us?
Dee
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 19, 2011 12:22:56 GMT 12
From Errol's post above, "Died Auckland, 25 Sep 1992"
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susyk
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by susyk on Sept 11, 2013 8:43:55 GMT 12
I am
Nick Matich's daughter..there is some confusion among family about which aircraft Dad was flying when shot down..the records seem to say he was flying a Halifax when Dad always maintained it was a Lancaster...his last logbook entry says 'Lancaster'. Can anyone tell me which of these theories is correct. Thanks for any kind of info.
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Post by ErrolC on Sept 11, 2013 9:10:32 GMT 12
Welcome, and that is very interesting!
Do you have photos of the last couple of pages of his logbook that you can share?
ErrolC
Sent via Proboards Android App
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 11, 2013 9:22:50 GMT 12
Welcome to the forum SusyK
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Post by errolmartyn on Sept 11, 2013 11:14:43 GMT 12
I am Nick Matich's daughter..there is some confusion among family about which aircraft Dad was flying when shot down..the records seem to say he was flying a Halifax when Dad always maintained it was a Lancaster...his last logbook entry says 'Lancaster'. Can anyone tell me which of these theories is correct. Thanks for any kind of info. Hello Susyk, Your father was shot down by a nightfighter while flying 35 Squadron Halifax HR907, code letters TL-P. From his evader report: "I was pilot of a Halifax aircraft which left Graveley (Hants) on 27 Sep 43 at 1900 hrs. to bomb Hanover. We reached our target and bombed our objective and on the the homeward journey at about 2130 hrs. we were attacked by a fighter. The throttles were shot away, making the corresponding engines useless. A few minutes after this the third engine was damaged, and I had to give orders to bale out." As you may know he was the only one to successfully evade capture. Four others were taken prisoner and the remaining two died. 35 Squadron did not switch from operating Halifaxes to Lancasters until March 1944. Send me a PM with our email address should you like to have a full copy of the two page report. Errol |
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clareo
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by clareo on Nov 11, 2014 6:39:04 GMT 12
All/susyk, I know these posts were sometime ago but I have been reading these with interest. My great uncle was ronald mather who was shot down in hr907 and was taken as a pow. Would be interested to chat/share info
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