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Post by corsair5517 on Dec 30, 2012 19:30:19 GMT 12
I cant seem to find "the Corsair pile" (?!) so I'll whack this here...  ....my father in dress blues, pilots gear and Australian Digger garb. This last was when groups of pilots were taken to the front lines to see what good they were doing and the Aussies dressed them in Digger clothing so as not to alert the Japs that the NZers were different and eerhaps a worthy target... |
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Post by Luther Moore on Dec 30, 2012 21:55:55 GMT 12
That's pretty cool! I didn't know they went to check out what damage they did.I know the Aussies gave them reports of the damage.
Here is the Corsair thread...http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=popular&action=display&thread=17597&page=1
What is the story of your Father?
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Post by corsair5517 on Dec 30, 2012 23:32:07 GMT 12
I think it's the pretty standard young NZ pilot story.... he joined up in 42 and was put into the Army as the Air Force was backed up with personnel. He was selected early on as a potential sniper as his 600 yard scores with open-sighted Lee Enfield were apparently very good indeed.... Anyway, the Air Force beckoned eventually and he went off to ab initio training in NZ - Taieri, I think, and then to Canada for advanced training where he finished top of his course and got his picture in the local rag! Back to NZ and into the pool and eventually to 15 Sqn. 21/2 tours at the sharp end and at he end of hostilities flew his Corsair from Santos back to Rukuhia and walked away. He didn't apply for his PPL nor did he put his hand up to stay in post-war which I think he regrets a little to this day!
He is still alive and kicking and occasionally lets me into his world with reminisces; as a kid I knew very little of his war service and details from his time in the Islands still take my breath away.... the sheer youth of these kids, the conditions and the distances they flew over open ocean....
In San Francisco on the way back, knowing where he would be serving, he bought a little .38 pistol as a last ditch weapon and the sense of purpose in so young a man staggers me.. Incidentally, he had that and his service weapon in a cupboard for many years and only sold them to Elios in Dunedin not too long ago!!
When up in the Australian lines, he mentioned to the diggers that he'd quite like a carbine to take home. The Aussies told him that they thought there was a couple about 25 yards out in front from a stoush the previous night... Dad thought "Whacko!" And was about to sally forth with pistol in hand when the digger rather laconically remarked that he wasn't sure the Japs had decamped too far.... Dad's still waiting for his Arisaka...
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Post by suthg on Dec 31, 2012 9:48:42 GMT 12
Thanks for the short story. Brave young men with a purpose. Surprised at the end but some just want to forget and leave it behind them I guess.
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Post by corsair5517 on Dec 31, 2012 19:20:17 GMT 12
Ahhh... found this one that I made for the family 4 years ago when he went to WOW...  .. he's sat on the wing, 2nd from the left... |
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Post by davidd on Jan 3, 2013 15:40:12 GMT 12
That photograph of 15 Squadron is also on Matthew O'Sullivan's wall at the RNZAF Museum. It always struck me that the young fellow in front row, extreme left, looks as though he has just escaped from high school for more adventurous activities, and his mum probably was wondering where the hell he had got to! Also a dangerously large proportion of this group were sporting equally dangerous looking moustaches (including tthe man of the moment.)
David D
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Post by corsair5517 on Jan 3, 2013 17:49:42 GMT 12
Hee hee hee.... Yes they do!! Oh, to be 21 again, eh!
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