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Post by marionmc on Feb 25, 2016 11:22:12 GMT 12
I wonder if anyone remembers my father Frederick William Campbell (1915-1952), an Australian who, having been manpowered as technical education teacher in Perth, Western Australia in 1939, took advantage of a weightlifting competition in NZ to join the RNZAF and who served in Britain throughout WWII, subsequently working, in particular, on the development of radar. He was apparently due to fly with the RAF into Norway and was called back at the last minute, as he was boarding the plane. I don't know the details regarding this excursion but family stories have it that everyone in that operation was tragically lost as the whole squadron crashed into the fjords. Subsequently he was killed at he age of 37 working in Cloud Physics on a CSIRO team when the ex-RAAF DC3 Dakota adapted for radar work crashed into the Pacific Ocean in an electrical storm south of Sydney, NSW, abreast of Wattamalla. This crash was very possibly caused by the plane's being sucked into a waterspout. Since I was only three at the time I had little chance of gathering his stories. I am a writer (novelist and poet) and am embarked on a memoir in poetic fragments with working title Waterspout and would dearly like to know more about the culture of the RNZAF and its contribution to the allied war effort. I'd be deeply grateful for any information anyone might have regarding the squadron that was lost in the Norway fjords in the early 1940s.
Many thanks,
Marion (Marion May Campbell)
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 25, 2016 11:58:34 GMT 12
Marion, From colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999 : CAMPBELL, Squadron Leader Frederick William, mid. NZ404133; Born Norseman, West Australia, 4 Feb 1915; RNZAF 25 Oct 1940 to 21 Jan 1946; Radar. Citation Mention in Despatches (NY1945): In recognition of distinguished service and devotion to duty. Served as Group Radar Officer 38 Group RAF for two years. If you have not already done so I would suggest that you request a free copy of his RNZAF service record from Personnel Records, New Zealand Defence Force, Trentham. See here for further info: www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/The Norwegian accidents you refer to were on 10 May 1945. If you type LK147 Stirling into Google this will bring up numerous references to the event. Errol |
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Post by marionmc on Mar 31, 2016 16:08:41 GMT 12
Marion, From colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999 : CAMPBELL, Squadron Leader Frederick William, mid. NZ404133; Born Norseman, West Australia, 4 Feb 1915; RNZAF 25 Oct 1940 to 21 Jan 1946; Radar. Citation Mention in Despatches (NY1945): In recognition of distinguished service and devotion to duty. Served as Group Radar Officer 38 Group RAF for two years. If you have not already done so I would suggest that you request a free copy of his RNZAF service record from Personnel Records, New Zealand Defence Force, Trentham. See here for further info: www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/The Norwegian accidents you refer to were on 10 May 1945. If you type LK147 Stirling into Google this will bring up numerous references to the event. Errol |
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Post by marionmc on Mar 31, 2016 16:11:39 GMT 12
Hi Errol
That's fantastic of you. My family and I are greatly indebted for all the information you provided. So sorry I'm late in posting this. I will apply for a copy of my father's service record.
Kindest regards,
Marion
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