Can anyone recognise these people?

[Dave Homewood]

I saw the sad news today that Gwenda Reid (nee Nickle) has passed away. I was updating her page on Wings over Cambridge to reflect this sad news, and I got wondering if anyone can identify fulls names of the people in her photos not yet properly cited.

Here's her page.
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Gwenda%20Reid.htm

In one photo there is a chap who is probably an MT Driver at RNZAF Station Hamilton, who was named on the photo as LeBelle. Does anyone know his full name and rank? Was he perhaps actually an MT Officer?

And in another photo taken at a dance there's a Flight Lieutenant Thurston. Any ideas of his first name? And what he did?

[davidd]

Dave,
In my April 1945 edition of the RNZAF List there are five officers by name of Thurston. Three of these were air bombers, and two of these were still overseas attached to the RAF (F/O Edward Francis and P/O Reginald John). The third (F/O Harry Clive Edgar, DFC) was serving in New Zealand by this date . There was also a William George Thurston (rank of P/O only) on the Reserve in NZ, plus a F/O John Benjamin Thurston in the A&SD Branch (Education duties). Unfortunately none of these are ranked F/L. A Pilot Officer Augustine James Thurston (Air Observer) was killed in an aircraft accident on 6th April 1944 lost in a Ventura in Pacific, so unlikely to have been him. A P/O William George Duncan Thurston (Pilot) was killed on air operations in the Mediterranean theatre on 20th June 1942, so would not be him. So the question arises - does "your man' have a flying badge? As you can see, this may not be as easy as some people might think!
David D

[errolmartyn]

According to the NZ Gazette of 24 May 45 H. C. E. Thurston was promoted from Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant on 14 Jun 45.
The issue of 2 Aug 45 records E.F. Thurston as being similarly promoted, on 25 Jun 45 (could he have been back in NZ by the time of the photo?).

Errol

[greg]

My Grandfather was Harry Clive Edgar Thurston 13th Nov 1919 - Died Auckland, 3 Dec 1984, not long after I was born on the 2nd Oct 84'. He flew in Lancasters & Short Stirlings , in 156 & 7th Elite Pathfinder force then 622 Main Force. 64 Operations. DFC, Polish Airforce Medal, Polish Gold Cross Of Merit (with swords) (Which I am struggling to get remakes of).. & British & Commonwealth war medals. He was Flying Officer / Bomb Aimer / 2nd Navigator. I have a 20+ page memoir from the engineer in crew 'The Lucky Crew' PA 964 O' Oboe. I have his mask and scarf. My father passed away in 2016 Christmas day, and I managed to find out much about his father during war time, as pops did not talk much about it only at the TAB with Navigator Dave Goodwin in crew. Granddad returned to New Zealand after the war, but tried to join Tiger Force (The white lancs in Canada) The war was over then & he worked as station master, farmer and Owned a TAB.. I wish I could have got to know him like I did my father before he died. My research is posted to a album on my Facebook page which is set to private/close friends.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Greg. So, are you able to confirm that is not your grandfather in the photo originally asked about on the link?

[errolmartyn]

Greg,

From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999 :

THURSTON, Flying Officer Harry Clive Edgar, DFC, (pff).
NZ416555; Born Feilding, 13 Nov 1919; NZ Army/TF 3 yrs; RNZAF 29 Nov 1941 to 14 Jun 1945; Bomb Aimer.
Citation Distinguished Flying Cross (9 Nov 1944): [7(PFF)Sqn RAF (Lancaster)] This officer has completed numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty. Fg Off Thurston flew 10 sorties with 622 Sqn RAF (Stirling/Lancaster) before joining 7 Sqn where he flew a further 53.
Died Auckland, 3 Dec 1984.

Note that there is no mention of any Polish award. Likewise Thurston's name does not feature in Michael Maton's comprehensive listing in his Honour the Recipients of Foreign Awards 1914-1968.

Are you able to provide more detail about a Polish award(s)?

Errol

[davidd]

As the mysterious "F/L Thurston" shown in the photograph linked to this thread clearly is NOT wearing a flying badge, it seems most likely that this was the Education officer (A&SD Branch) mentioned earlier, John Benjamin Thurston. As his cuff rank is not visible, we can but speculate that either he was also promoted to F/L prior to taking of photograph, or perhaps he was in fact never promoted to that rank.
David D

[teetoe]

Mar 7, 2018 9:49:11 GMT 12 davidd said:

As the mysterious "F/L Thurston" shown in the photograph linked to this thread clearly is NOT wearing a flying badge, it seems most likely that this was the Education officer (A&SD Branch) mentioned earlier, John Benjamin Thurston. As his cuff rank is not visible, we can but speculate that either he was also promoted to F/L prior to taking of photograph, or perhaps he was in fact never promoted to that rank.
David D

My father was John Benjamin Thurston and served in the NZ Air Force during the war, as an Education Officer I think, serving in the Islands. I found this post when googling him. I could verify his photo but don’t have the link.

[baronbeeza]

Sept 26, 2020 1:12:20 GMT 12 teetoe said:

I could verify his photo but don’t have the link.

I think this is the pic Teetoe.



An Air Force Dance In The Melville Hall, Hamilton
Left to Right: Unknown Airman; Mary Crotty; Mary Stranger; Flight Lieutenant Thurston; Gwenda Nickle; Molly ?; Connie Wallbank (W5496 Constance Gwenette Wallbank); Margy Cornwall