ITW Rotorua, February 1943

[fwx]

This photo has raised a question about sub-groups within the ITW classes - it shows a group of "Hobsonville A.M.D.s", who were at ITW Rotorua from November 42 - February 1943. The names, and subsequent training destinations and embarkation dates are listed on the back.

It came from the collection of John Austin White "Jack" Pauling, RNZAF, NZ422976 who went on to fly as a Navigator in my uncle's crew at 75 (NZ) Squadron, and earned an Immediate DFM on 4/5 April 1945 saving their Bomb Aimer and putting out a fire after they were hit by flak.

Jack is second from left, back row.



Reverse with names:



- Thanks to Jack's daughter Sue.

We have just realised that my uncle Gerry and Jack were at ITW at the same time, and even appear in the same graduation photo:



Gerry far right, middle row, and Jack, fourth from left, front row.
- NZBCA archives, Clive Estcourt collection.

So were the AMDs some kind of training sub-group? Gerry is recorded as “Group 5”, a “composite” group of trainees potentially ending up as pilots, observers or gunners. Perhaps the AMDs were a group pre-selected to be navigators?

Appreciate any help from our resident experts, thanks!

Cheers, Chris

[Dave Homewood]

I may be wrong but I would think perhaps more likely whilst waiting for their ITW Course they were all based at Hobsonville as U/T's doing "Aircraft Maintenance Duties" (ie things like pushing planes around the tarmac, refueling, polishing Perspex surfaces, etc? Another words the dogsbodies. A lot of the guys did that sort of work on stations prior to their ITW training. Others were put into the Aerodrome Defence Units whilst they tread water awaiting courses.

[errolmartyn]

The following is a list of those who enlisted at Hobsonville as ACH (AMD) on 6 and 7 May 1942:

NZ422958 Carter, G M Graham Menzies
NZ422960 Collier, A S Athol Stanley
NZ422961 Corney, E N Edwin Noel
NZ422962 Coyle, A J Andrew Joseph
NZ422964 De Thier, T E Theodore Edward
NZ422965 Ellis, A W Allen White
NZ422967 Faras, J F Jack Frederick
NZ422968 Glazebrook, G M Garry Moore
NZ422969 Hanna, J H James Hugh
NZ422970 Jones, K J Keith Joshua
NZ422972 McLaughlin, A Alexander
NZ422975 Morgan, J F John Falconer
NZ422979 Ridler, H E Howard Eric
NZ422980 Waddell, A S Alan Stuart
NZ422963 Day, H S Harold Spencer
NZ422974 Montgomery, R S Robert Stewart
NZ422977 Rattray, A N Alexander Noel
NZ422978 Rattray, E E Ernest Edward

Errol

[fwx]

Thanks Errol, and Dave. Looks like Gerry enlisted at Waipapakauri as ADU.