Laurance Charles Chegwidden

[philcross]

Hi all,
Would be great full for any info on my Grandfather who flew in the Pacific during WW2.
Thanks Phil

[Dave Homewood]

Hi Phil, before WWII your grandfather was a Fitter and Turner as a civilian and in 1938 he joined the Auckland (Territorial) Squadron as a Flight Rigger. So he was working in his civilian job during the week and on weekends he would parade at RNZAF Station Hobsonville where the squadron had Vickers Vincents. His service number was NZ638010.

When the war began in September 1939, along with most men in the squadron, he was mobilised to become a full time RNZAF member, and the squadron changed its name to the Auckland (General Reconnaissance) Squadron.

There was also an Elias Stout Chegwidden, NZ639148, in the same squadron before and during the war. I assume it was Laurence's brother? Elias was an Aircraft Hand. He went on to the New Zealand General Reconnaissance Squadron at Whenuapai in March 1940, but I do not know what became of Laarence at that point.

You can hopefully get a copy of his service records however, if you follow the directions here:
www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/accessing-military-service-records.htm

PS - can you confirm please if his name was spelled Laurance as you wrote it or Laurence as he records I have seen wrote it?

[philcross]

Thanks very much for your help. I can confirm the spelling is Laurence. I have been told Elias was Laurence's brother and was killed sometime in 1944. I remember seeing a photo of Laurence in a fighter plane with all the support crew sitting on the wings, if I manage to track it down I will send it thru.

[thomarse]

There was a Bruce Chegwidden who topdressed for Rural Aviation back in the 60s then flew on the Cessna 402s for Capital/James Air in Wellington in the early 70s. Is he related?

[baronbeeza]

For Elias,

www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C22047

www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?18524-Costal-Command-Liberator-of-547-Sqn&styleid=3

[qcgcooke]

Phill, 

Your franfather was a Sergeant in the RNZAF, From the New Zealand Gazette of 1/11/1943 he was promoted to Temp. Pilot Officer as a Pilot. On 6/3/1944 he was promoted to Temp. Flying Officer which tends to confirm he received his "Wings" and that the photo you refer to is him as a Pilot. Presumably he was posted to the Pacific but no confirmation of that appears to be available. He was back in civillan street by 1946 and in 1949 had married and had become a teacher. He seems to drop off the Radar and it is possible he went to Samoa to live. His brother Elias was killed on a training flight in the U.K. in 1944. 

qcgcooke

[missyjaysjays]

Hi I,m Lawrence chegwiddens daughter Judith Lynne chegwidden, and my brother Ian Charles chegwidden, he was married to my mother Selina, who was a very sick lady, my father apparently took off with one of the nurses that was caring for my mother, never to be seen again,sad so sad we ended up in orphanages as my mother spent most of her young life in hospital with [e-mail].....

[missyjaysjays]

P.s and my brother Ian Charles chegwidden was a fitter and turner for mason brothers, so that’s a strange coincidence judith chegwidden

[Dave Homewood]

That is sad to hear Judith.

[classicman]

Two photographs of LC Chegwidden from the RNZAF museum photo collection. 

Top photograph 1SFTS RNZAF Wigram 1942. 
Bottom photograph 3EFTS RNZAF Harewood 1942
(He is in the third row second from the left in the bottom photograph). 

[davidd]

NZ638010 L C Chegwidden began his change-over from F/Rigger to Pilot in May 1942, graduated at Wigram (1 SFTS) 9/4/43 as a Sgt Pilot, and was then supposed to be posted to a GR course at New Plymouth, but for some reason this fell through. He was then posted to 2 Squadron (Hudsons) at Nelson, but moved with squadron to its new base at Ohakea 4 days later. His movements in latter part of 1943 and into 1944 are rather hazy, although he was apparently also slotted in for the GR course at New Plymouth again in August 1943, but this also fell through. By mid 1944, now an officer of course, he was serving at 3 EFTS (Harewood), but in what capacity is unknown to me, presume he was flying though. After completing an officer course at Woodbourne, and a few other postings to holding units, he completed a weapon training course (for overseas service), and was finally able to complete the GR course at New Plymouth between November 1944 and February 1945. He then completed his Ventura conversion and crew training courses with 1 (Bomber) OTU at Ohakea by May 1945. This captain and his crew were then posted to 2 Squadron at Whenuapai and went overseas with the squadron, from late June till the first day of November 1945, being based for the entire period at Jacquinot Bay on routine bombing and shipping protection duties, etc. Chegwidden briefly remained in the postwar RNZAF at Ohakea (still with 2 Sqdn) until he transferred to the reserve 27/2/46, and he relinquished his RNZAF temporary commission 31/7/47. This relinquishment was to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom at the end of January 1948, to take up an extended service commission in the RAF (you cannot hold a commission in two separate forces at the same time!)

[missyjaysjays]

Thanks for that information Judith chegwidden

[missyjaysjays]

Yes I had the same photo,s which I passed on to my brother Ian Charles Chegwidden, Judith Lynne Chegwidden