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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 21, 2023 21:21:01 GMT 12
I had not come across this story before, a Kiwi pilot joined the Chinese Air Force to take on the Japanese, according to the Wanganui Chronicle dated 16th of October 1937. Does anyone know more about him and his time in China? Did he see aerial combat? And did he return to New Zealand later? Perhaps to serve in the RNZAF?
CHINESE AIR FORCE
NEW ZEALANDER JOINS
TASMAN FLIGHT RECALLED
HONGKONG, Oct. 5.
Mr. R. G. Whitehead, the young Tasman flier, formerly of Wellington, New Zealand, and Mr. W. Vyner-White, have joined the Chinese Air Force. Mr. Whitehead has done commercial flying in Australia and New Guinea, but Mr. Vyner-White’s flying has been confined to East Africa.
Squadron-Leader Garnett Malley, the Australian chief of the Chinese Air Force, flew to the outskirts of Canton, where he picked them up and flew them to Nanking.
Mr. Whitehead, who is 27 years old, was formerly a journalist in Wellington, where his parents reside. In November, 1934, accompanied by Mr. E. R. Nicholl, of Sydney, he made a spectacular flight from Gerringong Beach, New South Wales, to East Beach, South of Houhora Heads, North Auckland. The flight was made in a four-year-old Puss Moth machine, the Faith in New Zealand, the certificate of airworthiness of which had been cancelled by the Australian authorities.
The crossing, described as without incident, took 14 hours 40 minutes. The most elementary forms of navigational instruments were carried and the machine was without wireless equipment. The airmen set out to land at New Plymouth, but owing to poor visibility decided to turn northward. No news had been heard of them since the take-off and fears for their safety began to grow when they failed to reach the appointed place. They made a safe landing at dusk on the lonely northern beach, where they lit a fire and spent the night.
At dawn they took off again and flew to Mangere, which they had little difficulty in finding in the daylight. Their arrival 24 hours after leaving Australia, caused surprise and excitement although when the machine made its unheralded landing there were only two persons there to greet them. They were subsequently charged in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court with breaches of the regulations under the Air Navigation Act. They were convicted and discharged. After the Tasman flight Mr. Whitehead engaged in commercial aviation in Australia.
Early this year he left for New Guinea to take up an appointment with Guinea Airways, Ltd. From New Guinea he went to China.
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Post by chinapilot on Jan 30, 2023 23:43:49 GMT 12
Reasonably sure he ended up in Hong Kong post-WWII - I think he may have been the editor of one of the newspapers in HK in the 50/60s. I will try to get more details as his name came up a few years ago, and I think he had an eventful life. Edited to include a link. www.warbirdforum.com/whitehea.htmBy coincidence, about 25 years ago, I met Charles Fenn (worthwhile googling), who had been with the OSS in China and had known Ray Whitehead in HK post-war. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2023 21:17:50 GMT 12
FIGHTING IN CHINAVOLUNTEER AIRMEN NEW ZEALANDER WOUNDED
CLASH WITH JAPANESE DESCRIPTION OF ENCOUNTER [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Fighting as a foreign volunteer in the Chinese Air Force, Mr. Ray Whitehead, a well-known trans-Tasman flier, in a letter to his wife in Wellington tells how he was wounded and shot down in a fight with Japanese fighting machines shortly before Christmas. "Most of our foreign volunteers are flying bombers," he writes, "but I and two others, a Frenchman and a German, managed to get hold of fighters. On December 14, the Frenchman, some Chinese and I were instructed to go out after some Japanese bombers reported to be en route to raid our aerodrome. The Chinese Shot Down "After half an hour's patrol we found them, 11,000 ft. above Nanchang. There were six bombers and six fighters. We dived down on them and were soon tangled up in a nasty "dog fight," six guns against 48. The Chinese were shot down immediately, which left us with three scouts each. I had my three all in sight when I suddenly received a terrific thump in the right shoulder. "One of the Frenchman's three opponents sneaked round on top of me, out of sight in front and behind my top wing, whence he potted me. My right arm being out of action, I grabbed the control with my left and dived to get clear. When 350 showed on the speedometer I glanced back to see if I was being followed. I was, but it was too fast for any shooting. I did some quick thinking and saw they would get me easily if I tried to land. If I stayed up with only one good hand they could outmanoeuvre me. "So I shoved the machine straight downward at 400 miles an hour. The Japanese—or Italians—dropped behind and I went over the side with my parachute. It opened with a terrific bang. Everything was very quiet with the parachute until I heard the rattle of a machine-gun and saw one of the Japanese shooting. I climbed the shrouds with my good arm and side-slipped the parachute to make it fall faster and sideways. "At about 600 ft. I grew tired of holding the shrouds and let myself drop and hang limp. To my great relief the Japanese went away. I was surprised that he was fooled so easily, until I looked up at my parachute. It was cut to shreds. However, it landed beautifully. I felt quite all right but could not get to my feet. Chinese Farmers' Aid "The only thing worrying me was whether I was bleeding to death underneath all my fur clothing. Some Chinese farmers came over and having assured themselves I was not a Japanese they made a litter and carried me about a quarter of a mile to a village. "I was lucky enough to find a local schoolmaster who spoke English and had a medical kit. He cut the clothing away from my shoulder and I was greatly relieved to see no blood flowing, though I knew the collarbone was broken. I got a better litter and they carried me in relays to a near by aerodrome, an eight-hour journey." NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 23 MARCH 1938  This story is fascinating. I never knew a New Zealander had flown in combat against the Japanese in China. I also had no idea the Italians were fighting with the Japs, and it is interesting to read a German pilot was fighting on the Chinese side too.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2023 21:23:19 GMT 12
I had not seen the link that you edited into the post till now. So he flew with Chennault. Fascinating!! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 21, 2023 21:17:36 GMT 12
What do we make of this? Is it Ray Whitehead, or Walter Mitty?
FLIER WHOSE ADVENTURES READ LIKE PAGES OF FICTION
Claims He Was In The Spanish War, In Chinese Air Force, In Palestine
(N.Z.P.A,—Copyright.) Received 5.30 p.m. PERTH, Sept. 12
A flier who feared that enemies who had put a price on his head might get a chance to exact their penalty, now feels at ease.
He is a New Zealander, Mr. Paul Whitehead, aged 31, whose adventures read more like the chapters from a work of fiction. Whitehead was permitted to touch foot on welcome Australian soil barely half an hour before the tanker Chisholm Trail, which brought him to Fremantle, left on the return voyage to Abadan in the Persian Gulf.
Difficulties arose because he had no landing or identity papers. He claims that if he is forced to return his life would be forfeit. After flying the Tasman in 1935 in a Puss Moth with a companion, Mr. Rex Nicholls, he went, to Spain in March, 1938, and served with the Loyalist Air Force. He was shot down in enemy territory, but claimed Polish citizenship and was released. He then went to China and flew planes; for the Chinese Government against the Japanese.
Mr. Whitehead reached England in 1939 and served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force until April, 1946. He claims that he took part in the Battle of Britain and was credited with having destroyed 6½ enemy planes. He was awarded the D.F.M. and Bar, and the Polish Cross of Valour. He was shot down over German-held territory, but he evaded capture.
After discharge he joined the Chinese Communist Air Force and remained with it for a year. He was next engaged ferrying planes from Singapore to the United States and across to England.
The next turn in his fantastic adventures, Mr. Whitehead says, was in Palestine with the Haganah Air Force. He claims to have shot down the first Egyptian Spitfire in December, 1947. The Egyptian plane landed on the beach near Haifa.
On the night of July 15 he recalled he was flying a reconnaissance plane with Captain A. Mansfield when they were attacked by four Iraki planes. They destroyed two, but were hit themselves. Whitehead said he crash landed and Captain Mansfield suffered burns to a leg. Mr. Whitehead was captured by Iraki police, but bribed his way out of gaol and crossed the border into Iran.
Asked when he intended to settle down in a non-combatant role, Mr. Whitehead said: “When I can get a decent job. I was worth £250 a month to the Jewish Government.’’
He wants to get temporary work in Perth to pay for his passage to New Zealand. He gave his home address as Weymouth (Auckland), New Zealand.
There is some doubt as to whether the Whitehead in Perth is the same man as flew the Tasman. The man who performed that feat was Mr. Ray Whitehead, who flew across with Mr. E. R. Nicholl, of Sydney, on November 22. 1934, not in 1935. That Mr. Whitehead is a son of Mr. A. Whitehead, of Paraparaumu. During the war he flew in the Chinese Air Force against the Japanese, was wounded and shot down. It is understood that he has not flown since. His relatives have heard from him from China on a number of occasions.
WANGANUI CHRONICLE, 13 SEPTEMBER 1948
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