First New Zealander to see combat in WWII

[Dave Homewood]

This snippet appeared in The Press on the 12th of June 1968:

First In War

The first New Zealander to see active service in the Second World War has retired. Wing Commander M. H. S. Innes-Jones, of Hamilton, took part in a raid on Wilhelmshaven on September 3, 1939, the day war was declared. At the time he was a member of the No. 107 Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force. He transferred to the R.N.Z.A.F. in 1944.—(P.A.)

According to Wikipedia:

It was with five of this aircraft that No. 107 took part in the RAF's first bombing raid of the war against enemy ships in the German port of Wilhelmshaven on 4 September 1939, the day after war was declared on Germany, along with No. 110 Squadron.

The raid was not a success: of the five aircraft despatched only one returned – and with its bomb load still intact as it had not been able to locate the enemy.

One of shoot down Blenheims (N6189), flown by F/O Herbert Lightoller, crashed into cruiser Emden, causing slight damage, killing 11 crewmen and injuring around 30. These were among the first casualties of the German fleet during the war.

The first British prisoner of war in World War II was Sergeant George Booth, a navigator with 107 Squadron. He was captured when his Bristol Blenheim was shot down over the German coast on that 4 September 1939.

[fwx]

Apparently LAC Jack Langridge RNZAF, 149 Squadron, also took part in the 4 September raid, as per Gisborne Herald, 19 October 1939:

RAID OVER KIEL

GISBORNE PARTICIPANT WIRELESS OPERATOR MR. J. LANGRIDGE

News has been received that a Gisborne boy, Mr. J. Langridge, who is attached to the Royal Air Force in England as a wireless operator, took part in the raid made by British planes on the Kiel Canal at the opening of the war with Germany.

In a letter to his parents, Mr and Mrs. A. F. Langridge, 156 Clifford Street, Mr Jack Langridge writes in high spirits of the busy time he had experienced since the commencement of the war. “'We are having a lot of flying.” writes Mr. Langridge in telling of the Kiel raid he said that his squadron incurred no casualties. The only damage suffered by the planes were a few holes, the work of the “Archies.”

Also Auckland Star, 15 April 1940:

GISBORNE VICTIM.

LEADING AIRCRAFTSMAN. RADIO OPERATOR IN R.A.F. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

GISBORNE, this day. Advice has been received by relatives that Leading Aircraftsman Jack Langridge, of Gisborne, who was in the Royal Air Force, is missing. He had been engaged with the R.A.F. for some years as radio operator and had seen considerable service during the war. He participated in the raid on Kiel on the first day of the war and was also in the Heligoland adventure in December. Following this, while on leave, he was in a motor accident in which a companion was killed, and while he was convalescing the crew of the bomber of which he was a member were all lost.