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Post by smithy on Jul 24, 2008 0:48:54 GMT 12
The idea for this came out of another thread. I thought this could be a place where members can post info, photos, whatever about NZers who served in the RAF SEAC squadrons - arguably one of the more forgotten involvements of Kiwis in the air war. Also of interest is the fact that these squadrons operated a lot of US equipment, Liberators, Thunderbolts, etc, and so we have a connection of NZers to aircraft that traditionally we don't think about.
At the very least it would be nice if we can ascertain how many Kiwis served with RAF SEAC squadrons.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2008 9:55:55 GMT 12
A late friend of mine, Gordon Easter, was told he was going from England to India to fly Liberators. He was given his passage and got on a troopship. He got all the way round the world, hopped off the boat and tried to report to is unit, only to be told he was only meant to go as far as the USA where he'd pick up a Liberator, train on it and fly it to India. Typical Air Force movements situation, their organisation was still that poor when moving from base to base in my days.
So needless to say he had no squadron to go to, and in the end they made him a Transport Officer for the rst of the war! He was in charge of a pool of jeeps and trucks. So much for being a bomber pilot.
One notable SEAC pilot is Alan Peart of course, his recent book detailing his story flying Spitfires in India and Burma. Another on the same squadron was BryanYoung, who has also detailed his story in his book The Beckoning Skies.
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Post by smithy on Jul 24, 2008 10:22:36 GMT 12
Thanks for that Dave. That friend of yours must've been seriously brassed off!
Following on from the other thread it'd be great if we could find out which Kiwis flew Thunderbolts. The SEAC RAF used a fair few Jugs so surely there were some Kiwis who found themselves on the big girl.
I'll be honest the European air war is my main interest so I'm afraid I'm not much use naming names, or providing pics or stories. But I'm very interested to learn more and hope others can add some stuff here.
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Post by angelsonefive on Jul 24, 2008 13:12:47 GMT 12
Here is another name worthy of being remembered :
S. Lawrence Weggery.
NZ 41968 RNZAF.
Flight Lieutenant.
Passed away in Wellington, 11th May, 2006, aged 85 years.
Lawrence Weggery flew Spitfire Vs in 615 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, India/Burma in 1944, as a Flying Officer.
His personal Spit at one stage was MA 292. Coded KW-D.
It was distinctively marked with a silver fern painted on the cowl beneath the exhaust stubs.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2008 14:06:42 GMT 12
I think Gordon was annoyed at first but he actually enjoyed his MT Officer job in the end and knew it was important work as his vehicles were unloading supplies from docks and getting them to numerous RAF stations, etc. After the war he stayed on in the RAF and flew in the Berlin Airlift, and later flew B-50 Washindton nuclear bombers!
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Post by angelsonefive on Jul 24, 2008 15:57:07 GMT 12
Dave, I think you will find that Washington was the RAF name for the B-29. I have never heard of the RAF operating the B-50. I could be wrong, though. Has been known to happen.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2008 18:10:51 GMT 12
Yeah, you might be right. I was doubting myself when I typed it. Thanks for the correction.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2008 18:27:52 GMT 12
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Post by angelsonefive on Jul 24, 2008 20:54:24 GMT 12
Thanks for the link, Dave.
There is some inspiring reading there.
There was certainly a lot of Kiwis flying with the RAF in the Far East.
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Post by smithy on Jul 24, 2008 20:54:28 GMT 12
S. Lawrence Weggery. NZ 41968 RNZAF. Flight Lieutenant. Gerard Morris devoted a few pages to One Leg Weg in his "Spitfire: The NZ Story". |
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Post by phasselgren on Aug 4, 2008 7:57:51 GMT 12
Following on from the other thread it'd be great if we could find out which Kiwis flew Thunderbolts. The SEAC RAF used a fair few Jugs so surely there were some Kiwis who found themselves on the big girl. There are three Thunderbolt-pilots mentioned in this old thread rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Wartime&action=display&thread=1344The books Bloody shambles vols 1, 2 and 3 (Air war for Burma) by Christopher Shores gives good information about the daily operations over Burma. Many New Zealander pilots are mentioned but somethimes without mentioning that they are NZs. I can also recommend Ketchil - A New Zealand pilot´s war in Asia and the Pacific. It´s written by Neil Frances and based on interviews with Vic Bargh. He flew with 67 Sqn from the first days of fighting in Burma. In this unit most of the pilots were NZs i 1941-42. |
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Post by sailor54 on Apr 5, 2016 0:12:07 GMT 12
Hi All
I have enjoyed reading all your forum comments about 67 Squadron. My uncle, Pilot Officer Eric E Pedersen was a member of that Squadron and shot down in March 1943. Our family has limited information about his service time apart from the official letter from War Office and a picture of his grave stone.
The internet is such an amazing tool, I have managed to find Eric's grave in Bhowanipore in Calcutta and distributed copies to the family. I'm hoping to get copies of the books you have mentioned and with luck Eric may rate a mention. No-one from our family has visited Erics grave in 73 years but this is on my bucket list within the next 12 months.
Are there any members from 67 Squadron still alive?.
For the record I'm a retired Lieutenant Commander RNZN but don't hold that against me
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Post by isc on Apr 5, 2016 2:27:05 GMT 12
The RAF had 87 B-29 on loan from the USAF, no B-50s.
I think there is a little about NZ ops in SEAC in Contact magazine. isc
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Post by errolmartyn on Apr 5, 2016 10:46:55 GMT 12
Hi All I have enjoyed reading all your forum comments about 67 Squadron. My uncle, Pilot Officer Eric E Pedersen was a member of that Squadron and shot down in March 1943. Our family has limited information about his service time apart from the official letter from War Office and a picture of his grave stone. The internet is such an amazing tool, I have managed to find Eric's grave in Bhowanipore in Calcutta and distributed copies to the family. I'm hoping to get copies of the books you have mentioned and with luck Eric may rate a mention. No-one from our family has visited Erics grave in 73 years but this is on my bucket list within the next 12 months. Are there any members from 67 Squadron still alive?. For the record I'm a retired Lieutenant Commander RNZN but don't hold that against me From my For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two (Fates: 1943-1998): Thu 18 Mar 1943 INDIA Practice dogfight 67 Squadron, RAF (Alipore, India - 293 Wing, 221 Group) Hurricane IIC HV658 - took off at 1200 together with Fg Off R F Worsley, RNZAF, and failed to return after being lost sight of during the practice. Later discovered to have crashed 10 miles east of Mathurapur, a village 15 miles SE of Calcutta, of which Alipore is a suburb. The pilot’s remains were recovered from the wreckage on the 22nd and buried in Calcutta. Pilot: NZ403984 Plt Off Eric Edward PEDERSEN, RNZAF - Age 27. Pedersen’s number of ops is unknown, but he had been with the Squadron since June 1941.
And from Volume Three (Biographies & Appendices): PEDERSEN, Pilot Officer Eric Edward. NZ403984; b Taihape 2 Mar 16; Hastings HS; orchard worker - Robert Hill, Hastings. RNZAF Civil Reserve Pilot/Hawkes Bay & East Coast Aero Club by 24 Jun 39; RNZAF Levin/GTS as Airman Pilot u/t 27 Oct 40, 3EFTS 24 Nov 41, 2FTS 18 Jan 41, Pilots Badge [wef 3.3.41] & Sgt 12 Apr 41, att RAF & emb for Singapore 29 Apr 41, arr & 243 Sqn (Buffalo) 25 May 41, 67 Sqn (Buffalo, Hurricane) 20 Jun 41, with Sqn to Burma 9-13 Oct 41, Comm 4 Feb 43, kaa 18 Mar 43. Calcutta (Bhowanipore) Cemetery - O.G.34, West Bengal, India. Son of Samuel & Eleanor Mary Pedersen (née Healey); h of Pearl Peace Pedersen (née Graham, later Thomas), Paekakariki. [ OH SE Asia, OHT3 & phot. TWN 12.5.43]. If you have not already done so you should request a free copy of his RNZAF service record through Personnel Records, NZDF. See here for further info: www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/Errol |
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Post by planecrazy on Apr 5, 2016 16:38:00 GMT 12
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Post by buffnut453 on Apr 11, 2016 14:42:05 GMT 12
Hi All I have enjoyed reading all your forum comments about 67 Squadron. My uncle, Pilot Officer Eric E Pedersen was a member of that Squadron and shot down in March 1943. Our family has limited information about his service time apart from the official letter from War Office and a picture of his grave stone. The internet is such an amazing tool, I have managed to find Eric's grave in Bhowanipore in Calcutta and distributed copies to the family. I'm hoping to get copies of the books you have mentioned and with luck Eric may rate a mention. No-one from our family has visited Erics grave in 73 years but this is on my bucket list within the next 12 months. Are there any members from 67 Squadron still alive?. For the record I'm a retired Lieutenant Commander RNZN but don't hold that against me Sailor54, I have the Operations Record Book for 67 Sqn during your Uncle's time with that unit. I also have a number of records related to Buffalo operations in Singapore and Burma which may mention Plt Off Pederson. Please email me off-forum (mark_rae@msn.com) and I'll see what I can dig up. Kind regards, Mark |
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