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Post by planeimages on Oct 2, 2008 13:22:20 GMT 12
Can anyone help me with the definitive spelling of the NZedder who accompanied Charles Kingsford Smith in Southern Cross in Australia and later to NZ?
I understand that he was a radio lecturer who was made available to Smithy by the NZ Government.
Sources spell his name McWilliam and McWilliams.
Which is absolutely correct please?
Thanks
Peter
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2008 17:42:17 GMT 12
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Post by planeimages on Oct 2, 2008 17:46:50 GMT 12
Many thanks Dave. Yes I saw the site today. Nice.
Gee, the NZ government gave Smithy and his crew a rousing welcome. Imagine the RAAF or the RNZAF laying on even one aeroplane for a visiting dignitary these days.
McWilliam seems to be the most likely spelling but various authors add a "s" to the name.
I thought I saw something where Tom had been given an official citation in NZ. Any thoughts?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2008 18:09:01 GMT 12
I don't know what McWilliam was given but unlike Kingsford Smith and Ulm I don't think he was given a military medal. Probably he wasn't a military man?
Kingsford Smith and Ulm were made officers in the New Zealand Air Force (that's the Territorial part of our air force then) when they got to Woodbourne.
The RNZAF Musuem at Wigram should be able to assist on what his name was officially spelled like and whether he was awarded anything. I have a heap of old magazine and newspaper articles somewhere, and will try to dig them out and see if I discover anything more.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 3, 2008 12:14:52 GMT 12
Ian MacKersey's excellent book 'Smithy' has it spelled as Tom McWilliams. For the flight to Perth to demonstrate the viability of inter-state aviation in Australia, they appointed the navigator who missed out on the trans-Pacific navigator, Harold Litchfield. McWilliams was appointed as wireless operator, in order to familiarise himself with the Fokker's radio systems for the upcoming Trans-Tasman flight, for which Smith and Ulm had decided to include a New Zealander. He had served in France during the Great War and was wounded which left him with a permanent limp.
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Post by planeimages on Oct 3, 2008 17:04:32 GMT 12
Thanks guys. The RNZAF Museum spelled his name McWilliams. So I guess that's it.
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Post by planeimages on Oct 4, 2008 23:25:10 GMT 12
Dave, Could you tell me what honorary ranks Smith and Ulm were accorded in the NZAF (T) please?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 5, 2008 14:28:00 GMT 12
I don't have the info to hand Peter but I believe both are listed in Colin Hanson's 'By Such Deeds' which I usually have to got o Hamilton to a library to reference - so if anyone who has the book can help out here please? I think they retained their Australian ranks from memory.
As for Tom McWilliam, every single period newspaper report I have found so far has him as McWilliam without the 's'. I am sure that's right. Someone once emailed me with the contact for his son or gradson, I can't recall which, but I lost the email in a computer crash, and he had the same surname. I'm sure it was McWilliam.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 5, 2008 22:10:33 GMT 12
MacKersey's book states Sir Kingsford Smith was given the temporary rank of Major in the NZ Territorial Air Force during his 1928 visit (pg184). In Blenheim Ulm completed some flight training with the NZPAF and was given the temporary rank of Flight Lieutenant (pg185).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 6, 2008 9:43:32 GMT 12
That's an odd mix of army and air force ranks!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 6, 2008 9:57:58 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 6, 2008 10:05:43 GMT 12
With regards to the surname, despite all the evidence that points to the name being spelled McWilliam, this photo has his actual signature on it and it seems as if it has an 's' on the end. nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3930661 |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 7, 2008 10:02:12 GMT 12
Those are fabulous Observer cartoons Dave. I agree, the rank mix is very interesting, but that is what is written in the book. Ulm went missing in 1934, three years before the new Air Force was born.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 7, 2008 10:39:19 GMT 12
Yes but RAF style ranks were introduced to the NZPAF in 1928. I wonder if it was their current Australian ranks as they were both reservists there too.
Smithy was killed in 1935, so I wonder if his rank still stood at Major on our reserve list as late as that, because by 1934 the RNZAF was a lot more modern and had proper blue uniforms, etc (though with the closed neck WWI style collar).
The New Zealand Observer was a very fascinating magazine, a weekly with everything you can think of included within its pages from politics to fashion, to sport to current affairs to entertainment to general articles of interest. Their cartoonists were very witty and really nailed the satire. It is really interesting how somehow we have been lead to believe these days that the 1930's Labour government and Savage particularly were these great benefactors who were loved and reveared by al, etc. If you read the politcal comment and the satire of the day you'll see the media hated Savage almost as much as Winston. He had some really whacky ideas and stances too, one of which was Savage was against the building of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, and it may have been completed in the 1930's rather than the 1950's if not for him.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 20, 2008 9:19:13 GMT 12
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Post by planeimages on Oct 23, 2008 16:27:36 GMT 12
OK chaps. McWilliams it is. Many thanks PF
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Post by planeimages on Oct 23, 2008 16:30:06 GMT 12
OMG Dave,
Any chance of being able to email those beaut Observer posts to me at my personal address please?
Will need to credit the source too.
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