No. 75 (NZ) Squadron Wellington "Dopey"

[Dave Homewood]

For some time I have known that some No. 75 (NZ) Squadron Wellingtons in 1940 carried the Seven Dwarves from Disney's famous movie as nose art, thanks to a letter sent home to Cambridge by Brian McNamara, which you can read on his page at my website here:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Brian%20Mcnamara.htm

Now thanks to Brian's neice Mary-Ann, we have a photo of Brian (fourth from left) with his crew in front of his Wellington "Dopey'. Sadly the artwork is cut in half so we cannot see the top but the name and his lower half are clearly visible.



Do any 75 Squadron fans out there have any better photos of Dopey or the other Seven Dwarves on their aircraft please? Also, was there a Snow White?

[fwx]

Dave, I think this is Sneezy!



Unfortunately no code or serial no. visible.

Found in a NZ govt publication from 1950 called Early Operations with Bomber Command, by B.G. Clare.

It covers the very early days of 75 (NZ) Sqdn, and contains some great photos - it can be found online as well:

nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2Epi-t1-g1-t2.html

The photo is probably RNZAF official.

Cheers, Chris

[Dave Homewood]

Brilliant find Chris. I agree, that has to be Sneezy.

[camtech]

Just had a quick look at my copy of that book, which was part of a series of "Episodes and Studies". I have a bound set of the whole series, which I guess would be quite valuable now.

There are some other photos that I need to have a closer look at. One on the next page shows a Wellington with an XX code and the id letter I on the nose.

[fwx]

Hi camtech, the copy I have came from a suitcase of my uncle's stuff in L.A.

I was particularly struck by the photos of personnel, from a point in time where there weren't many of them! The photo "A Squadron Group" identifies several of the original 75 (NZ) Sqdn pilots, and I think it includes Eric Best, Pilot in the crew photo above, immediately to the left of S/L Cyril Kay?:



Wellington P9212 AA-C behind the group, was the regular a/c of F/L N. Williams around May 1940.

Cheers, Chris

EDIT: I've just finished Cyril Kay's autobiography, and Eric Best (centre, top photo) flew as Kay's Second Pilot before he went on to captain his own crew.

So that's why he is standing next to Kay in this photo. The tall blond guy at left is Kay's Navigator/Bomb Aimer, Sgt Jim Whitlaw Carter, DFM, RAF.

[fwx]

Another piece of nose-art in similar style to the Seven Dwarfs, although this one doesn't seem as developed, and I can't make out the name?



The photo comes from the NZBCA archives, source not known.

The person at right is the founding OC 75 (NZ) Sqdn (4.4.40 - 24.11.40), W/C Maurice Buckley, but I don't recognise the others.


Cheers, Chris

[Dave Homewood]

It looks to be perhaps a teddy bear? And below it is a scroll with what looks like three letters only. Has Peter got a bigger version?

[oggie2620]

Please can you post the picture on the Squadrons Facebook page if you use that type of media
Dee

[fwx]

I think I now have details for this photo:



L-R: Sergeant Donald Mackay DFM, RAF (Navigator/Bomb Aimer in the N. Williams crew); Sgt Jim Whitlaw Carter, DFM, RAF (Navigator/Bomb Aimer in W/C Cyrus Kay's crew); F/O Duncan Harold McArthur DFC, RAF; F/O Neville Williams DFC, RNZAF; Sgt Lewis Adam White DFM, RAF (Rear Gunner, N. Williams crew); Sgt Edwin Peter Williams DFM, RNZAF (W/Op in the A.A. Breckon crew and others); and Wing Commander M. W. Buckley.

Possibly on the occasion of decorations being awarded to three members of the Neville Williams crew after they were attacked by three night fighters on the night of 20/21 July 1940, but given the presence of the others, more likely a recognition of some of the airmen who had been decorated that year, perhaps as Buckley was about to leave the squadron in November 1940, just after McArthur received his DFC.

[Dave Homewood]

Well done Chris.

Fancy standing round with your hands in your pocket in from of the Wingco! Would never have happened in my day!

Looking again at that artwork, it could be a cartoon dog?

[camtech]

I noted the hands in the pockets, too, but also noted it was only the officers!

[fwx]

A better quality version of the photo above has given us the answer to the nose art - it is "Jeep" (Eugene the Jeep), from the Popeye cartoon strip!



However, a better look at the individuals in the line-up has led to an update in the caption - the guy at the left is not Mackay - Mackay (an Observer) is between the two Williams, and looks to be sporting his fresh promotion to F/O, which happened in late Oct/early November 1940. So that means that Sgt Lewis Adam White, DFM can't be in the photo, since he was kia on 20 September 1940. Can now confirm that the guy on the left is McArthur's front gunner, Sgt John “Jack” Mylod, RAF, who won a Immediate DFM in the same action as McArthur earned his Immediate DFC.

The caption should be: L-R: Sgt John “Jack” Mylod, DFM, RAF (Front Gunner in the D.H. McArthur crew); Sgt Jim Whitlaw Carter, DFM, RAF (Navigator/Bomb Aimer in W/C Cyrus Kay's crew); F/O Duncan Harold McArthur DFC, RAF; F/O Neville Williams DFC, RNZAF; F/O Donald Mackay DFM, RAF (Navigator/Bomb Aimer in the N. Williams crew); Sgt Edwin Peter Williams DFM, RNZAF (W/Op in the A.A. Breckon crew and others); and Wing Commander M. W. Buckley.

And to add another to the Snow White nose art collection, how about this?:



Members of the crew of F/O Neville Williams DFC, RNZAF, in front of Bashful! The guy at far right is the previously incorrectly identified Sgt Lewis Adam White, DFM RAF - after Neville Wiliams finished his tour, a freshman crew 'borrowed' White, and they were lost on their second op'. The guy at left is probably Williams' 2nd Pilot at the time of the DFC-DFM action, Sgt. Robert Frederick Noden RAF.

Cheers, Chris

[Dave Homewood]

Great to see Chris!