Post by donmoffatt on Oct 27, 2017 8:42:39 GMT 12
Yes, Don Moffatt is still around, now living in Canterbury.
I would like to correct some of the information as set out above and maybe provide some other names. I am not sure if you are only after the names of those who served in No. 3 Squadron or also the other squadrons based in Auckland, No’s 4 (Papakura), 6 (North Shore), 19 (Auckland) and 30 (North Shore).
Regarding the names listed above:
Fg.Off. Jim East was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers.
Flt. Lt. Tony Henry was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers.
Plt. Off. Peter Dunne was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers. He left under a cloud after some of the receipts for travelling expenses paid to cadets were found to have forged signatures on them. There was a court case over it.
Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of its officers before being appointed the CO of No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron on its formation in 1969.
Sqn.Ldr. Carl Miller was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was the first CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron.
Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was the CO of No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron before being appointed Co-Ordinating Officer for the four squadrons who relocated to Blake Street, Ponsonby, about 1970.
Sqn.Ldr. Max Brister was an officer in No. 3 Squadron before transferring to No. 30 (North Shore) Squadron as adjutant on its formation in November 1968. In 1971 he was appointed CO of No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron, a position he held until 1973 when he was appointed Administration Officer on the co-ordinating staff. He was later appointed as the Auckland gliding instructor.
My recollection of the officers in No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron are as follows:
On its formation, Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe (CO), Fg.Off. Dave Roberts, Plt.Off. Eddie Houlihan (I was an Under Officer with it at the time of its formation and was commissioned in September 1960).
Fg.Off. Dave Roberts assumed command from Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe.
Plt.Off. Eddie Houlihan assumed command from Fg.Off. Dave Roberts.
Flt.Lt. John Moynihan M.B.E. assumed command from Fg.Off. Dave Roberts.
Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew D.F.C., A.F.C. assumed command from Flt.Lt. John Moynihan.
Sqn.Ldr. Rex Cowley (who was training officer in No. 6 Squadron) assumed command from Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew when Alf was appointed Co-Ordinating Officer for the Auckland squadrons. When Alf retired, Rex was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer.
Sqn.Ldr. Mike Fairgray assumed command from Sqn.Ldr. Rex Cowley when Rex was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer on the retirement of Alf Drew.
As far as No. 30 North Shore Squadron is concerned, my recollection is as follows:
On its formation in November 1968 I was appointed CO, Max Brister was adjutant and Major Noel Johnston (an army TF officer) was training officer.
In December 1973 I was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer on the retirement of Rex Cowley and Sqn.Ldr. Grant Longley was appointed CO.
Other officers that I recollect are:
Sqn.Ldr. Don Hunt. He was appointed CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron on the retirement of Carl Miller and then was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer in February 1982 when I became Cadet Forces National Power Flying Co-ordinator and I also took over the Auckland gliding instructor duties from Max Brister.
Sqn.Ldr. Del Linkhorn. Del was appointed CO of No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron, I think on the retirement of Ernie Probert.
Sqn.Ldr. John Dewar (an officer in No. 19 Squadron) assumed command from Don Hunt when Don was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer.
Sqn.Ldr. Paul Reid was appointed CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron when John Dewar moved to Rotorua.
Fg.Off. Dick Cohen was an officer in No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron.
Sqn.Ldr. Lou Cadman was the first gliding instructor appointed to the co-ordinating staff when the four Auckland squadrons purchased a glider which was based at Hobsonville and was used to give cadets flying experience. Lou was an ex World War 2 air force pilot who had many hours of experience as a gliding instructor.
As far as No. 4 (Papakura) Squadron is concerned, the founding CO was Sqn.Ldr. Merv Brown. Another officer was Fg.Off. Glen Johnston. Command of the squadron was later taken over by Sqn.Ldr. Ray Reekie and then by Sqn.Ldr. Frank (?) Butler.
I have recollections of many of the regular force A.T.C. instructors who used to assist with the running of the squadrons, as well as the Northern Area Training Office staff. Are you gathering information on them also?
I retired from A.T.C. in 1986 and have lost touch with developments since then.
I would like to correct some of the information as set out above and maybe provide some other names. I am not sure if you are only after the names of those who served in No. 3 Squadron or also the other squadrons based in Auckland, No’s 4 (Papakura), 6 (North Shore), 19 (Auckland) and 30 (North Shore).
Regarding the names listed above:
Fg.Off. Jim East was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers.
Flt. Lt. Tony Henry was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers.
Plt. Off. Peter Dunne was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of the officers. He left under a cloud after some of the receipts for travelling expenses paid to cadets were found to have forged signatures on them. There was a court case over it.
Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was one of its officers before being appointed the CO of No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron on its formation in 1969.
Sqn.Ldr. Carl Miller was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was the first CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron.
Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew was never a CO of No. 3 Squadron, but was the CO of No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron before being appointed Co-Ordinating Officer for the four squadrons who relocated to Blake Street, Ponsonby, about 1970.
Sqn.Ldr. Max Brister was an officer in No. 3 Squadron before transferring to No. 30 (North Shore) Squadron as adjutant on its formation in November 1968. In 1971 he was appointed CO of No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron, a position he held until 1973 when he was appointed Administration Officer on the co-ordinating staff. He was later appointed as the Auckland gliding instructor.
My recollection of the officers in No. 6 (North Shore) Squadron are as follows:
On its formation, Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe (CO), Fg.Off. Dave Roberts, Plt.Off. Eddie Houlihan (I was an Under Officer with it at the time of its formation and was commissioned in September 1960).
Fg.Off. Dave Roberts assumed command from Flt.Lt. Bill Cliffe.
Plt.Off. Eddie Houlihan assumed command from Fg.Off. Dave Roberts.
Flt.Lt. John Moynihan M.B.E. assumed command from Fg.Off. Dave Roberts.
Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew D.F.C., A.F.C. assumed command from Flt.Lt. John Moynihan.
Sqn.Ldr. Rex Cowley (who was training officer in No. 6 Squadron) assumed command from Sqn.Ldr. Alf Drew when Alf was appointed Co-Ordinating Officer for the Auckland squadrons. When Alf retired, Rex was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer.
Sqn.Ldr. Mike Fairgray assumed command from Sqn.Ldr. Rex Cowley when Rex was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer on the retirement of Alf Drew.
As far as No. 30 North Shore Squadron is concerned, my recollection is as follows:
On its formation in November 1968 I was appointed CO, Max Brister was adjutant and Major Noel Johnston (an army TF officer) was training officer.
In December 1973 I was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer on the retirement of Rex Cowley and Sqn.Ldr. Grant Longley was appointed CO.
Other officers that I recollect are:
Sqn.Ldr. Don Hunt. He was appointed CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron on the retirement of Carl Miller and then was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer in February 1982 when I became Cadet Forces National Power Flying Co-ordinator and I also took over the Auckland gliding instructor duties from Max Brister.
Sqn.Ldr. Del Linkhorn. Del was appointed CO of No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron, I think on the retirement of Ernie Probert.
Sqn.Ldr. John Dewar (an officer in No. 19 Squadron) assumed command from Don Hunt when Don was appointed Auckland Co-Ordinating Officer.
Sqn.Ldr. Paul Reid was appointed CO of No. 19 (Auckland) Squadron when John Dewar moved to Rotorua.
Fg.Off. Dick Cohen was an officer in No. 3 (Auckland) Squadron.
Sqn.Ldr. Lou Cadman was the first gliding instructor appointed to the co-ordinating staff when the four Auckland squadrons purchased a glider which was based at Hobsonville and was used to give cadets flying experience. Lou was an ex World War 2 air force pilot who had many hours of experience as a gliding instructor.
As far as No. 4 (Papakura) Squadron is concerned, the founding CO was Sqn.Ldr. Merv Brown. Another officer was Fg.Off. Glen Johnston. Command of the squadron was later taken over by Sqn.Ldr. Ray Reekie and then by Sqn.Ldr. Frank (?) Butler.
I have recollections of many of the regular force A.T.C. instructors who used to assist with the running of the squadrons, as well as the Northern Area Training Office staff. Are you gathering information on them also?
I retired from A.T.C. in 1986 and have lost touch with developments since then.