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Post by lancelink on Apr 13, 2010 22:29:39 GMT 12
Hi all, new to the board.
I am trying to find out the circumstances when Ian Robert Menzies NZ415002 was killed in England in Sep 1943
He's Dad's cousin and Dad reckons he was killed on take-off.
Any more gen greatly appreciated.
I myself am ex Air Force, got out after fitter's course at Woodbourne.
Cheers, Lance
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Post by camtech on Apr 14, 2010 9:47:27 GMT 12
Lance,
Looking at "For Your Tomorrow, Vol 2", your man did indeed die on take off. He was the captain of a 75 (NZ) Sqdn Stirling BK809/T that swung on take off (from RAF Mepal, Cambridgeshire) at 2155hrs in a slight cross wind, veered sharply to starboard when over corrected, struck a petrol bowser and came to rest on the far side of the perimeter track between two houses in the residential area of Sutton, where it burst into flames. The captain and the RAF air bomber lost their lives, and three of the remaining crew of five were injured, the flight engineer later dying as a result. An RNZAF navigator from the squadron, who was helping with the harvest on a nearby farm and a WAAF section officer who rushed to the scene to help were both killed in the blast when some of the bombs exploded. Two civilians also died, while others were injured. The two NZers are buried at Cambridge.
Hope that helps
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Post by lancelink on Apr 14, 2010 22:52:45 GMT 12
Thanks, camtech for the info and a speedy reply, cheers
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Post by camtech on Apr 15, 2010 10:41:18 GMT 12
Lance, there is some more biographical details in Volume 3 of For Your Tomorrow, if you are interested.
By the way, it was Ian's 6th operational sortie.
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Post by lancelink on Apr 15, 2010 21:21:35 GMT 12
Thanks camtech, is "For Your tomorrows" a book or a website? cheers
Just done a Google and found the details, have just bought his book on the RNZAF from the canteen at Ohakea
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 15, 2010 22:41:00 GMT 12
Lance, it is three volumes in a book series, by Errol Martyn of Christchurch, which list chronologically all the NZ deaths in the Air Forces (RFC, RNAS, RAF, NZPAF, RNZAF, etc) from the earliest days of military flying right up till publication a few years ago. They are superb references for researchers and have helped many family members to find out the circumstances of a loved one's death too.
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