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Post by corsair5517 on Mar 13, 2024 22:20:18 GMT 12
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rodm
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by rodm on Apr 14, 2024 2:55:02 GMT 12
The aircrew trainees at No. 3 Manning Depot, Edmonton, August 1943 were all LAC Air Observer u/t, most of whom passed out of their respective schools in Canada on 14/1/44 as either Sgts or Pilot Officer, most as Air Bombers, but two as Navigators (J L Gilbert, and L M Noble). They sailed from Auckland (20th June 1943) to San Francisco (arrived 3rd July); Just two of these men were lost on operations; E A Roy on 16/3/45, with 166 Sqdn, and I T Yanovich, on 6/1/45, with 635 Sqdn. David D From this No 3 Manning Depot photograph, Ron Noice, Frank Prebble, and Eric Roy were good friends throughout their time in Canada and (later) the United Kingdom. I have a copy of Eric Roy's diary, which he started upon embarkation onboard the S.S. Matsonia in Auckland. Eric Roy, Alan Rea, Ron Noice, Ian Petrie, Bill Smith, and Frank Prebble were all billeted in cabin 307 on the ship. Roy details his 1.5 month stay at No 3 Manning Depot in Edmonton between July-August 1943 quite extensively in his diary. From the group photo, Alan Rea, Ron Noice, Ian Petrie, Bill Smith, Frank Prebble, John Gilbert, Lloyd Noble, and Frank Gilbert are all mentioned by name. Eric Roy, along with fellow Southlander Merv Davis, died in 166 Squadron Lancaster PB153 on the night of 16-17 March 1945 during a raid on Nürnberg. Also from the No 3 Manning Depot photo: Ivan Yanovich and Frank Prebble served in 635 Squadron at the same time. Ivan Yanovich died on the night of 6-7 January 1945, during a raid in Hanau. Yanovich was one of eight crew onboard 635 Squadron Lancaster PB228, piloted by Jim Rowland RAAF. They were exiting the target area after bombing when - a couple of miles S.E. of Hanau - their Lancaster was hit from the port side by 158 Squadron Halifax NR195, which (I believe) had lost height and turned onto the 2nd homeward leg a fraction early. The collision caused the Halifax to break up. None of the seven-man crew survived. Meanwhile, the collision tore off the port wing and rear fuselage of the Lancaster. As the forward section of the Lancaster spun down, F/L Rowland somehow managed to exit via the cockpit hatch above his head at the last minute. F/L Rowland DFC was the only survivor from both crews. He remained in the RAAF post-war and rose to become Air Marshal Sir James Anthony Rowland, AC, KBE, DFC, AFC, Chief the Air Staff (1975-79), then the 33rd Governor of New South Wales (1981-89). ADDITION: I was just reading through some of the Roy family correspondence. Alan Rea's sister-in-law, Effie, lived in the U.K. (Cheshire) and he and Eric Roy visited her for three days in early March 1945, shortly before Eric Roy's death. Also, in looking at some of the late 1940s correspondence - aerogrammes taking only ten days from posting in rural N.Z. to delivery in the U.K. Boy, have some things regressed in 80 years!! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2024 19:07:24 GMT 12
I wonder who these chaps were. Sorry it is such a terrible repro of the photo. AIR FORCE RECRUITS. A party of fifteen young men, who have been selected from various parts of New Zealand, left by launch this morning for the Hobsonville Air Base, where they will be employed as aircraft riggers and fitters. The selection was made from 600 applications. Auckland Star, 5 April 1934  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2024 19:59:22 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 2, 2024 22:25:31 GMT 12
Not strictly an RNZAF group, but instead Kiwis destined for the RAF. Did any of them end up with the RNZAF later? Did they train at Wigram before they departed?  |
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Post by errolmartyn on Nov 4, 2024 9:53:03 GMT 12
Not strictly an RNZAF group, but instead Kiwis destined for the RAF. Did any of them end up with the RNZAF later? Did they train at Wigram before they departed? See 'Airmen sailing for war, 1937-1945' (585-840) appendix in Volume 3 of my For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices) for some information about many of these men. Errol |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 12, 2024 22:22:49 GMT 12
 PASSING OUT INSPECTION AT WIGRAM.—The passing out inspection of the second course at the Flying Training School of the Royal New Zealand Air Force conducted yesterday by Wing Commander L. M. Isitt, Air Member for Personnel. Nine of the 10 officers shown will leave for Great Britain next month to continue their training. The tenth, Acting Pilot Officer L. J. Ransom, has been posted to the reserve of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. From left are Acting Pilot Officers J. E. Edwards, R. R. P. Fisher, M. A. Poulton, J.E. Watts, R.D. Max, L. H. Trent, J. C. Simpson, L. J. Ransom, H. H. Haszard, and J. E. Vernon. The Press, 30 June 1938 |
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Post by davidd on Nov 13, 2024 8:25:53 GMT 12
Dave, that is No. 2 Course (Wigram), commenced training 16/11/37, passed out 29/6/38.
Killed in UK were Edwards, Simpson, and Vernon.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 13, 2024 13:06:46 GMT 12
Some of them went onto illustrious wartime careers, such as Leonard Trent VC, and Roy Max.
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Dunnville 1 copy 2 by John Stokes, on Flickr
Dunnville 2 copy by John Stokes, on Flickr
