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Post by shorty on Aug 20, 2012 19:55:51 GMT 12
By a happy coincidence with this uniform thread I wass looking at some photos of personell I served with in the late 60s and I got to wondering what were the maximaum number of badges that someone would have been able to wear on their uniform sleeves at that time?.
As far as I can recall it would be for a Corporal of 10 years service, of the electrical trade, qualified as a marksman, who was a member of the band and a qualified parachutist.
Any advance on this number?
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Post by phil82 on Aug 20, 2012 21:44:01 GMT 12
I had two of those five-year upside down stripes, and they once got me into the Sgts Mess at Hickham!
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Post by wanganui on Aug 23, 2012 5:28:31 GMT 12
Another quality post David D, when are you going to collate all this info into a book??
To answer one of your queries the airmens SD cap was certainly made in New Zealand, i have a 1930 dated example with a Hallensteins makers mark impressed into the leather liner around the crown. Mine is fitted with i assume to be an early manufactured RNZAF brass cap badge.
Looking forward to your book on RNZAF uniform, as if don't have enough to do!! Kerry.
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Post by tangerinelemons on Sept 13, 2012 15:28:18 GMT 12
Hey, sorry to come into this late, but I am the grand daughter of Huia Chetwin Parker.
I thought you would appreciate hearing what happened to him (from what I remember).
After the war, he became a car dealer (Mercedes), and them immigrated to Australia, Queensland, where the family still resides. He died in when I was a child, 1998, after two strokes, peacefully in a nursing home (unlike some of his unfortunate comrades). His ashes are kept at the Gold Coast, with the RNZAF emblem on his plaque.
He was a lovely man, who never really spoke about the war. He did like to tell stories about his training (I don't know of many... I will have to coax them out of my father).
Before he became a pilot, he was a messenger, riding bikes in Europe. He loved to be able to choose from whatever bike he wanted. He was a keen racer of both cars and bikes (something that has passed down the family into all of us). He then decided to become a pilot, first training in England, then being sent to the Pacific Theater, to fight against Japan.
I have some photos at my parents place (in another state), of him is Saigon with his mates after the war, sitting on their packs, and a roll of film that no one has managed to play (well... bothered finding something that can play it). We also have other general pictures of him, but not much with other people in them.
We have many P-47 photos and models around the family house, and remember him fondly.
I hope this is of some help to people!
Anne Parker
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Post by davidd on Sept 13, 2012 19:55:23 GMT 12
Anne,
I immediately recognized the name of Huia Chetwyn Parker (what a momorable name! His service number was NZ4210234). He was a member of Course No. 42B which graduated at Woodbourne here in New Zealand on 23/12/43 (total of 30 pupils on this course graduated on Harvards, of whom just four were shipped off to the RAF in the UK - Donald Tyrell-Baxter, John Grey Whitney, Percy Reece Smith, and H C Parker. All the rest were retained for service in NZ, most being posted to fighter squadrons, six to a TBF Avenger squadron, and two to an SBD Dauntless squadron, plus one posted to further training as a flying instructor. One other course member was killed in a flying accident during the course, one was carried over to a later course, and one was "terminated" from his training.
H C Parker was one of about ten who had completed their elementary training with 2 EFTS at Ashburton prior to this, the others having completed their Tiger Moth training at Harewood or Taieri. Did he fly with a flying club in the UK perhaps, or would your mention be referring to his service in the UK with 5 (P) AFU from August 1944 before he was posted to the Middle East that October, then to India?
If you are interested, the Percy Reece Smith mentioned above (a trained journalist who went with him to the UK, then out to India) wrote a series of articles about their training in NZ, the UK and India, in a most humerous vein. These were published in the wartime RNZAF magazine "Contact". If you asked nicely, I think the RNZAF Museum would send you copies of these rather witty and enlightening little skits written at the time for his own amusement. From memory he was published under the pen name of "A/P" (wartime abbreviation for "Airmen Pilot" which was their designation during training.) Most of the four sent to the UK seem to have ended up with 5 Squadron RAF in India on Thunderbolts.
David D
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Post by davidd on Sept 13, 2012 20:54:10 GMT 12
Just in case anybody was wondering, that word in my first line (above, in brackets) is SUPPOSED to be "memorable"!) - Sorry aout that!
David D
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Post by crashsgt on Apr 26, 2013 11:09:29 GMT 12
Re: Group photo at Nausori
Wow. This photo is fantastic. I found this by chance and must profusely thank the poster. My late grandfather served in Nausori. I have never seen a photo of him in service and he never talked about that time of his life. He is the first person in the second row. Vincent Turner. Am I correct in thinking the aircraft is a Lockheed Hudson? Is there a way I can obtain a high quality scan of this photo?
Regards
Carl Cutler
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 26, 2013 12:29:06 GMT 12
Hi Carl, I have sent the photo to your email. Thanks for posting that info, it's good to finally get another name for that photo.
Yes it's a Lockheed Hudson of No. 4 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron.
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Post by htbrst on Feb 11, 2014 15:40:33 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2014 15:44:33 GMT 12
It would be No. 11 Servicing Unit, I think. Perhaps No. 10 SU.
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Post by jurisnz on Feb 14, 2014 9:38:56 GMT 12
In the 5 Airframe fitters course the guy Street looks like Pete Street who was still around Wigram in the 80s, I think he also became a guide in the Museum, was involved in the CAF as well. When I looked at that photo I also recognized Pete Street. I worked in 4 Hangar as a baggy Acft Mech in 1979 and he was there as an airframe Sgt. Kind of dry sense of humor and first impression he was kind of dingy, but when you were around him more you realised he was just having fun. I guess at that point he had been in nearly 30 years, hasn't changed much from the photo. KC Peter Street left the Air Force and rejoined 11 April 1961 |
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Post by davidd on Feb 15, 2014 9:43:57 GMT 12
Dave H,
If the photograph was taken at Green Island as stated, this would be No. 14 SU. As a matter of interest, No. 10 SU was at Emirau from October 1944, and No. 11 SU never served outside NZ, and was absorbed into the Whenuapai Maintenance Wing in late 1944. No. 12 SU was at Guadalcanal and No. 13 at Nausori (Fiji).
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 15, 2014 10:08:28 GMT 12
Yeah, I had a sensation when I typed that, that I really should check it. Thanks.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 26, 2014 10:02:14 GMT 12
Here's two photos from the original 1990's NZBCA archive that have no details. The first seems to be a finish of Tour shot and the second is hard case with smokes and guns. This was posted on the NZBCA facebook page but no details emerged.   Over to you, any suggestions are most welcome |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2014 10:34:46 GMT 12
I wonder which Lancaster unit/s used the number 2 in their squadron code.
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Post by Andy Wright on Feb 26, 2014 15:41:08 GMT 12
No. 635 Squadron used F2 from March 1944 until disbandment and only operated Lancs.
I keep looking at that tyre on the Wimpey and thinking desert but then think the clothing is too heavy (particularly the erks). Cold at altitude though and the man with gun has 'vented'.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 26, 2014 15:51:57 GMT 12
Good idea Dave , and Andy 514 did use A2 , 635 used F2. The only other operational squadrons using 2 were W2 , 80 fighter, I2 48 squadron , transport.
44@ squadron used Y2 and 437 used Z2 but I think we can count them out.
Looking at some of the ribbon bars on the crew my guess is 635 PFF squadron.
But...?
With the Wellington crew , could they be brothers ?
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Post by baronbeeza on Feb 26, 2014 16:51:12 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 26, 2014 16:59:24 GMT 12
Thanks baron, it all helps.
I have enlarged the print and the crewman third from left in the roll collar seems to be the only one with a shoulder flash.The skipper, certainly nick named Jumbo looks familiar , but from where ?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2014 17:19:46 GMT 12
You say the skipper is named Jumbo. is that written on the back of the photo? Any other names/nick names written on it?
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