IVAN
Flight Sergeant
Posts: 29
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Post by IVAN on Jul 7, 2005 19:39:59 GMT 12
Noticed in the death notices of the Herald today the passing of well known RNZAF identities Theo de Lange and Maurie Pirie, both aged in their 90s. May they rest in peace.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 8, 2005 13:00:16 GMT 12
A great shame to hear this. Is that the famous T. MacLean de Lange? He was commander of No. 25 (DB) Squadron, RNZAF, flying Douglas Dauntless divebombers. I looked up the death notice on Herald online www.nzherald.co.nz/classifieds/results.cfm?pillar=14&subpillar=103&op=all&tp=&kw1=de%20lange&kw2=This says Theodore Jasper de Lange. So I'm not sure if it is the same man as i'm thinking of. Squadron Leader Maurice Leonard Pirie MBE was a member of the New Zealand General Reconnaissance Squadron, predecessor to No. 1 (GR) Sqn. From my website's RNZAF Timeline entry for the 19th of June 1940: "The RMS Niagara was sunk by German-laid mines near Auckland. It had left the Port of Auckland carrying among its cargo a huge load of gold bullion. The NZGR Sqn was scrambled. Pilot Officer Maurie Pirie and AC1 Alf Lawry took off in Baffin NZ161 to search for the culprit raider that had put the mines out. The range of the Baffins was insufficient for a proper sea search, and the German raider was never sighted." He later served with No. 40 Squadron in the Pacific. Rest In Peace Gentlemen I wonder, was Maurie Pirie related to Sgt N.A. Pirie, who flew Kittyhawks in the Pacific? Anyone know? |
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IVAN
Flight Sergeant
Posts: 29
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Post by IVAN on Jul 9, 2005 13:22:39 GMT 12
As far as I am aware it is the same gentleman. The Official History of RNZAF in World War 2 records him as T.J. McL. de Lange.
Same initials and year of birth which would seem to be more than a co-incidence with an uncommon name like that.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2005 16:14:37 GMT 12
Cheers Ivan, I'm sure you're correct. Thanks.
I wonder if he was ever interviewed or wrote up any memoirs at all - No. 25 Sqn seems so under-reported compared with others. Even the late Alex Horn's excellent Wings Over The Pacific'' gave them the briefest mention and there was no specific chapter on the dive bomber squadron like there was for most of the others. A pity, I'm sure they'd be very interesting to read about.
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