LAC W.G. Coleman (aged 72)

[Dave Homewood]

In the June 1943 issue of Contact magazine there's a small piece on Leading Aircraftman W.G. Coleman. He was then serving in his third war, having been a soldier on the North-West frontier in India, then fighting in the Boer War and the First World War.

It's quite neat that the RNZAF let these old campaigners rejoin. I know there were other elderly men - even on operational squadrons, usually ranked LAC and usually I suppose doing administrative type duties. I wonder if LAC Coleman was the oldest though.

I also wonder if he was nay relation to Jim Coleman, who was of a very similar age as a General Service Hand at Natts when I worked at Wigram in the early 1990's.

[errolmartyn]

From Colin Hanson’s 'By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999':

COLEMAN, Corporal William George, MSM.
NZ427003; Born London, England, 15 Jun 1871; RNZAF 29 Jun 1942 to 23 Oct 1944; Aircrafthand (General Duties).
Citation Meritorious Service Medal (17 Jun 1918): Not available. Cpl Coleman joined the RNZAF as an LAC when aged 71 years. He served at Wigram on clerical duties. He had been a Sgt-Major of the 4th Dragoon Guards and served with the Imperial Forces on the North West Frontier (1897-1898), the Boer War and WWI. Between these latter wars he served with the Royal Household and was a King’s Coachman taking part in the Coronation of King George V in 1910. He came to NZ in 1923. Following his RNZAF service he rejoined the Royal Household. Died Windsor, England, 1953.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol. Wow, the Royal Household service alone is pretty interesting and rare. I'll bet he was an interesting chap who could tell a few stories.