Was Arthur Porritt a pilot in WWII?

[Dave Homewood]

I cannot find any reference to former Governor General and NZ sports star Lord Arthur Porritt having been in the RNZAF, however the Alexander Turnbull Library has the following listing which is exceedingly interesting:

Record Title : RNZAF flying log book
Display Dates : 1972
Reference Number : MS-Papers-9619-161
Collection Record : Porritt, Arthur Espie (Sir), 1900-1994 : Papers (MS-Group-1812)
Issue Restriction : Unrestricted
Collection Status : PART OF COLLECTION
Issue Status : Issuable ITEM
Quantity : 1 folder(s)
Scope and Contents : RNZAF aircrew flying log book, with entries and photographs pasted in, presented on the occasion of the presentation of a standard and coat of arms to No 14 Squadron
Member Series : Series 7 Governor-General Sort Key - 11
Names : New Zealand. Royal New Zealand Air Force (Contributor)
New Zealand. Royal New Zealand Air Force. No 14 Squadron (Subject)
Subjects : Logbooks
Institution : Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand

What was this about? I'm confused. Was he given a blank logbook? Was he a pilot?

I'm told he used to live here in Cambridge, not sure if it's true.

[errolmartyn]

According to Colin Hanson's By Such Deeds Porritt (born Wanganui) was Governor General and Commander in Chief of the RNZAF 1 December 1967 to 7 September 1972.

This appears to have been his only connection with the RNZAF. He never joined or enlisted in the service as such, nor received any aircrew training that I know of.

The log book in this instance used only for 'presentation' purposes, or perhaps also to record his passenger flights on RNZAF aircraft?

According to the 1978 edition of Who's Who in New Zealand, his military service was with the Army. His only Cambridge connection seems to be as examiner in surgery for Cambridge University and (earlier, as a student at Oxford University) in athletics competitions against CU - he held the 100 yards record (among others) of 9.9 secs during the mid-1920s.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol.