F/O Alan T BLACK RNZAF Pilot

[pauld]

Evening Gents,

Had a good day today as the chap who's house we are fixing up ( due to Earthquakes) father was a pilot in the RNZAF
Now i have a small bit of info on him from the NZ ETC website, and know he was with 148 SQN and ditched a Wellington in the Mediterranean, but nothing else.
His 2 brothers Norman and William were both Killed in Action one with 75 SQN and the other with 76 SQN, ( thanks to Errol Martyns excellent triology "For Your Tomorrow" Vols 1&2)

The Son, who's house we are repairing, gave me his dads Medals Air Crew Europe and Africa Star group, and he allowed me to copy 4 photographs of his dad in flying gear and training.
So am very happy with being given memorabilia for my small burgeoning Museum, but would like to find out more about him.

Any help would be greatly appreciated by me and Alister ( Son of the Pilot in question)

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards
Paul D

[pauld]

Morning All,

Well i have had some more luck with F/O Allan Black. The Daughter turns up with his log book and some paperwork including his commission document, so i now can piece together his story.
Am in the process of typing it all out in a comprehensible format.
Watch this space
Also among the papers was a short military History of his brother Norman who was killed in action with 76 SQN so will do a write up on him too.

Cheers
Paul D

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Paul, I'm looking forward to what you might find.

[oggie2620]

Hi Paul
If you find out anything about the brother who was on 75 Sqn perhaps you would email it to Glen Turner the 75 Sqn Secretary or pm him on here to let him know the information.
Thanks
Dee

[pauld]

Hi All,

Oggie, will do if i can find anything more than Errols books can tell me.

Well Gents after many hours poring over the log book and papers etc...i have written out F/O Allan Blacks story
As follows.......enjoy
NZ404455 F/O ALAN T. BLACK. R.N.Z.A.F.


Alan Thomas Black was born at Christchurch, on the 10 July 1912. He was the son of William Black from Ballayhaskey, Ireland and Susanna (Nee Scott). William was a cartage contractor for NZ Express Co, operating his own pair of Clydesdale horses pulling a flat deck dray mostly carting bales of wool.
Alan was one of 5 children ( 2 brothers and 2 sisters )( His two brothers were killed in action as Pilots with 75 and 76 SQN’s)and began school at Bromley Primary school then progressed to CHCH Technical College ( forerunner of the CPIT)
He was a keen rugby player playing for the CHCH Rugby Football Club from the age of 16 years and eventually played for the seniors before going away to war.
Alan started work as a flour milling Company ( Brown Bros in Moorhouse ave) then at 18 or 19 years joined the CHCH city Council as an Junior Office Boy.
He was noted as a ledgerkeeper upon attesting for the RNZAF in Nov 1940.

Alan began his training as a L.A.C. (Leading Aircraftman) pilot under training, firstly flying in the DH82 Tiger Moth making his first flight on the 20th of January 1941 from No 3 EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School) at Harewood, he first went solo on the DH82 on January 30 in NZ655. Finishing his time at Harewood he then undertook a long sea voyage to Canada.
Alan took to the skies again on April 28th in a North American Yale Aircraft and it was in this aircraft that Alan learned to fly single wing machines, he then progressed to the mighty Harvard with its powerful Pratt & Whitney “Wasp” engine on May 5 1941.
He alternatively flew Harvards and Yale's , mostly Harvards from No 6 SFTS, ( Secondary Flying Training School )Dunnville, Ontario.
Earned his flying wings in June of 1941 and promoted to Sgt 3/7/41 ( Certified as first Pilot day and night on 3/7/41)
Alan Black finished his training in Canada on 28 June 1941, and then undertook another sea voyage this time to England. Upon arrival he was posted to No 20 OTU ( Operational Training Unit ) at Lossiemouth, Scotland to be trained on the Wellington Bomber
After many hours instruction he soloed in the Wellington on October 26. LAC Black had by now amassed a total of 185 Flying hours! then was sent to No75 ( NZ) Squadron during November 1941.
He flew his first Operational sortie on the 20th November flying in Wellington MK IC “D” with Sgt Ramsay as Pilot, they bombed Emden, Germany.
After a short time at Feltwell with No 75SQN he was then sent to Hapstead Morris to fly to Portreath for a long flight to the Gibraltar and 2 days later flew to Malta.

Alan was next seen serving with 148SQN in the Middle East.
Pilot Officer Pelletier was Captain with Alan as 2nd Pilot and they flew Wellington MKII’s Z-5835 and Z-5388 throughout March 1942 with a ditching in the sea on March 7 in Z-5388 spending 12 and a half hours in a dinghy before being rescued by a F.A.A. (Fleet Air Arm )Walrus amphibious aircraft, one of the crew threw an anchor to the dinghy and succeeded in hitting Alan on the shoulder and breaking his collarbone ( He suffered this injury for some time). He eventually got back to base with a 38SQN Wellington flown by Sgt Neal RAF.

Alan Black flew 37 Operational sorties with 148SQN.

Listed below are the Operations:
1942
March 7; Wellington MKII Z-5388 Target: Behghazi. Suffered Engine Failure, jettisoned bombs crashed in sea when returning to base at 0230Hrs. landed after rescue at Sollum beach at 1600Hrs. Pilot P/O Pelletier.
March 23; Target: Salamis Submarine Quays. Bombload 4-500’s and 2SBC’s. P/O Pelletier, Pilot A.T.Black 2nd Pilot.
March 30; Target: Benghazi. Target bombed 4/10ths cloud 2 photographs taken bombload 7-500’s from ALG106 Sgt Black 2nd pilot.
April 8; Target: Benghazi. Wellington II Z-8357, with P/O Pelletier as captain, target bombed, back to Base.
April 20; Malta flew to Malta in Wellington IC DV-573 P/O Pelletier Captain of a/c
April 22; Malta- Comiso Aerodrome, Sicily, Target: Hangars and Dispersals.
April 23; Malta-Comiso Aerodrome, Sicily target same
April 29; Flew back to base from Malta.
May 3; Target: Benghazi 10/10th cloud at target and at Martuba Aerodrome, returned with bombs in Wellington IC ES-987 with P/O Pelletier as captain.
May 12; took off in Wellington IC DV-647 returend as petrol tank cover left unfastened.
May 12; Off again to attack Benghazi, 10/10ths cloud bombs dropped on flak batteries
May 17; Target: Shipping at Benghazi, 7/10ths cloud bombed Flak batteries
May 21; Wellington IC DV-647 bombing Martuba Aerodrome
15 Operations completed at this date also promoted to rank of Flight Sergeant.
June 9; Target: Heraklion Aerodrome, Crete.
June 26; Bombing an enemy concentration of Transport south west of Sidi Barrani.
June 28; Sgt A.T Black as Pilot, attacked enemy concentration of transport south west of Mersa Mutruth. ( Alan’s first trip as Captain)
June 30; Kabrit to Heraklion Aerodrome, Crete. Jettisoned bombs over target caught in an Electrical storm
19 trips noted in log book

[pauld]

F/O Allan Black continued......
July 2; Wellington DV-647 Kabrit to Raselkannais. Enemy concentration of transport bombed Aircraft “N” damaged by Flak 2 JU 88’s sighted over target.
July 4; Wellington DV-623 Kabrit- enemy transports at ALG-106 southeast of El-Daba.
July 4; same a/c bombing shipping in harbour at Tobruk.
July 9; DV-638 sent to bomb Tobruk, unable to find target- bombed Gazala.
July 14; Bombing Tobruk
July 16; Tobruk- flare dropping. ( Stooge)
July 18; Bombing Tobruk
July 20; Target; Tobruk. 8/10 to 10/10 cloud over target, bombed Flak and Searchlights.
July 22; Bombing shipping at Tobruk, 1 photo taken.
424hours flown to date
July 24; Kabrit- enemy concentration of transport south of ALG-106 small fires started.
July 25; Kabrit--ALG-106 landed with bombload ( Operation Crete)
July 25; ALG-086 to Heraklion Aerodrome, Crete. Bombed target returned to Kabrit
Hit by Heavy Flak
July 27; Kabrit-Tobruk Target enemy shipping
July 29; Kabrit-Tobruk Target enemy shipping
32 Operational sorties flown to date
Aug 2; Wellington DV-876 Kabrit-Tobruk enemy Shipping---target bombed
Aug 4; Wellington DV-876 Kabrit-Tobruk enemy Shipping---target bombed
Aug 11; Wellington DV-876 Kabrit-Tobruk enemy Shipping
Aug 13; Wellington DV-876 Kabrit-Tobruk enemy Shipping
Aug 15; Wellington DV-876 Kabrit-Tobruk enemy Shipping

Crew;
Navigator: Sgt Draschfield
2nd Pilot: Sgt Clifton
Wireless Operator: Sgt Riddell
Front Gunner: Sgt Eria
Rear Gunner: Sgt Worsely

Aug 15 1942 37 Operational Sorties completed.
Noted in Logboook:
“To be assessed as Exceptional on Wellington Aircraft”.
Signed; G.S.Moore Flt/Lt
Signed; D.Warne Wing Commander 148SQN.

[pauld]

More.............
Flight Sgt Black flew his last flight of 1942 on August the 27th when he flew Wellington IC HX-393 with 7 passengers from Kabrit to ALG 237 on an Air test.
He was posted after a good rest, To No 11 OTU at Westcott, England.
January 13th 1943 he flew Wellington IC HO-946 with Sgt Rich and crew on a cross country exercise.

Alan Black, promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer, was posted back to New Zealand after the completion of his Operational Tour, he had by then received the news that his brother, John had been killed on a raid to Berlin with 75SQN.
He then began his NZ service as a Flying Instructor at Central Flying School, Tauranga from June 1943 flying DH82 Tiger Moth a/c, firstly with an Instructor teaching him how to Instruct a pupil pilot, or “Learn the ropes” by 25th June he was flying the DH82 himself.
After a thorough period of training he was posted as an Instructor to No 2 EFTS, Ashburton. (Elementary Flying School) and from August 17 trained many young pupils the art of flying the Tiger Moth.
He did this until 27th April 1944 and was assessed as an above Average Instructor and had amassed a total of 1004 hours flying.
Alan got married to Dorothy Jean Dykes on 20th September 1943
In March of 1943 Alan received the sad news that his younger brother F/O Norman Scott Black had been killed flying as a Pilot with 76SQN. (Halifax a/c)
Alan was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 1/11/1943 and promoted to Flying Officer on 1/5/1944.
F/O Black was then posted to No 1 SFTS at Wigram and commenced flying Oxford aircraft 4 May 1944 and by May 8 was flying the Oxford as Captain and taking up pupils. He Instructed at Wigram till August and again was assessed as above average.



Flying Officer Black flew the following Aircraft:
DH82 Tiger Moth
North American Yale
North American Harvard
Wellington IC
Wellington I
Wellington IA
Wellington II
Oxford.

[pauld]

continued..........
Record of Service;

Wereroa-------------Levin------------------24/11/40----19/1/41
Harewood-----------CHCH-----------------20/1/41------7/3/41
Dunnville------------Canada----------------21/4/41------3/7/41
Lossiemouth--------Scotland---------------42/8/41------5/11/41
No 75 (NZ) SQN---Feltwell UK----------14/11/41-----13/12/41
M.E. Flight Harwell England--------------14/12/41-----18/12/41
148SQN--------------M.E.-------------------6/2/41--------23/9/42
No 11OTU----------Westcott, England----1/143---------17/3/43
No 6 Flying School—Tauranga, NZ------19/6/43-------9/8/43
No 2EFTS------------Ashburton, NZ-------15/8/43------30/4/44
No 1 SFTS-----------Wigram, CHCH------1/5/44--------5/9/44

From “ New Zealanders with the RAF” Official History by Sqn/Ldr J.M.Ross RNZAF.
And while the nightly raids with Desert Air Force might be somewhat less exciting than those against targets in the Ruhr, yet incident was not lacking. For instance, after one sortie to Benghazi when the flak batteries were more than usually active, Armstrong landed back with his Wellington holed in twenty-six places. On another night Metcalf's machine ran short of petrol on the return flight from Derna and he and his crew were forced to bale out over the desert; they managed to collect together but it was two days before they were found and picked up. One NCO pilot, Sergeant Black, from 148SQN after his Wellington had come down in the sea off Sollum, was lucky enough to be spotted with his crew in their dinghy the next day by a Walrus of the Fleet Air Arm and then picked up a few hours later by a rescue launch.

The crews of the heavier bombers—most of them flew Wellingtons for there were still only a few longer range Liberators and Halifaxes— went out by night to attack enemy ports, shipping and supply dumps; they also bombed concentrations of tanks and vehicles in the battle area. Here are some of the men who captained Wellington aircraft on many such missions: Squadron Leader Morton,Squadron Leader Steel and Flying Officer Fleming of No. 40 Squadron; Flight Lieutenant Hetherton, Flying Officer Holdaway and Flight Sergeant Spinley with No. 37 Squadron; Flying Officer B. H. Gray and Pilot Officer Stewart of No. 70 Squadron; Flight Lieutenant Beale, Flying Officer E. L. Gray, Flight Sergeants Taaffe and Craig of No. 104 Squadron; Flying Officer Campbell, Flight Sergeants Momo and A. T. Black of No. 148 Squadron; and Flight Lieutenant Kofoed who captained a Halifax of No. 462 Squadron on many long-range missions. Several of these men were flight commanders of their units; all performed their duties with conspicuous courage, ability and steadfastness. And the same may be said of navigators like Flying Officer Spence and gunners such as Flight Sergeant Piper, both of whom were killed while attempting to escape after being shot down in a raid on Tobruk.

[pauld]

Last little bit......thanks guys for bearing with me
Flying Officer Black was posted to the reserve (Class B) 6/9/1944
Alan and Dorothy had 2 children;
Alistair (b 1944) and Margaret (b 1949).

He enjoyed Lawn Bowls and played Ten pin bowls also, and lived all his life in Christchurch.

His son Alistair when interviewed said that his dad was a strict person who liked everything to be in its place when he wanted to get it. He would by today’s standard be classed as a disciplinarian but was quick to reward good work. He was a good teacher when he ad time to spend with his children. A hard worker ( which was appreciated by his employers) but he had quite high standards which he expected from those around him ( family and fellow employees) He found him a strict father but in later years was a good guide to “values” in life and allowed me to grow up in my own way but within his good moral guidelines.

Alan rejoined the Christchurch City Council after the war, and worked his way up to Assistant Town Clerk.

Alan Black died in 1985 after a short illness (Cancer of the Bowel.)

There you go! a summary of a good Wellington Pilot.

Regards
Paul D

[pauld]

And here is a Photo of F/O Black

Attachments:

[pauld]

And another one....
he is third from left

Attachments:

[Andy Wright]

Very good, Paul. Nice work and an interesting read.

[oggie2620]

I love the photos and information. Well done Paul...

[Dave Homewood]

Great stuff. One correction there, the place was Wereroa at Levin, not Wererua.

[pauld]

Thanks Guys,

I just love unearthing these stories

Dave, i corrected that , also had another read and discovered many mistakes which i have attempted to fix

May even post a few more stories i have....anyone keen?

Paul D

[Dave Homewood]

Go for it Paul!

[oggie2620]

Nov 7, 2011 16:08:41 GMT 12 pauld said:

May even post a few more stories i have....anyone keen?

Paul D

Yes, yes and yes again Paul.
Dee ;D