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Post by ErrolC on May 16, 2012 9:55:47 GMT 12
Yes, Dave is this site's Admin!
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2012 10:59:05 GMT 12
That is me, I have Dick Branch's logbook! I'll take a look!
Haha, wierd co-inkydink
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2012 11:43:19 GMT 12
OK, yes the pilot was Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Peter Keller (known as Geoff), and the Navigator was F/Lt Richard Laurence 'Dick' Branch.
Dick did not note who the Second Pilot or the Flight Engineer were in his logbook I'm afraid.
I wonder if the "Eaddler" could be Douglas Wharepouri Riddler, who was a pilot too and could have been the 2nd Pilot.
I can add from Dick's logbook that: RNZAF Station Whenuapai at Auckland, NZ, was No. 41 Squadron's home base and the starting point. The flight details are thus:
They flew to Singapore in Douglas C-47B Dakota NZ3552 14/9/45 Whenuapai - Espiritu Santo (9 hours, 15 mins) 15/9/45 Santo - Bougainville (6 hours 35 mins) 16/9/45 Bougainville - Biak (8 hours) 17/9/45 Biak - Morotai (3 hours 40 mins) 18/9/45 Morotai - Labuan (6 hours 10 mins) 19/9/45 Labuan - Singapore (6 hours)
The crew had the 20th off, and on the 21st they got another aircraft in Singapore, C-47B Dakota NZ3553, which they testes and then used for the trip home to Auckland.
21/9/45 Test (40 mins) 22/9/45 Singapore - Labuan (4 hours, 45 mins) 23/9/45 Labuan - Morotai (5 hours 35 mins) 24/9/45 Morotai - Darwin (6 hours 30 mins) 25/9/45 Darwin - Townsville (6 hours 50 minutes) 26/9/45 Townsville - Brisbane (4 hours 20 minutes) 28/9/45 Brisbane - Whenuapai (9 hours, 10 mins)
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2012 11:45:22 GMT 12
So that at least charts the journey of your note, and confirms the pilot and navgator for you.
Looking at the long hours for each leg of the flight I can only imagine what must have been going through the minds of those poor people who's spent months and years in the harshest of prison camps, as they edged closer and closer to home. It must have been a really remarkable journey for them and for some maybe their first ever flights too.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2012 11:54:20 GMT 12
Also now that you have the dates and the aircraft numbers it will be a doddle for someone to look up the Operations Record Book to confirm the other two crew names.
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Post by dustyshelf on May 16, 2012 13:13:11 GMT 12
Dave---
Thanks so much for the additional details from the log! Indeed, Keller is one who signed. This leaves the man on the very top, the one above Branch, and the last one.
Could you possibly transcribe and post the part of the log that covers the period encompassing the 28/9/45 date when the Smallfield family signed?
A somewhat related question:
What is happening with the New Zealand national archives website that I cannot make use of the pilot search? I keep getting a temporarily down notice. This has been the case for several days. Also, I found a reference on the Net that the archives has a PDF document that supposedly includes a partial list of airmen. When I cllick on the link I get a page not found pop-up.
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Post by errolmartyn on May 16, 2012 13:41:14 GMT 12
"I wonder if the "Eaddler" could be Douglas Wharepouri Riddler, who was a pilot too and could have been the 2nd Pilot."
Riddler's log book or a copy of it is held by the Air Force Museum of NZ. A check with them should settle whether he was crewing the flight or not.
Errol
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Post by errolmartyn on May 16, 2012 13:43:46 GMT 12
A somewhat related question: What is happening with the New Zealand national archives website that I cannot make use of the pilot search? I keep getting a temporarily down notice. This has been the case for several days. Also, I found a reference on the Net that the archives has a PDF document that supposedly includes a partial list of airmen. When I cllick on the link I get a page not found pop-up. The Archives NZ site was operating normally when I checked just now. I am unclear as to what you mean by 'the pilot search', however. Errol
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Post by dustyshelf on May 16, 2012 14:00:22 GMT 12
I think I may have misunderstood some of the Google search results that indicated matches at searchpilot.archives.govt.nz. At the Archives website I see there is a link to Archives Search Pilot. I realize this is merely the name of the search tool.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2012 15:10:21 GMT 12
dustyshelf, sorry I made a transcribing error earlier which is now fixed, they actually spent two days in Brisbane and flew to Whenuapai on the 28th, so the note was signed on the last leg of the flight.
Dick did not fly again till the 2nd of October 1945.
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Post by dustyshelf on May 17, 2012 0:50:19 GMT 12
Further thoughts on who signed the note...
According to one source, when the Dakota was rigged as an air ambulance, in addition to the three crew, there were three medical attendants. I wonder if any of the unidentified signatures could be of these attendants.
Dave---
In Branch's log book, do you see the signature of Keller as the pilot? Apart from the last name, I am having difficulty in reading Geoff or Geoffrey as the first name. Almost looks like different handwriting. Would be good to have his signature for comparison.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2012 1:20:32 GMT 12
Sorry Dusty, the logbook does not have Geoff Keller's signature I'm afraid. It does have lots of other pilot's signatures though, some VERY famous ones - I had never actually thought to look at the signatures of the CO's and Flight Commanders who ticked off his hours each motnh but there are some big names in this like book like Aubrey Breckon, Arthur 'Gubby' Allen, 'Johnny' Walker, Ken King, Robert 'Brick' McSkimming, Gordon 'Broken Arse' MacKenzie and many others. Thanks for inadvertently making me realise that Dick's logbook is an autograph album of some of my biggest aviation heroes.
As for the Dakota crew there should have been four as standard, Pilot (the captain), Second Pilot, Flight Engineer and Navigator as far as I am aware. So any medics would be over and above them I'd think.
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Post by dustyshelf on May 17, 2012 7:54:02 GMT 12
I think I may have exhausted all on-line sources. Dave, you had suggested looking at the Operational Record Book for the squadron. How might I go about locating it and having a search made? Is there a forum member who may do this for a fee?
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2012 10:43:26 GMT 12
Most of the squadron ORB's are held at Archives New Zealand (Nartional Archives) in Wellington, but I had a search of their website database and cannot see any ORB's for No. 41 Squadron, which seems odd. Unless I missed them in the search. I think the best thing to do is fire off an email to Archives New Zealand, explain you are in the USA and cannot just pop in to look yourself, give them the date and details of the flight, and see if they have the ORB there (which is most likely). archives.govt.nz/visit/contactAlso if you follow Errol's lead of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand who he says have Doug Riddler's logbook. I'm sure Michelle Sim there would happily look up the dates and see if he was indeed the second pilot. I think she'd really enjoy hearing the story of your note too. She's an awesome person and loves old RNZAF stories. Her email is info@airforcemuseum.co.nz
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Post by dustyshelf on May 17, 2012 11:10:11 GMT 12
Dave--- Thanks for the suggestions. I did find this in a search of the Archives. Looks promising.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2012 14:13:46 GMT 12
Yes that look like the right place to start looking.
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Post by dustyshelf on May 17, 2012 15:28:03 GMT 12
Well, I have just submitted a research request via email. I asked for copies of the ORB for the period 10/9/45 through 24/10/45. This would cover the entire evacuation operation. Since there is a possibility some of the signatures could have been added after the dates on the note, I thought it best to span more time.
Specifically, I asked for copies of the crew lists for ALL the aircraft in the squadron as well as passenger lists. Although we have identified Keller and Lamb as squadron members, there is no assurance they flew the POWs and Smallfield family members who signed. The other unidentified men could be from different crews. I also asked for a copy of any list of squadron members that may exist.
Again, thanks to all who have participated in this discussion, provided information, and offered suggestions on research. I never would have thought this simple relic from WWII could have so much history attached to it! I certainly have learned much in the course of my research and hopefully the other forum members have enjoyed the ride as well.
I will update as new details come to me or when I receive the research material. Should others come across anything of interest, please post it!
Regards.
---Mike a.k.a. "dustyshelf"
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2012 15:57:47 GMT 12
Hi Mike,
it just occurred to me that forum member Paul harrison (aka tbf2504 here on the forum) co-wrote a book on NZ Dakotas that covers the RNZAF Dakotas in detail. I wonder if he may have the information you seek? Does anyone out there have a copy pf Paul's bok?
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Post by dustyshelf on May 17, 2012 16:54:39 GMT 12
I see the book covers the subject of the ex-POWs...
Dc3: Southern Skies Pioneer Paul Harrison
The story of the Douglas DC-3/Dakota in New Zealand. First introduced during World War II, the aircraft became a vital part of the RNZAF fleet. It carried everything from spare parts and mail to food and ex-POWs and was involved in fighting in the Solomon Islands.
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Post by bobkeller on Dec 1, 2014 15:10:12 GMT 12
OK, yes the pilot was Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Peter Keller (known as Geoff), and the Navigator was F/Lt Richard Laurence 'Dick' Branch. Dick did not note who the Second Pilot or the Flight Engineer were in his logbook I'm afraid. I wonder if the "Eaddler" could be Douglas Wharepouri Riddler, who was a pilot too and could have been the 2nd Pilot. I can add from Dick's logbook that: RNZAF Station Whenuapai at Auckland, NZ, was No. 41 Squadron's home base and the starting point. The flight details are thus: They flew to Singapore in Douglas C-47B Dakota NZ3552 14/9/45 Whenuapai - Espiritu Santo (9 hours, 15 mins) 15/9/45 Santo - Bougainville (6 hours 35 mins) 16/9/45 Bougainville - Biak (8 hours) 17/9/45 Biak - Morotai (3 hours 40 mins) 18/9/45 Morotai - Labuan (6 hours 10 mins) 19/9/45 Labuan - Singapore (6 hours) The crew had the 20th off, and on the 21st they got another aircraft in Singapore, C-47B Dakota NZ3553, which they testes and then used for the trip home to Auckland. 21/9/45 Test (40 mins) 22/9/45 Singapore - Labuan (4 hours, 45 mins) 23/9/45 Labuan - Morotai (5 hours 35 mins) 24/9/45 Morotai - Darwin (6 hours 30 mins) 25/9/45 Darwin - Townsville (6 hours 50 minutes) 26/9/45 Townsville - Brisbane (4 hours 20 minutes) 28/9/45 Brisbane - Whenuapai (9 hours, 10 mins)
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