Sir Graham Henry's father flew Catalinas

[Dave Homewood]

Mum just told me that Sir Graham Henry, former All Black Coach, was a subject on TVNZ7's The Artist the other night and during his sitting for the portrait he mentioned that his father had flown Catalinas in the RNZAF in WWII and postwar, including in Fiji.

I am wondering id he may have been Allen Lester Henry who was also a second-pilot on No. 5 (GR) Squadron Singapores in Fiji?

Does anyone know, and whether Sir Graham's father is still alive?

[McFly]

If A.L Henry then a 'Wings Course' photo here:

Negative Number: MUS0800130
Caption: Group. Y Squad of pilots course 26A, Number 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Royal New Zealand Air Force Station Taieri.
Further Information: L-R: back; D.S. McDonald, F. Transom, G.H. McIlraith, A. Moore, W.M. Harris, A.R. Harrison. Middle; J.E. Walker, W.F. Irwin, W. Stirling, A.L. Henry, P.G. Dobson, J.R. Turvey, A.M. Boyes. Front; S.R. Thornley, D.G. Kennedy, F.G. Cross, A. McWilliam, J.l. Bathgate.
Year of Image: 1942
Image Date Information: 10 January 1942
Format: Digital image


(Photo Air Force Museum)

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Marty. I looked up Allen Lester Henry in By Such Deeds and he certainly flew Singapores, Catalinas and then Sunderlands. Could very well be him I reckon.

[mit]

I wonder if this is A.L. Henry?

[ErrolC]

That missing Catalina is about where I am up to in 'Dumbo Diary', I'll see if he pops up in there tonight.

[ErrolC]

FGOFF A. Henry first appears in Dumbo Diary as a 2nd Pilot on NZ4001 1 May 1943. NZ4001had arrived at Lauthala Bay 3 April 1943, and this was her 5th flight recorded.

A. HENRY was joint 2nd Pilot on the first DUMBO mission RNZAF PBY-5 2 May 1943, 8 men rescued from life raft from U.S. Liberty Ship #694 S.S. Phoebe A. Hearst.

First Circuit and Landing mission with A. Henry as Capt 11 May 1943. Various training missions follow. ORB lists him as Captain of Crew No.4 29 May 1943

He's listed as 2nd pilot for the flight of NZ4006 that left 5 June 1943 0416h for Mechanics Bay (Capt SQLDR McGregor, 6 Sqn C.O.), failed to arrive, wreckage found 9 June. From later entries it appears the 2nd Pilot was actually PLTOFF D. Wood.

Looks like the search flight for NZ4006 on 6 June 1943 shown in the logbook photo above is his first operational flight as Captain.

A quick scan found his transfer to No.3 OTU (at Lauthala Bay, 6 Sqn was at Halavo Bay, Florida Is, Solomans at this time) as an Instructor 18 April 1944, FLTLT A.L. Henry.

Also listed as Captain of the original XX-T for several flights, see
www.flickr.com/photos/adelaide_archivist/2343065578/

I've sent a message to Flickr user Cascade20.

[raymond]

The following is interesting and has some of the flights for 4007 in the same month as the log book above

www.flickr.com/photos/adelaide_archivist/2342248193/in/set-72157622742343061/

RNZAF 6 Squadron PBY-5 Catalina XX-F NZ4007 at Halavo Bay, Solomon Islands. Delivered Fiji 21 May 1943. Declared surplus in 1951, broken up Hobsonville, 1952.

Some XX-F Flights:
5 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry - Aircraft test.
10 June 1943 Captain WGCMDR Stead, 2nd Pilot F/O Allan Lester Henry - Lauthala Bay to Nandi to Lauthala Bay.
11 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Lauthala Bay - Navigation exercise No.2 not completed due to bad weather.
15 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Lauthala Bay - Navigation exercise No.3.
21 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Lauthala Bay - Aircraft test and air firing.
21 June 1943 Captain FGOFF Brewer, 2nd Pilot F/O Allan Lester Henry - Lauthala Bay - Night flying circuits and landing.
28 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Lauthala Bay - DUMBO search for missing Hudson NZ2025 lost with crew of 5.
30 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Lauthala Bay to Tonga to Lauthala Bay returned to Tonga due to bad weather.
30 June 1943 Captain F/O Allan Lester Henry, 2nd Pilot FGOFF Fraser - Tonga to Lauthala Bay landed Nandi due to bad weather.

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting stuff. Thanks.

[mikebhenry]

Hi all,

I can answer all the questions posted above, as Allen Lester Henry is my grandfather and I have the utmost privilege of holding his logbooks.

So starting from the top post, Yes, Allen is the father of Sir Graham Henry, (My uncle) . Sadly Allen past away on the 1st March 2003.

The photo from the wings course - that is definitely him. he carried that cheeky grin for the whole of his life and that how I remember him. I would be very keen to get a copy :-)

Funny, the entries taken from flickr, were ones that I entered. (Also supplied scans to Jenny Scott)

i did meet FGOFF Brewer, on one occasion too. Sadly he has passed away too. He and his wife retired to Turangi in the central North Island.

Cheers,

Mike

[Dave Homewood]

Fantastic, a huge welcome to the forum Mike! Thanks for answering the questions.

I am very keen to learning anything you can impart about your grandfather's time flying the Short Singapores as I am writing up the history of No. 5 (GR) Squadron. Have you got scans of those pages on flick? Or are you able to tell me anything more? My email is [e-mail]

Thanks again!

[chinapilot]

Great photo...was hoping Errol would come along with some brief details of the others :-)

[jennyscott]

Hi
I hope you are enjoying Dumbo Diary.
I am returning to N.Z. in October to present a paper at the ARANZ Conference at Te Papa and plan to travel from Auckland to Wellington meeting as many 6 Squadron family as possible, all the while continuing to collect more information for a probable 2nd Edition, one day.
Best
Jenny
[e-mail]