brianc
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 3
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Post by brianc on Dec 20, 2012 3:52:05 GMT 12
Hi guys
I have just joined your Forum.
I am an aviation author and am currently researching Maori aircrew for a forthcoming book. Early stages yet, so should any members be able to assist me in any wayI would be very appreciative.
I have the names and a few details relating to some.
Fingers crossed!
Cheers
Brian Cull
And Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
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Post by shamus on Dec 20, 2012 9:45:36 GMT 12
I am presuming, because of the name that these pilots were maori. They were training in Hawker hinds during the war and involved in accidents.
LAC. Frederick Brian PIRANI. LAC. E.M. KARATAU.
I am sorry that is all the information I have. These pilots probably went on to fly in combat after this training in the No.3 Service Flying Training School.
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 20, 2012 11:19:57 GMT 12
Hi guys I have just joined your Forum. I am an aviation author and am currently researching Maori aircrew for a forthcoming book. Early stages yet, so should any members be able to assist me in any wayI would be very appreciative. I have the names and a few details relating to some. Fingers crossed! Cheers Brian Cull And Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year Brian, Through my interest in New Zealanders in aviation prior to 1950 (database-index of about 60,000 individuals) I have been approached a number of times by folk interested in tackling this subject, but all have soon given it away upon realising the difficulties involved. There are now no full-blood Mâori and identifiying who is Mâori' or their percentage of Mâoriness is a very complicated business as the result of over two centuries of Maori-European inter-marriage. To establish who was Mâori serving in the RNZAF during the Second World War, for instance, would to begin with involve examining in detail hundreds or perhaps thousands of individual service records and then checking out the Whakapapa of each man or woman. Just thought would like to be aware of some of the challenges before you get too far down the track. Errol |
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 20, 2012 11:33:18 GMT 12
I am presuming, because of the name that these pilots were maori. They were training in Hawker hinds during the war and involved in accidents. LAC. Frederick Brian PIRANI. LAC. E.M. KARATAU. I am sorry that is all the information I have. These pilots probably went on to fly in combat after this training in the No.3 Service Flying Training School. Shamus, Pirani features in my For Your Tomorrow books. He was killed on 18 Feb 44 whilst on ops with 20 Sqn RAF in the Far East. Karatau was: NZ414987 Edward Mangahaka Karatau He flew with 73 Sqn RAF in the Mediterranean theatre from Apr 43 to May 44 and survived the war. He is mentioned several times in Don Minterne's third volume of The History of 73 Squadron. Errol |
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Post by sparrow on Dec 20, 2012 11:37:18 GMT 12
Welcome Brian, I can see where Errol is coming from, my 2nd cousin was killed in a Lancaster in 1944. He would have looked like any Englishman until he spoke, and I myself am very fair skinned and ginger haired, yet I have traced my ancestry right back to Nukutawhiti who landed at Hokianga on the 'Mamari' canoe in 850, at least as the story goes.
Good luck with the book, you have at least one prospective customer here.
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Post by shamus on Dec 20, 2012 14:53:04 GMT 12
Thanks, Errol. I wasn't aware of what happened to these two after they left No.3 SFTS.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 20, 2012 17:28:38 GMT 12
Brian, the only Maori aircrew member I met in person was Lomond Omer "Jock" Leaf, who was an Air Ginner with No. 20 Squadron RNZAF (Hinds) and then with No. 1 (BR) Squadron (Venturas). Sadly he was killed in a car crash a few weeks after I met him, in 2005.
There is an author and historian in Taranaki called Bruce M. Petty, who is American by birth. A few years back he was researching Maori airmen and had a long list.
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Post by htbrst on Dec 20, 2012 17:44:08 GMT 12
Johnny Pohe who was murdered after the Great Escape would be another - but as Errol implies it looks like a fair amount of effort - particularly if we go one by one like this!
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Post by Luther Moore on Dec 20, 2012 18:46:12 GMT 12
H.W, Kani?
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 20, 2012 18:50:43 GMT 12
Brian, the only Maori aircrew member I met in person was Lomond Omer "Jock" Leaf, who was an Air Ginner with No. 20 Squadron RNZAF (Hinds) and then with No. 1 (BR) Squadron (Venturas). Sadly he was killed in a car crash a few weeks after I met him, in 2005. There is an author and historian in Taranaki called Bruce M. Petty, who is American by birth. A few years back he was researching Maori airmen and had a long list. Bruce was one of those I eluded to in earlier post, although in relative terms, and for reasons I outlined, I don't think that his list was all that long. Errol |
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Post by denysjones on Dec 20, 2012 18:52:42 GMT 12
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 20, 2012 18:56:51 GMT 12
Yes, one of those who was more obviously Mâori: NZ421978 Henare Matua Kani. A WOp/AG who was also commissioned during the war. Errol |
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Post by Luther Moore on Dec 20, 2012 19:04:33 GMT 12
 Not 100% sure but I think this might be him... |
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Post by ErrolC on Dec 21, 2012 6:33:45 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 21, 2012 6:47:21 GMT 12
One of the most well known was Bert Wipiti of course. Credited by some as an ace, not by others.
Numerous airmen who I have studied that flew in the Pacific had Maori names, often as middle names. But having a Maori name and actually being Maori back then was often not the same thing, such as in the case of the famous writer Ngaio Marsh, who's parents called all three daughters Maori names to be politically correct/fashionable, yet they were all very white caucasian. It was a trendy thing apparently. One guy I assumed was a Maori due to his surname I was later told was actually of Italian descent.
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Post by fwx on Dec 21, 2012 14:29:22 GMT 12
Going by names and photos, I would say at least four on Lancasters in 75 (NZ) Sq, late 44 to mid 45: W/Op W/O Tapua Heperi, NZ426199 (Clements crew), A/B P/O 'Mac' Maaka, NZ421741 (Yates crew, see "Luck and a Lancaster"), Pilot P/O Kiwi Amohanga, NZ425492, and Pilot F/O Wi Rangiuaia, NZ427319.
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Post by delticman on Dec 21, 2012 14:40:17 GMT 12
Does Bill Cookson fit your requirements? see "The Topdressers" p53.
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 21, 2012 15:00:38 GMT 12
Going by names and photos, I would say at least four on Lancasters in 75 (NZ) Sq, late 44 to mid 45: W/Op W/O Tapua Heperi, NZ426199 (Clements crew), A/B P/O 'Mac' Maaka, NZ421741 (Yates crew, see " Luck and a Lancaster"), Pilot P/O Kiwi Amohanga, NZ425492, and Pilot F/O Wi Rangiuaia, NZ427319. Maaka's full name was Inia Whangataua Maaka. Amohanga's full name was Kiwi Ernest Amohanga, and presumably the offspring of a mixed-marriage. Errol |
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Post by fwx on Dec 21, 2012 15:49:00 GMT 12
Thanks Errol.
My interest in this subject was first raised when researching my uncle's RNZAF service, coming across a journal from his time at No 3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, and seeing a " T. Heperi" featuring prominently in station sports results - he must have been quite an all-rounder! He also appears in my uncle's graduation photo, and then pops up in the Clements crew at 75 Sq. So I'm guessing that my uncle knew him well.
I hadn't expected to find many Maori aircrew, but then looking through the ORB's and Squadron photos, Rangiaua and Amohanga appear, then Maaka, a central character in Luck and a Lancaster, and also "Ben", the Wireless Operator in the Witting crew featured in the film about 75, Maximum Effort. Also came across R/Gnr P/O Tame Hawaikirangi Waerea, NZ421300 (Whitmore crew), who flew in Stirlings Aug-Sep 43.
So I'm sure there must be quite a few - given the times, and the well-documented difficulties that black American aircrew went through in WW2, it would be fascinating to hear these guys' stories - they must have been pretty courageous and resilient characters.
Cheers,
Chris
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 21, 2012 20:45:56 GMT 12
Thanks Errol. My interest in this subject was first raised when researching my uncle's RNZAF service, coming across a journal from his time at No 3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, and seeing a " T. Heperi" featuring prominently in station sports results - he must have been quite an all-rounder! He also appears in my uncle's graduation photo, and then pops up in the Clements crew at 75 Sq. So I'm guessing that my uncle knew him well. I hadn't expected to find many Maori aircrew, but then looking through the ORB's and Squadron photos, Rangiaua and Amohanga appear, then Maaka, a central character in Luck and a Lancaster, and also "Ben", the Wireless Operator in the Witting crew featured in the film about 75, Maximum Effort. Also came across R/Gnr P/O Tame Hawaikirangi Waerea, NZ421300 (Whitmore crew), who flew in Stirlings Aug-Sep 43. So I'm sure there must be quite a few - given the times, and the well-documented difficulties that black American aircrew went through in WW2, it would be fascinating to hear these guys' stories - they must have been pretty courageous and resilient characters. Cheers, Chris Chris, Waerea is described in official records variously as Thomas Waerea and Thomas Hawaikirangi Waerea. Tom or Thomas is an equivalent of the Maori Tame. Errol |
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