Flt Lt Cliff G. Andrews

[110brigade]

Can anyone tell be more about this pilot? I'm aware that he served with 684 Squadron flying Mossies, and was involved in a forced landing in Singapore after the surrender of the Japanese, but before its re-occupation. I've also seen the footnote in the New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. III) which has mention that he flew Hudsons, and won the DFC.

Thanks a lot.
Dave

[errolmartyn]

From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999:

"ANDREWS, Squadron Leader Clifford Grainger, DFC.
NZ1277 & 130102; Born Dunedin, 28 Jun 1917; TAF 24 Aug 1939, RNZAF 3 Sep 1940 to 15 Mar 1946, TAF 1 Dec 1948 to 31 Dec 1949, Res. 1 Jan 1950 to 28 Jun 1972; Pilot.
Citation Distinguished Flying Cross (17 Aug 1945): [684(PR)Sqn RAF (Mosquito)] Throughout a large number of photographic reconnaissances this officer has displayed a high standard of skill, enthusiasm and devotion to duty. On one occasion after a flight of over 8 hours duration one engine of his aircraft failed. With great coolness he executed a masterly landing, after dark, with only 10 gallons of fuel available.
Official History records that at the end of the war, but before British Occupation forces had arrived, Flt Lt Andrews was carrying out a PR mission over Singapore, from Cocos Island, when one engine of his Mosquito failed. Rather than face the long flight back to base over water on one motor, he landed at Kallang, Singapore, where he was surprised to find that the Japanese offered every assistance. Through the Senior British Officer at Changi PoW Camp they provided RAF ground staff to service his aircraft, and with 150 gallons of Japanese petrol in his tanks he returned safely to base the next day. In Jul 1945 Flt Lt Andrews flew a Mosquito aircraft over Mount Everest. He had earlier flown DH86s and DH89s whilst on duty in Fiji. Died Wellington, 23 Oct 1991."

Andrews learned to fly with the Wellington Aero Club, being granted his 'A' Licence in February 1938. His log book(s) or a copy of same is held by the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

Errol

[110brigade]

Errol,

Thanks for that info. Adds a lot more info. Sorry - as a British newbie what is the TAF? Looks like a reserve arm of some sort.

My interest in him arises from his Mossie navigator - W/O Painter, who was a local from here in (currently) cold & sunny Leicestershire.

Thanks once again.
Dave

[errolmartyn]

Dave,

You were close. TAF= Territorial Air Force.

Errol

[harvard1041]

The 'other' interesting part of Cliff Andrews aviation career, was his design & building of an attractive little aircraft, the Andrews A-1.




Rgds
Hvd1041

[chinapilot]

Cliff was always around the Wellington AC in the '60s...an extremely nice guy.
His, then silver, Andrews A-1 lived in the CAA hangar but from memory didn't fly much.

[dakman]

I think there is more about this gentleman somewhere on this forum ..Maybe of interest to you ,

[joytuck49]

My name is Joy Lamb nee Joy Tuck.  I was honoured to be part of the Tuck family who befriended Cliff Andrews and his mother Dolly Andrews.

As a young child and I have a photo of Cliff Andrews and myself as Cliff whom was called 'Uncle Cliff' allowed me to fly with him from Ardmore Airport, Wellington in his .... I thought it was a tiger moth.  I will try and look out the photo.

I thought he had died when a reported death was given of a Cliff Andrews who was trialling a plane I thought to Stewart Island when the plane ran out of fuel.

Was I wrong in believing it was the Cliff Andrews from Wellington?

cheers Joy Lamb nee Tuck of Coopers Beach.

this is sent for the person who is researching Cliff Andrews.

He can send me an email on [e-mail]

[errolmartyn]

Joy,

I think you may have confused Cliff Andrews with Stanley George Andrews who died in an aircraft accident on 25 March 1979. The accident was the subject of a recent thread on this forum that can be read here:

rnzaf.proboards.com/posts/recent#page=1&q=hatuma

Errol

[baronbeeza]

Hi Joy, Welcome to the forum.

I am sure there was some confusion but I associated the Andrews name at Stewart Island with Robin Andrews. Robin flew out to the Island for many years but tragically drowned following an aircraft ditching in the Strait in 1998 or therabouts.

Errol's link does not work yet but I will see if I can post some links soon.

Cheers

nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2010/06/taylor-titches-of-new-zealand.html

[bigbadbear]

Hi, sorry if I'm a bit late on this thread, I'm new to all this and had been looking for info on my dad (Warrant Officer W.G Bannister) as he was a navigator in 684 Squadron.

I found this tread after reading Louisa Hormanns blog about the Everest flight www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/everest-flight-1945-a-new-zealand-pilot-and-the-new-route-up-everest/ where Cliff Andrews and Jack Irvine flew Mossies over Everest, and I know my dad flew with Jack

The Imperial War Museum has some film www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060028938 that in the details lists in the Creator section "Painter (Warrant Officer) (Production individual)"

I also think TAF was Tactical Air Force, the Third Tactical Air Force covered South Asia - see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Third_Tactical_Air_Force

[davidd]

Cliff Andrews served with RNZAF in New Zealand and the South Pacific, flying DH 86, DH 89 Rapides, Hudsons, etc, including much service in Fiji on general reconnaissance duties. He embarked NZ for the UK for attachment to RAF on 21st August 1943. His flight over Mount Everest in 1945 was filmed by occupants of another Mosquito from the same squadron, pilot of this second aircraft was another New Zealander by the name of Irvine. I remember viewing this film in late 1960s or early 1970s, I think the gentleman who brought this film along for projecting was Irvine himself, who lived in Christchurch. I think both Mosquitos were in overall aluminium dope finish.
David D

[isc]

The TAF in NZ was a part time service with 4 Squadrons(?) #1 Auckland, #2 Wellington, #3 Christchurch, #4 Dunedin, the used such aircraft as Tiger Moth, Harvard, and Mustang. isc

[Dave Homewood]

Ian you are referring to the postwar TAF. Cliff Andrews was in the Pre-war TAF, which was three operational squadrons, the Wellington (Territorial) Squadron which Cliff was in and the Christchurch (Territorial) Squadron - both flying Baffins - and the Auckland (Territorial) Squadron which flew Baffins and Vincents.

[bigbadbear]

Flg Off C.G. Andrews and Wt Off H.S. Painter are both mentioned in "EYES FOR THE PHOENIX Allied Aerial Photo-Reconnaissance Operations South-East Asia 1941-1945" by Geoffrey J. Thomas. (Page 149)
Painter is also mentioned in the book with Flt Lt Anderson for an unauthorised landing at Kallang airfield. (Page 169)

Jack Irvine and Bob Bannister are in there as well (Page 134)

I have a hardback copy of it and I have seen an online version at mxdoc.com/eyes-for-the-phoenix-allied-aerial-photo-reconnaissance-oper.html although that doesn't have any of the photos and the OCR used to scan the book doesn't seem to have worked very well although comparing it to the paper copy it gets most of it ok and is easier to search.

[andrew747]

My father knew Andrews and Painter. He was with 684 Squadron in 1944/45. Unfortunately, I can’t give you much more info since my Dad passed away 6 years ago. Happy to share info on 684 Squadron though.