Douglas Boston and Havoc

[Dave Homewood]

I am curious, did any New Zealanders fly the Douglas Boston bomber or Douglas Havoc nightfighter/intruder in RAF service?

I know that Leonard Trent VC had a go in one but I'm wondering about kiwis who served on Boston or Havoc squadrons. I cannot recall ever come across any kiwis who served on this type operationally. The RAF had 24 squadrons using the type apparently and it's well known kiwis served on every RAF squadron so odds are there must have been several kiwis flying or crewing in them?

[errolmartyn]

25 New Zealanders died flying Bostons and another two became PoW. Four more died flying Havocs. Loss stats for these and other types for all of 1915-2005 appear in one of the appendices in my Vol Three of 'For Your Tomorrow'.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol. If that's the case logic says there must have been a load more who flew in them too. Interesting.

[Dave Homewood]

I see there are some very brief mentions of kiwis flying Bostons and Havocs in the volumes of New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force. Not much detail though.

[davidd]

Dave H,
One Kiwi who flew Bostons in the Western Desert was Ron Henry, now deceased. Ron spent quite a few years as a guide at the RNZAF Museum, and naturally considered the Boston as one of the finest aircraft in the wartime RAF! A real twin engine fighter, with the wings sprouting out of your shoulders.

Postwar, Ron rejoined (or had remained) in the RAF, and seemed to have had a lovely time with the peacetime RAF (the time when you were NOT being constantly shot at), but all I can remember was that he ended up with a special unit equipped with at least one EE Lightning. He was tasked with testing a new system of emergency landings for this type of aircraft - using a bed of gravel in the overrun area to slow up the aircraft in question, which apparently was quite exciting, probably in 1960s.

Dave D

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks David. It is a type that seems to have been a real work horse for the RAF but gets very little attention, for some reason.

[Calum]

Most of the American aircraft used by the RAF seem to get forgotten,

[pjw4118]

Doug Smith flew them on 88 squadron . He was at the last NZBCA do and pretty fit.

[Dave Homewood]

Hi Peter, thanks for that. Good to hear there's one kiwi Boston pilot still around.

You're right Calum, that does seem to be the case. I guess the highest profile US aeroplanes in the RAF are the Dakotas, Mustang, Liberator and Kittyhawk. But we seldom see anything about Mohawks, Hudsons, Venturas, Lightnings, Bostons, Havocs, Marauders, etc in the RAF. The Marauder story is an excellent one, I have interviewed a kiwi Marauder pilot.

[Dave Homewood]

I just looked up No. 88 Squadron's history and realised this is the same squadron that W/C Tom Horton flew in, and I remembered that he too flew the Boston for a bit. The interview i did with him is in he WONZ Show archive.

[corsair5517]

The father of my neighbour in South Otago was such a pilot flying night intruder missions from Italy into Europe; very modest, humble chap who rarely spoke of it; in fact his son - my neighbour - knew very little of what Colin got up to in the war - these blokes are their own, and a historians, worst enemy!!

He's still spry and lively and would quite probably welcome the chance to chat about it if anyone's up for it? Should someone wish to have a yarn, let me know and I'll tee it up asmuch as I can from here.

[Dave Homewood]

Sounds interesting. I wonder if someone can stick him in front of Skype?

[corsair5517]

I know Ross' wife Skypes regularly; I'll ask, eh?!

Dave, can I use your name and this forum to try and tee something up?

[Dave Homewood]

Go for it.

[phasselgren]

Nov 14, 2013 18:28:22 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

I am curious, did any New Zealanders fly the Douglas Boston bomber or Douglas Havoc nightfighter/intruder in RAF service?

Dave,

No.23 Squadron started Intruder operations with Bristol Blenheims in December 1940. According to the Official History “New Zealand airmen took a prominent part in these early missions, twelve of them flying with No. 23 Squadron as pilots, navigators and gunners”. When Havoc was introduced in April 1941 most of these still served with this unit. Several of the air gunners were involved in combats with claims for both probably destroyed and damaged enemy aircraft. Walther Fletcher and David Campbell were the most successful. This will be covered in my next article in the Aerolegacy.

Air gunner Colin Forsyth and Navigator Francis Hogg were posted from No.23 to No.418 Squadron to add some experienced aircrew to the newly established Canadian unit. Both received decorations for their service in this unit. Colin Forsyth left the unit just a few days before its last Boston sortie on the night 8/9 July 1943 and covered more or less the whole operational career of Havoc/Boston as an Intruder in the RAF.

Squadron Leader A. W. Mack, RAF (later RNZAF) served with the third unit, No.605 Squadron, using Havoc/Boston on Intruder operations. He damaged a Do 217 on the 13 February 1942 probably flying a Boston III (the Mosquito was introduced during this period). This is the only claim I know made by a pilot flying Havoc/Boston but I do not know much about the operations by No.85 Squadron using radar equipped Havocs.

New Zealand air gunners also flew with Boston units of the South African Air Force in the Mediterranean.

Peter

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Peter. I guess that is the same Francis Hogg who served on Venturas in the Pacific later.

[brendon]

My Great Uncle Lawrence Braithwaite Waters NZ411111 flew on one mission with 226 squadron on the Dieppe Raid from RAF Swanton Morley, Norfolk on 19.08.42 in a Boston III. He didnt survive this raid however the Pilot also a kiwi - Wilfred Ronald Gellatly NZ40563 did and possibly continued with these aircraft.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for the info, Brendon.

[brendon]

Just reading, Gellatly survived the war completing atleast 75 sorties with multiple squadrons. Later he trained on helicopters and became Chief test pilot for Westland.

[Mustang51]

I cannot add to the list of Kiwi personnel who flew the Boston/Havoc however, I can say that when 22 Sqn RAAF were 'obliged' to convert from the Boston to the Havoc they were both upset and unimpressed. They too thought that the Boston was a fighter in sheep's clothes.