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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 19, 2014 1:36:49 GMT 12
I just came across this in the NZ Herald. I wonder who the child was that was chosen, and what the squadron or SU was.
New Zealand Herald, 10 October 1944
CHILD MASCOT
AIR FORCE SQUADRON
WILSON HOME PATIENT
An offer by a fighter squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force to adopt as its mascot a child patient in the Wilson Home was accented by the Auckland Hospital Board last night, the selection of a child being left to the matron of the institution. A member of the squadron, writing on behalf of all the members, advised that their decision had been unanimous.
He referred to the adoption some months ago by another fighter squadron of a young girl, Gloria Lyons, a victim of tuberculosis of the spine and a patient in the Christchurch Hospital, as its mascot and the subsequent considerable improvement in her health and mental outlook.
"It is the wish of this squadron to follow their example and to interest ourselves in the welfare of a parallel case," added the letter. "As our job of work in the war is necessarily of a destructive character, it is the wish of the squadron members to offset this, to some extent at least, by undertaking a project actively constructive and it is our hope that the benefits accrued should be of a permanent nature, as indeed they will be if our efforts can assist a child back to health and happiness.
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Post by Ian Warren on Apr 24, 2014 13:48:44 GMT 12
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Post by baz62 on Apr 24, 2014 18:59:48 GMT 12
nice job it looks really good. Shame we haven't got one of the "cutdown rear" P40Ns flying in RNZAF markings, I've always liked that model for some reason. Mind you there aren't that many flying in the world. Were they a smaller production run thna all the E/F/M/L/K models?
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Post by Ian Warren on Apr 24, 2014 19:30:11 GMT 12
Thanks Baz, yeah pity about the type, biggest thing, so many great outfits giving it a go yanking all these old hulls out off places and simply rebuilding them, I'm sure the model now on display at Wigram is a E .. I should have checked on that .. but to get it flying I'm sure after all the work done to it they want to keep there grubby little fingers on it.
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Post by shorty on Apr 24, 2014 19:39:48 GMT 12
But none of those are of the "Wilson Home" one that was asked about
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2014 19:43:37 GMT 12
Um, that aircraft is not the subject of the thread actually. Please read my post again.
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Post by Ian Warren on Apr 24, 2014 19:53:46 GMT 12
I thought since little has been mentioned about how and why this person became a mascot, a legend is more like it, from all reading and history all due to the girl writing to or sending media , hence the fame to the plane and name, the "Wilson Home" is something I have not found but in saying that means and put the name in the, my front line to research, quite a story even today.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2014 20:40:35 GMT 12
There's a long thread all about Gloria Lyons on the forum, and mention of her on other threads too. This Wilson Home child is an all new discovery to me and seemingly to others as well, so I'd like to keep it on track if possible please and see if we can find out more. Here's the Gloria Lyons and No. 4 Servicing Unit thread: rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/10436/gloria-lyons-4-servicing-unit
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Post by Ian Warren on Apr 24, 2014 21:35:26 GMT 12
I will keep my eyeballs close to this subject, and for the research, that is something one area I appear to be good at, It would be interesting to contact or see how far and how much information could be sourced from Christchurch hospital, thanks for the link Dave, subject matter well worth following up on .
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2014 0:14:26 GMT 12
The Wilson Home for Crippled Children, nowadays known as the Wilson Home Trust For Children With Disabilities, is based at Takapuna, Auckland. So Christchurch Hospital won't be able to help at all. www.wilsonhometrust.org.nz/
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2014 0:19:08 GMT 12
In the Auckland Star's report the same day as the one above, it names the actual person who contacted the Wilson Home.
Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 240, 10 October 1944
AIRMEN'S OFFER
TO ADOPT CHILD PATIENT
"CONSTRUCTIVE PROJECT"
An offer by a fighter squadron of the R.N.Z.A.F. to sponsor the interest of a child patient in the Wilson Home for Crippled Children was accepted by the Auckland Hospital Board at a meeting last night.
Writing on behalf of the squadron, Flight-Sergeant B. C. Edgecombe drew attention to the adoption as the mascot of another fighter squadron of a Christchurch girl, Gloria Lyons, who was confined to the Christchurch Public Hospital with a spinal complaint, and of her subsequent improvement.
The writer added: "I do not consider that the project requires any justification on my part, but I would like to say that, as our job of work in the war is necessarily of a destructive character, it is the wish of the squadron members to offset this, to some extent at least, by perpetrating a project actively constructive, and it is our hope that the benefits so accrued should be of a permanent nature, as indeed they will be if our efforts can assist a child back to health and happiness." The board decided to leave the selection of a suitable child in the hands of the matron.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2014 0:19:59 GMT 12
So who was this F/Sgt B.C. Edgecombe? And which squadron or SU did he belong to? Does anyone know?
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Post by davidd on Apr 25, 2014 11:09:23 GMT 12
Dave H, Herewith a brief bio for B C Edgecombe, known as Bernie. NZ4213973/131342 Bernard Charles EDGECOMBE, Born Waipukurau 1922, trained as pilot with Course 42B (Woodbourne, graduated & promoted to Sgt 23/12/43), to NCO course at Levin, then posted to No. 26 SBD Sqdn at Ardmore 21/1/44, to 20 Sqdn (also Ardmore) on formation 25/1/44 (actually 26 Squadron simply renumbered and given a new role). Completed four operational tours with this squadron 1944 - 1945, commissioned w.e.f. 25/11/44, tfd to Reserve 28/9/45, to General Reserve 16/5/50, comm terminated 7/2/57. Not certain of his present status. No.20 Squadron was the first to be equipped with the new F4U-1 Corsair, and they arrived at Bougainville in May 1944. They had trained in NZ on P-40s, and converted to the new type at Espiritu Santo. I think he was the subject of some of the official photographs taken during their transfer to Bougainville. David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2014 16:29:23 GMT 12
Great, thanks for this David. So then surely there can be no doubting that the squadron that adopted the child was No. 20 (Fighter) Squadron. I wonder if there's anything in their unit diary about it.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 26, 2014 12:08:17 GMT 12
I have sent an email to the Wilson Home Trust to see if they have any further info, I doubt much will come of this but fingers crossed, we never know...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 27, 2014 14:41:29 GMT 12
I have already heard back from the Director of the trust. he's interested in this story and will try to find out more for us, but he says it depends on what privacy laws allow as to how much he may be able to tell us about the child. But it's good that he's positive about the story.
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Post by Brenton on Apr 27, 2014 17:25:33 GMT 12
Nice one Dave.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 20, 2014 16:34:08 GMT 12
I have had this reply just now:
"Hi Dave, thanks for making contact. That was an interesting item to come across and I am sorry to say that I can’t find any more information about the child that they chose to have as a mascot or whether or not it even went ahead. A couple of years ago we had our 75th Jubilee and many ex patients and staff attended. However, this story never emerged and there were many memories shared. All I can suggest is that you may find other articles from other papers or magazines accessed through the National Library search. If you are interested we do have photos from a helicopter visit U.S.S. Burton Island (is stamped on the back). They aren’t dated but I think they are from between 1950 – 1960. We would be really interested to hear if you do find anything more. Kind regards Sally King"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 5, 2020 16:36:35 GMT 12
I was just reading back through a thread on Gloria Lyons started in 2010 and I realised this cutting I posted there has to be the same mascot as discussed in this thread! I had not made the connection before. This cutting must be form the 1950's. It was pasted into No. 20 Squadron pilot Gavin Gullery's logbook. So mystery solved!
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Post by davidd on Jan 6, 2020 10:42:37 GMT 12
Thank God you have found the answer there Dave, right out of the blue, and on this forum too! Interesting that the journalist in question has called it a bomber squadron, but the unit number is not in question. Of course in those days, while officially it was a fighter unit, in reality it was a fighter bomber squadron. Anybody aware of a Corsair with the name "Paulette" painted on engine cowling or under cockpit sill? David D
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