New Zealand Airmen in WWI

[errolmartyn]

Jun 2, 2024 11:30:37 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

In this thread there are two pilots named Coverdale mentioned.

2/Lt Oswald Myles Coverdale

H.V. Coverdale (who I assume was Harold Vincent Coverdale, 1898-1971)

Were Harold and Oswald brothers?

HV and OM Coverdale were brothers, both trained and graduated at NZFS.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol.

[Dave Homewood]

Here is an obituary from The Press, 10 June 1970, for David Barnes who is previously mentioned in this thread:

Obituary MR D. BARNES

A former Labour member of of Parliament for Waitaki in 1935-38, Mr David Barnes, died in Christchurch last week. He was 76.

Mr Barnes, who was born and educated in England, came to New Zealand with his parents in 1908. He took up farming in the North Canterbury area, but went overseas in 1914 with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles. He was wounded at Gallipoli, and returned to New Zealand where he became the first returned man to join the pilots trained at Sockburn by the Canterbury Aviation Company.

Mr Barnes then returned to England, where he completed his training as a pilot and served with English coastal defence forces until the end of World War I.

On his return to New Zealand after the war, Mr Barnes resumed farming in North Canterbury, and later at Fairlie, where he started a branch of the Labour Party. He was elected to represent the Waitaki electorate in the 1935 Parliament, and remained a member until 1938. During his term, he was appointed to the Rehabilitation Board, a position he held until the early 1950s.

In 1939, he was appointed a director of the State Advances Corporation, in which position he served for 15 years.

After joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1940, Mr Barnes was made adjutant of the Rongotai Training School, and later toured New Zealand as a member of the R.N.Z.A.F. recruiting committee. Mr Barnes retired to Christchurch after World War 11. He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs M. Johnson, of Oxford.

[Dave Homewood]

May 5, 2016 17:40:38 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

More names from Archway of NZ WWI Air Force personnel who have files at the National Archives.....

Alfred Victor Barrow - Australian Imperial Force - Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps

From the Press, 28 April 1972:

MR A. V. BARROW

Mr Alfred Victor Barrow, who died at the Rannerdale War Veterans’ Home on Monday, was in the thick of the fighting in the air during one of the big events of the First World War.

He was in the air when the “Red Baron,” the German air ace, Manfred von Richthofen, was shot down near Amiens. The baron had been a scourge of the Allied forces and assured himself a place in aviation history.

Mr Barrow was born in England in 1886 and came to New Zealand in 1911. He went to Australia three years later and enlisted in the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces.

He transferred to the Australian Flying Corps in 1917 and served as an observer and pilot in the 3rd Squadron in France.

Mr Barrow returned to New Zealand in 1920 and worked for Smith and Smith, Ltd, for many years.; He was a life member of the Canterbury Officers’ Club.

[davidd]

I wonder if this Mr Barrow was related to Tom Barrow, New Zealand's first Air Secretary from 1937 I presume (also a lifelong civil servant I believe).

[Dave Homewood]

I also wondered that. It's not a particularly common name. However I do not think so as he was born in Dobson, in Westland. Here is Tom Barrow's obituary from The Press, 19 September 1967:

Death Of Mr T. A. Barrow

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept 17.

Mr Thomas Abram Barrow, C.B.E., of Howick, who played a prominent part in the administration leading up to the formation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, died on Saturday, aged 70. He was permanent head of the Air Department from establishment in 1937 until his retirement in 1953.

When he began as Air Secretary there were twenty-one officers and 156 airmen in the R.N.Z.A.F. and on his retirement it had a regular strength of 4624, and had reached 42,000 in the Second World War.

Mr Barrow was born in Dobson and educated in Greymouth and Wellington, and qualified as an accountant, joining the State Fire Service in 1913.

In 1924 Mr Barrow was appointed inspector-accountant for the Education Department and in 1935 was chief accountant for the Public Works Department. He was director of Tasman Empire Airways (now Air New Zealand) from its formation in 1940.

Mr Barrow was a life vice-president and former president of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club, a life member and former president of the Auckland Aero Club and a life member of the Air Force Association.

[Dave Homewood]

Jul 29, 2006 0:41:18 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Just an update of New Zealanders who served in the World War One Air Forces, I found a list of pilots who were all the founding members of the Territorial Air Force (also known as the NZAF) in June 1923. They had all served in WWI. I have added first names where I know them. The list is

A. H. Skinner

This was Arthur Hirst Skinner. Below if from the New Zealand Herald, 18 January 1926


EX-AIRMAN'S DEATH.



GERMAN HOSPITAL'S NEGLECT



SHRAPNEL LEFT IN HEAD.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCBURCH. Saturday.

To die from the effects of a war injury which only manifested itself three weeks ago has proved the fate of Mr. Arthur Hirst Skinner, of Aikman's Road. For the years since the war up to the illness which terminated fatally in Christchurch Hospital yesterday, Mr. Skinner had enjoyed the best of health, and had never been troubled by the wound.

The neglect of the Germans, by whom he had been held prisoner, to extract a piece of shrapnel from his head proved the eventual cause of his death. The late Mr. Skinner left New Zealand in 1914 with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the Expeditionary Force. He was a member of the 1st. Canterbury Company and was in the landing on Gallipoli. Later he served in France.

After that he was on the headquarters staff in London. Finally he transferred to the Royal Air Force, in which he gained the rank of captain. He was engaged in operations behind the German lines in France when he was struck by a piece of shrapnel and crashed. The wound he then received was the one which subsequently proved fatal.

For 15 months he was a prisoner in Germany, and after the armistice, when he gave the indication of perfect health, he rejoined the Royal Air Force, and saw service on the Russian front against the Bolsheviks. On his discharge he returned to Christchurch, and, about two years ago married Kathleen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. Banks, of Shirley.

On Christmas Eve Mr. Skinner had a series of seizures, the first manifestation of the fatal trouble. He was operated upon at the Christchurch Hospital by Dr. Acland, but he died yesterday. He is survived by his widow and an infant child. He was a very popular member at the Christchurch Officers Club.

[ErrolC]

Oct 11, 2024 1:47:26 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Jul 29, 2006 0:41:18 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Just an update of New Zealanders who served in the World War One Air Forces, I found a list of pilots who were all the founding members of the Territorial Air Force (also known as the NZAF) in June 1923. They had all served in WWI. I have added first names where I know them. The list is

A. H. Skinner

This was Arthur Hirst Skinner. Below if from the New Zealand Herald, 18 January 1926


EX-AIRMAN'S DEATH.



GERMAN HOSPITAL'S NEGLECT



SHRAPNEL LEFT IN HEAD.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCBURCH. Saturday.

To die from the effects of a war injury which only manifested itself three weeks ago has proved the fate of Mr. Arthur Hirst Skinner, of Aikman's Road. For the years since the war up to the illness which terminated fatally in Christchurch Hospital yesterday, Mr. Skinner had enjoyed the best of health, and had never been troubled by the wound.

The neglect of the Germans, by whom he had been held prisoner, to extract a piece of shrapnel from his head proved the eventual cause of his death. The late Mr. Skinner left New Zealand in 1914 with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the Expeditionary Force. He was a member of the 1st. Canterbury Company and was in the landing on Gallipoli. Later he served in France....

Pretty sure it is a judgement call whether to extract shrapnel next to the brain, especially in 1918. A bit of German-bashing is understandable however!
Exciting times fighting in Russia too!

[Dave Homewood]

I was not aware of any New Zealand airmen fighting in Russia at that time after WWI till I saw this. We're there others?

I agree regarding the shrapnel.