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Post by suthg on Oct 28, 2017 14:56:13 GMT 12
Any chance you can track down his logbook through the family Graham? Dave Iggo's daughter Sue told me "Trevor Wilton died many years ago. Last known address was a farm in Rangitumau, near Masterton. Has a daughter Jane, and two sons. Whereabouts unknown." My mother's family lived in Rangitumau region also - a lot of cousins in the same area. I don't really have any contacts back there now but I will do a search - McLachlans and Stuarts are still there I think. I might draw a blank... Oh I still have a Wilton cousin there myself. I'll try Stephen.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 28, 2017 15:35:29 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 28, 2017 18:55:38 GMT 12
Another thing occurs to me, I wonder what happened to the No. 485 (NZ) Squadron groundcrew when they finished with the Spitfires and the squadron went to Predannack for conversion to the Hawkers.
I'm assuming they went too, as there seems to be at least five trucks in the photos Sue sent me and that would seem excessive for just the pilots. But would they have needed to do a Tempest maintenance course? And would that have been done at the same time with the squadron learning on the job, perhaps working with some experienced Tempest and Typhoon men posted in to show the others the ropes?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 28, 2017 19:07:03 GMT 12
And as soon as I wrote the above I remembered Joe Roddis's book "In Support Of The Few". He was on the squadron and yes is seems the groundcrew did go to Predannack too. But he really glosses over it all with just a few paragraphs sadly, mentioning the squadron had "one old Typhoon and a coupe of Tempests to play with". He wrote some pilots felt like "a pea in a bowler hat" in the large cockpits, and they were "like driving a 5 ton truck after a sports car" so he says the Hawkers were not liked and the pilots were generally glad to return to the Spitfires.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2018 20:41:48 GMT 12
Any chance you can track down his logbook through the family Graham? Dave Iggo's daughter Sue told me "Trevor Wilton died many years ago. Last known address was a farm in Rangitumau, near Masterton. Has a daughter Jane, and two sons. Whereabouts unknown." My mother's family lived in Rangitumau region also - a lot of cousins in the same area. I don't really have any contacts back there now but I will do a search - McLachlans and Stuarts are still there I think. I might draw a blank... Oh I still have a Wilton cousin there myself. I'll try Stephen. Graeme, did you ever have any luck?
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Post by suthg on Aug 7, 2018 18:39:52 GMT 12
Just back from 5 weeks overseas - yes I did make contact once with a 2nd cousin. But she never replied to second email. I should go back to try and make contact again.
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katees
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 1
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Post by katees on Apr 25, 2020 15:03:14 GMT 12
Hi, Trevor Wilton was my grandfather. He did pass away many years ago - his oldest son Barry has his War possessions I believe. Barry is in Masterton.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2020 15:04:53 GMT 12
Thanks for that!
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