Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 19, 2018 20:43:48 GMT 12
In this episode of the Wings over New Zealand Show I interviewed the late Bill Edhouse, who was an RNZAF Air Gunner during WWII.
He served initially as a gunner in Hawker Hinds, on No. 6 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Milson (Palmerston North), then briefly with No. 21 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Ohakea, and finally No. 20 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Onerahi, Whangarei.
He was then posted to No. 30 Squadron at Gisborne fora short time flying in their Vickers Vincents and Harvard, before undergoing some turret training with No. 2 Gunnery School’s Lockheed Hudsons, also at Gisborne.
Next he joined No. 1 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron at Whenuapai in August 1943 . With that unit in October 1943 he proceeded to the Pacific and flew a tour in Tom Mounsey’s crew on the front line from Henderson Field at Guadalcanal and also the forward strip at Munda.
He returned to New Zealand in February 1944 and was posted to No. 9 Squadron where he crewed up with another crew, led by Bert Caisley. With them he returned to Henderson Field in June 1944 for his second tour. They soon moved up to Piva in Bougainville and flew operations through till late August 1944.
Following that second tour he returned to New Zealand where he joined No. 8 Squadron flying home duties at Whenuapai, before he then rejoined No. 6 Squadron, who were now flying Consolidated Catalina. His crew was led by S/Ldr Butcher. He returned to the Pacific with No. 6 Squadron in November 1944 and flew patrols in the Catalinas through till May 1945. From June till November 1945 he worked in the Whenuapai Control Tower before being released from the RNZAF.
Bill died in March 2017, aged 94.
Here's the episode link:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2018/06/bill-edhouse/
Here's me with Bill
He served initially as a gunner in Hawker Hinds, on No. 6 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Milson (Palmerston North), then briefly with No. 21 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Ohakea, and finally No. 20 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Onerahi, Whangarei.
He was then posted to No. 30 Squadron at Gisborne fora short time flying in their Vickers Vincents and Harvard, before undergoing some turret training with No. 2 Gunnery School’s Lockheed Hudsons, also at Gisborne.
Next he joined No. 1 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron at Whenuapai in August 1943 . With that unit in October 1943 he proceeded to the Pacific and flew a tour in Tom Mounsey’s crew on the front line from Henderson Field at Guadalcanal and also the forward strip at Munda.
He returned to New Zealand in February 1944 and was posted to No. 9 Squadron where he crewed up with another crew, led by Bert Caisley. With them he returned to Henderson Field in June 1944 for his second tour. They soon moved up to Piva in Bougainville and flew operations through till late August 1944.
Following that second tour he returned to New Zealand where he joined No. 8 Squadron flying home duties at Whenuapai, before he then rejoined No. 6 Squadron, who were now flying Consolidated Catalina. His crew was led by S/Ldr Butcher. He returned to the Pacific with No. 6 Squadron in November 1944 and flew patrols in the Catalinas through till May 1945. From June till November 1945 he worked in the Whenuapai Control Tower before being released from the RNZAF.
Bill died in March 2017, aged 94.
Here's the episode link:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2018/06/bill-edhouse/
Here's me with Bill
