New Zealand Airmen who fought in The Battle of France

[Dave Homewood]

This thread is to compile a list of the New Zealand airmen who served operationally during the Battle of France (10th of May till 25th of June 1940). If you know of any names and details of Kiwi airmen who served, please post them here on the thread and I'll add them into this first post.

Colour Code
* died during the Battle of France
* died in the subsequent Battle of Britain
* died later in the war 

New Zealanders Who Flew Operationally In The Battle of France
A
- Russell Faulkner Aitken (Hurricanes? over Dunkirk)
- James Henry Leslie Allen (Hurricanes, No. 151 Squadron) *

B
- Gerald Montague Bailey (Blenheim IV's, No. 53 Squadron) *
- Ronald Edward Bary (Hurricanes, No. 229 Squadron) *
- Thomas George Bassett (Blenheim IV, 15 Squadron) *
- Francis Noel Brinsden (Spitfires, No. 19 Squadron)
- C.W. Bromley (unknown bombers, unknown squadron, involved in Dunkirk)
- Bernard Walter Brown (Hectors and Lysanders, No. 613 (Army Co-op) Squadron)
- Charles Roy Bush (Gladiators, No. 615 Squadron)

C
- Malcolm Keith Carswell (Hurricane, No. 43 Squadron)
- Croydon Jelfs Edinborough Chamberlain (Blenheims, No. 59 Squadron) *
- Colin Chrystall (Blenheims, No. 235 Squadron)
- Falcon Nelson Clouston (Hurricanes, No. 229 Squadron) *
- Wilfrid Greville Clouston (Spitfires, No. 19 Squadron)
- Donald Gordon Cobden (Spitfires, No. 74 Squadron) *
- John Herbert Coleman (Spitfires, No. 19 Squadron) *
- John Richard Cronan (Blenheims, No. 235 Squadron) unconfirmed *
- Pilot Officer Cross
- Vernon Allan Cunningham (Battles, No.103 Squadron) *

D
- Alan Deere (Spitfires, No. 54 Squadron)
- Ian Dromgoole (Lysanders, No. 16 Squadron) *

E
- John Ernest Edwards (Blenheims, No. 40 Squadron) *

F
- Thomas Bernard "Tom" Fitzgerald (Battles, No. 103 Squadron)

G
- John Albert Axel Gibson (Hurricanes, No. 501 Squadron)
- Thomas Francis 'Frank' Gill (Fairey Battles)
- Colin Falkland Gray (Spitfires, No. 54 Squadron)

H
- James Chilton Francis Hayter (Battles, No. 98 Squadron)
- Harold Spotswoode Hennah  *
- Howard Perry Hill (Spitfires, No. 92 Squadron) *
- Ernest Elliott Howarth (Lysanders, No. 26 Squadron) *
- James Samuel Humphreys (Hurricanes, No. 607 Squadron) 
- Reginald Jack Hyde (Spitfires, No. 66 Squadron) 

K
- Dereck "Bill" Kain (Hurricanes, No. 73 Squadron)
- Edgar "Cobber" Kain (Hurricanes, No. 73 Squadron) *
- Matthew John Alexander Kirdy (Battles, No. 142 Squadron) *
- Kenneth Kirkcaldie (Hurricanes, No. 32 Squadron) *

L
- Roy John Alexander “Jack” Leslie (Battles)

M
- John Claverly Martin (Battles, No. 98 Squadron) *
- Michael Ernest Brian Macassey (Lysanders, No. 13 Squadron) *

- Arthur William Mack (Whitleys, No. 102 Squadron)

- Camille Enright "Cam" Malfroy, DFC (Hurricanes, No. 501 Squadron)
- Roy Douglas Max (Battles, No. 103 Squadron)
- Hector Douglas McGregor (Hurricanes, No. 213 Squadron)
- Edgar Elliott Morton (Battles, No. 103 Squadron) *
- Noel Joseph Mowat (Hurricanes, No. 245 Squadron)
- Henry Macale Murray (Battles, No. 218 Squadron)

N
- Charles William Kelvin Nicholls (Hurricanes, No. 73 Squadron)
- Raymond Robin Henry Nuttall (Whitley V's, No. 10 Squadron) *

O
- Alan Charles Ollerenshaw (Lysanders, No. 13 Squadron) *

P
- James Alfred Paterson (Magisters, No. 71 Wing, then Battles, No. 226 Squadron) *
- Basil William Peryman (was reported as missing on ops in France during Battle, survived though)

R
- Paul Wattling Rabone (Battles, No. 88 Squadron) *
- Kenneth Noel Rea (Battles, No. 226 Squadron) *

S
- Gordon Cranleigh Saunders (Hurricanes, No. 87 Squadron) *
- Jack Shorthouse (Battles, No. 12 Squadron) 
- Geoffrey Mervyn Simpson (Blenheims, No. 229 Squadron) *
- Peter Duggan Smith (Blenheims) 
- Douglas James Spence (Hurricanes, No. 245 Squadron) *
- John Talbot Strang (Hurricanes, No. 253 Squadron)
- William Hector "Bill" Stratton (Hurricanes, 1 Squadron)
- Kenwyn Roland Sutton (Battles, No. 98 Squadron)

T
- Kenneth William Tait (Hurricanes, No. 87 Squadron) *
- Richard Macklow Trousdale (Spitfires, No. 266 Squadron)


V- Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity, (Hurricanes, attached No. 615 Squadron)
- James Edward Vernon (Battles, No. 150 Squadron) *

W
- Neville Whitford Walders (Lysanders, No. 13 Squadron) *
- Derek Harland Ward (Hurricanes, No. 87 Squadron) *
- Kenneth Victor Wendel (Hurricanes, No. 504 Squadron) *
- Eric William Whitley (Hurricanes, No. 245 Squadron)
- Albert Edward Wickham (Battles, No. 88 Squadron)
- Ronald George Wigg (Spitfires, No. 66 Squadron)
- Wycliff Stuart Williams (Spitfires, No. 266 Squadron) *
- Clive Robinson Wylie (Blenheim IV's, No. 59 Squadron) *

Y
- Robert Duncan Yule (Hurricanes, No. 145 Squadron) 

The following New Zealanders were members of No. 75 (NZ) Squadron and completed at least one op in the Battle of France
- John Adams (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Lindsay Douglas Anderson (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Aubrey Arthur Ninnis Breckon (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) 
- William Harcourt Coleman (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- John Noel Collins (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Frank Henderson Denton (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Trevor Owen Freeman (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Ian Ronald Gow (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Donald Joseph Harkness (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Richard John Kitchener Hogg (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Arthur George Lee Humphreys (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Cyril Eyton Kay (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Gordie Keith Larney (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Frederick John Lucas (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)
- Duncan Harold McArthur (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Frank Twain Poole (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) *
- Charles Aylmer Pownall (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron) 
- Frederick James Read (Wellingtons, No. 75 Squadron)

New Zealand Airmen In France But In Reserve Pool Squadron at Nantes
Ronald Stanley Magee (Battles, No. 98 Squadron) *
Walter Raymond (Battles, No. 98 Squadron) 

[clint]

William Stratton (Hurricanes, 1 Squadron).

[angelsonefive]

P/O VBS Verity, attached 615 Sqdn, Hurricanes.

F/O JA Paterson, 71 Wing at first flying Miles Magisters on recce and observation flights for the BEF, then 226 Sqdn, Fairey Battles.
Posthumously gazetted MBE 1/1/41 for his work in France.

F/O FN Brinsden, 19 Sqdn (Spitfires) based Duxford. Shot down a Stuka over Dunkirk, 26/5/40.

P/O DG Cobden ( All Black, played against the Springboks, August,'37 ) 74 Sqdn, Spitfires, based Hornchurch. Unit commenced patrols over France and Belgium on 10/5/40. Cobden shared in the destruction of a Dornier on 24/5/40. Failed to return from combat, 11/8/40.

F/O PW Rabone. Born Salisbury, England 2/3/18 and came to NZ with his parents. Served with the TA, then accepted for the Civil Air Reserve and trained at Middle Districts and Auckland Aero Clubs. 'A' Licence on 18/5/38. Accepted for SSC and went to No.1 FTS, Wigram as Acting P/O. To the UK in Feb., 1939 and transferred to the RAF. To France with 88 Sqdn, Battles, on 2/9/39. Shot down in May 1940 in German-held territory but evaded and returned. 10/3/44 transferred back to RNZAF. FTR from op. over NW Germany in Mosquito MkVI on 24/7/44. Rabone's body was found washed ashore on Heligoland Island three months later.

[hbpencil]

IIRC wasn't Colin Gray with Al Deere in 54 sqn (Spitfires)?

[angelsonefive]

Sept 26, 2018 21:43:33 GMT 12 hbpencil said:

IIRC wasn't Colin Gray with Al Deere in 54 sqn (Spitfires)?

Correct. Colin Gray joined 54 Sqdn at Hornchurch on 20/11/39.
On 24/5/40 he shared in the destruction of a 109, presumably over France or the Channel.

[angelsonefive]

F/O KV Wendel, 504 Sqdn, (Hurricanes), unit went to France on 12/5/40 and returned to England on 22/5/40 after heavy losses. KV Wendel was KIA on 7/9/40.

F/O RE Bary, joined 229 Sqdn (Hurricanes) on 26/10/39. On 1/6/40 he was credited with a Stuka, probably destroyed, over Dunkirk.
Wing Commander RE Bary was KIA in Italy on 12/4/45 when a 500lb bomb exploded prematurely as he dived his Spitfire at a target.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for all the additions, I have added them to the list. Keep them coming if you can.

[angelsonefive]

F/O JHL Allen, 151 Sqdn (Hurricanes), based at North Weald. On 16/5/40 he was sent, along with some other 151 pilots, to France to reinforce No.87 Squadron which had suffered heavy losses. Three days later he was wounded in the left arm by return fire from a Henschel 126. F/O Allen was returned to England for treatment and rejoined 151 Squadron, now at Martlesham Heath, on 5/6/40.
On 12/7/40 the Squadron engaged two formations of Dorniers over the Channel. Allen's Hurricane was caught in a heavy cross-fire and was last seen gliding down towards the sea with a dead engine. He is believed to have drowned and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.

P/O BW Brown, 613 (Army Co-op) Sqdn operating a mixed force of Hawker Hectors and Westland Lysanders from Odiham. On 26/5/40 Hectors and Lysanders were sent to bomb German field gun positions near Calais. On the way to the target P/O Brown test fired the forward gun of his Hector. This caused the muzzle attachment to fly off, owing to a missing split pin, penetrating the fuselage and holing the main fuel tank. Turning back P/O Brown jettisoned his two bombs and made a forced landing on the Herne Bay Golf Course.
BW Brown was released from RNZAF service in 1945 and became a first officer with BOAC flying Dakotas. Later he joined BEA and remained with that airline until retirement in 1972. He returned to NZ to live and passed away on 23/1/2017, aged 99 years.

[angelsonefive]

P/O CR Bush flew Gloster Gladiators with 615 Sqdn at Abbeville, France, in an airfield defence role from mid-May 1940 to the 21st of May, when they were withdrawn to Kenley. Posted to 242 Sqdn (Hurricanes) at Biggin Hill on 5/6/40, P/O Bush went back to France with them three days later, to provide air cover to BEF units retreating to the port of St Nazaire. 242 Sqdn withdrew to Coltishall on 18/6/40.
CR Bush was killed, along with his two crew, when their Oxford broke up in the air over the Ruahine Ranges during a flight from Napier to Ohakea on 30/11/48.


F/Lt MK Carswell. 43 (Hurricane) Sqdn. Shot down in flames over Dunkirk on 1/6/40. He bailed out of Hurricane N2484 landing among French troops very close to the front line. Injured, he was taken to an emergency hospital in Dunkirk and from there to a British destroyer that was under a Stuka attack at the time. He arrived back in England on that same day. He was admitted to hospital.
MK Carswell settled in Rome after the war, working in the theatre and film industries.
He retired in Australia and passed away there on 7/7/2003.

[angelsonefive]

Sgt C Chrystall.
Colin Chrystall of Foxton travelled to the UK and joined the RAF in July 1938 as an Airman U/T Wireless Operator. Having completed this course he remustered as a Wireless Operator (Air) in May 1939. In March 1940 he applied for pilot training and was successful, to commence his 'Wings' training at some point in the future. While waiting he continued his Wireless Op. (Air) duties, being posted to 235 Sqdn (Blenheims) based at Bircham Newton in May 1940. The Squadron flew patrols over Dunkirk and Chrystal, now promoted to Sergeant, would have taken part in these.
Remaining with 235 Sqdn through the Battle of Britain period he was posted away to start his pilot training on 10/5/41, completing the courses (EFTS, SFTS, OTU) on 15/4/42.
In June 1944 he was flying a Spitfire in a low level attack near Cencina, Italy, when he was shot down. He evaded capture for two weeks before stepping on a mine while skirting a German gun emplacement. He lost the lower part of his right leg in the blast and was taken POW. Repatriated to the UK in Sept., 1944.
Transfering to the RNZAF on 1/7/45 he returned to NZ in June 1946 and left the Service on 20/7/46.
He became a farmer and died tragically on 28/7/61 as he and a contractor were working in a ten-feet-deep (3 metres) hole when the sides caved in. Both men were killed.

[angelsonefive]

F/Lt Falcon Nelson Clouston, 229 Sqdn, based Digby. Shot down in Hurricane P3489 while attacking Stukas over the Dunkirk beach-head, 29/5/40.
Body recovered off the German coast. Buried in Sage Cemetery near Bremen.

P/O John Noel Collins RNZAF. Killed 21/5/40 when Wellington Mk IC R3517 of No. 75 Sqdn crashed in a raid on Dinant, Belgium. Commem. Runnymede Memorial. ( I think this op. could be considered part of the Battle of France.)

[angelsonefive]

F/Lt JAA Gibson. Born in Brighton, England on 24/8/1916 and came to NZ in 1920.
In 1938 he joined the RAF on a Short Service Commission.
On 21/5/40 he was posted to 501 Sqdn (Hurricanes) based at Anglure, France. He scored several air victories in France.
501 Squadron was withdrawn from France on 18/6/40.
There is even more to Gibson's wartime flying career than this, including RNZAF service in the Pacific.

F/O JCF Hayter. Joined the RNZAF on a Short Service Commission in November 1938. He sailed for the UK on 14/7/39. Upon arrival he was posted to 98 Sqdn operating Fairey Battles from Hucknall. On 16/4/40 the Squadron moved to Chateau Bourgon, about 25km northeast of Nantes in France, and on 12/5/40 F/O Hayter flew one of three Battles attacking roads and bridges in the Sedan area.

[angelsonefive]

P/O JS Humphreys. Joined the Civil Reserve of Pilots in February 1938, and applied for a Short Service Commission in the RAF. Provisionally accepted, he sailed for the UK on 19/12/38. After training he was posted to 245 Sqdn at Leconfield.
Early in May 1940 P/O Humphreys volunteered for duty in France and on 13/5/40 joined 607 Sqdn (Hurricanes) at Vitry-en-Artois. In a period of intensive air combat and heavy losses P/O Humphreys was credited with 3 enemy aircraft destroyed and 2 damaged. The Squadron was withdrawn to Croydon on the 21st of May.
JS Humphreys died in Wanganui on the 25th of April, 1986.

[angelsonefive]

W/Cdr HD McGregor. Born at Wairoa 15/2/1910. He went to the UK early in 1928 and took a Short Service Commission in the RAF.
On the 28th of May 1940 he reported to 213 Sqdn (Hurricanes) at Biggin Hill as CO Designate.
On the 31st of May he was on patrol over Dunkirk when his Hurricane was shot down. He baled and on landing found that he had come down in a minefield.
He managed to make his way out of the minefield and returned to Dover by ship.
HD McGregor had a very distinguished career in the RAF retiring in September 1964 as Air Marshall KCB.

[angelsonefive]

F/O JC Martin. Born Timaru, 6/5/1914. Applied for SSC in the RAF and upon receiving provisional acceptance embarked for the UK on 14/8/1937.
After training he was posted to 63 Sqdn on 9/7/38. The Squadron was disbanded in April, 1940 to form No. 12 OTU and F/O Martin was posted to 98 Sqdn, flying Fairey Battles as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France. The Squadron returned to England in June 1940, and in August Martin volunteered for Fighter Command and subsequently flew with 32, 257, and 485 (NZ) Squadrons.
On 20/6/41 he went to 222 Sqdn as a Flight Commander. On 27/8/41 the Squadron escorted a group of nine Blenheims on a bombing raid against targets in the Lille area.
As the force withdrew from the target area it came under determined attacks by Luftwaffe fighters. Two of the RAF fighters were seen to collide during the melee, but no one could identify the planes at the time. After the escorts had arrived back at base two aircraft were seen to be missing; a Hurricane of 402 (RCAF) Sqdn and the Spitfire Mk Vb being flown by JC Martin.
F/O JC Martin is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

[angelsonefive]

F/Lt NJ Mowat. Born 18/9/1914 in Clydevale, Otago. In April 1938 NJ Mowat applied for a Short Service Commission in the RAF. He was accepted and sailed for England on 19/11/38. On 6/11/39, after training, he was posted to 245 Sqdn (Hurricanes) being formed at Leconfield at that time.
Mowat was made a Flight Commander on 18/4/40, and on 1/6/40 was credited with a Bf109 " probably destroyed " near Dunkirk.
On 20/6/40 the Squadron made a successful attack on the airfield at Rouen-Boos, France, Mowat leading the second section of 3 Hurricanes. Considerable damage was seen to be done to the fifty or so Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground.
F/Lt Mowat was awarded a Mention in Despatches, gazetted on 1/1/41. On 16/5/42 he was awarded the DSO.

On 7/11/46 NJ Mowat was flying as a passenger on an RAF Avro Anson when it crashed near Hamm, Germany. The aircraft was traveling from Gutersloh to the UK and encountered bad weather. Flying at a very low altitude it struck two chimneys. The crash killed all on board.

[angelsonefive]

P/O GM Simpson. born Christchurch NZ 22/6/19. In June 1938 GM Simpson was accepted for a Short Service Commission in the RAF.
He sailed for the UK on 25/8/38. On 6/11/39, after training, Simpson was posted to 229 Sqdn based at Digby and operating Bristol Blenheims.
In March, 1940 the Blenheims were replaced by Hawker Hurricanes.
On 16/5/40 P/O Simpson flew to France with 'A' flight of the Squadron, and on the 18th he shot down a Me.110, followed by two more on the 21st.
This was his last sortie in France as he returned to Digby the next day.

On 26/10/40 the Squadron took off from Biggin Hill to patrol the Croydon area. A number of Me.109's were sighted and 229 Sqdn chased them to the French coast.
They had lost sight of the enemy planes and turned for home when P/O Simpson sighted a Heinkel 59 floatplane flying low off the coast near Boulogne.
He led Sgt Ommaney and P/O McHardy in an attack on the floatplane. Two bursts from Ommaney caused the Heinkel to alight on the sea with 3 of its 4 crew dead. The 3 Hurricanes were then attacked by 109's, probably the floatplanes escorts, and came under AA fire from the coast as well. Ommaney managed to disengage from the action and head for England, but Simpson and McHardy did not. The latter was later reported to be a POW, but nothing further was seen or heard of P/O Simpson or his Hurricane s/n W6669.
GM Simpson is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

[Dave Homewood]

Already we have 54 names on that list, wow!

[angelsonefive]

P/O DJ Spence. Born Christchurch, NZ, 36/8/20. Applied for a Short Service Commission early in 1939, and receiving provisional acceptance sailed for England on 6/5/39. His first posting after training was to an Aircraft Delivery Unit (ADU) ferrying planes to France.
On 6/4/40 posted to 245 Sqdn (Hurricanes) at Leconfield. The unit became operational later that month and moved to Drem in Scotland. There, a Squadron Detachment was formed and sent to Hawkinge, beginning patrols over the Channel and France. Spence took part in the raid on Rouen-Boos aerodrome on 20/6/40 when a large number of Luftwaffe aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground.
On 10/12/40 DJ Spence was posted to 274 Sqdn operating Hurricanes in North Africa. On 30/4/41 he was shot down and killed when making a strafing attack on enemy vehicles between Gazala and Sollum.
DJ Spence is buried in Tobruk War Cemetery.

[angelsonefive]

P/O JT Strang. Born Invercargill 25/1/14.
In March 1937 JT Strang applied for a Short Service Commission in the RAF and received a provisional acceptance, sailing for the UK on 17/2/38. On 1/8/39, after training, Strang was posted to No. 7 Air Observers School as a Staff Pilot. On 10/12/39 he was posted to No. 92 Squadron at Croydon and then, on the 28th, went to No. 11 Group Pool at St Athan where he converted to Hurricanes. From there he went to No. 2 Ferry Pilot Pool on 25/1/40, thence to No. 253 Sqdn (Hurricanes) at Northolt, arriving there on 22/2/40.
On 18/5/40 P/O Strang flew to France as a member of 'A' Flight, 253 Sqdn, based at Poix. On the 23rd he shot down two Me.109's in the Merville area. The detached flight returned to England on the 24th after heavy losses.
JT Strang remained with 253 Sqdn through the Battle of Britain.
He later served as a Flying Instructor in South Africa, before further postings in the Middle East and India.
JT Strang returned to NZ in April 1945 and was placed on the Reserve on 3/11/45.
He passed away on 17/7/79.