Looking For Information

[adamsutton]

Hi,

I'm looking for some information on my Great-uncle Lieutenant (A) Adrian Hugh "Winnie" Churchill RNZNVR (FAA), as well as some information on Corsairs, which he flew in the Pacific in WW2. He served on the HMS Illustrious as part of 1833 Squadron, and was killed off Okinawa in 1945 for which he received a Mention in Dispatches.

I'm currently following a few leads that I have found from a quick Google of him, but I wish to find any better information sources that are available, as well as first-hand interviews with people who also flew Corsairs or served in the Pacific. Unfortunately, a writer a long time ago absconded with his Flight Logbooks and other information that my relatives may have had.

Any information or good recommendations on books/sources would be fantastic and greatly appreciated.

The best way to contact me directly would be via email at [e-mail] 

Cheers,

Adam

[errolmartyn]

May 8, 2019 19:56:56 GMT 12 adamsutton said:

Hi,

I'm looking for some information on my Great-uncle Lieutenant (A) Adrian Hugh "Winnie" Churchill RNZNVR (FAA), as well as some information on Corsairs, which he flew in the Pacific in WW2. He served on the HMS Illustrious as part of 1833 Squadron, and was killed off Okinawa in 1945 for which he received a Mention in Dispatches.

I'm currently following a few leads that I have found from a quick Google of him, but I wish to find any better information sources that are available, as well as first-hand interviews with people who also flew Corsairs or served in the Pacific. Unfortunately, a writer a long time ago absconded with his Flight Logbooks and other information that my relatives may have had.

Any information or good recommendations on books/sources would be fantastic and greatly appreciated.

The best way to contact me directly would be via email at [e-mail] 

Cheers,

Adam

From my trilogy For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915:

Volume Two:

Sat 7 Apr 1945
FLEET AIR ARM - FAR EAST
Operation ICEBERG - strike against an airfield at Ishigaki Shima, Sakishima Gunto, Japan
1833 Squadron, FAA (HMS Illustrious - Fleet Aircraft Carrier - 15th Naval Fighter Wing)
Corsair II JT641 - took off leading three others and accompanied by a flight of four Corsairs from 1830 Sqn, being the only one of the eight not to return. After two strafing runs over the airfield the formation climbed away in preparation for return to the carrier, at which point JT641’s pilot indicated that his radio was unserviceable and handed over the lead to his ‘No 2’. Without further explanation, and despite a pre-take off warning concerning the dangers in re-attacking a target, he dived back down to the airfield, attacking from the west. On passing over the eastern end of the runway his Corsair slowly rolled over and dived into the sea at 1400. Presumed to have fallen victim to flak, he is commemorated on the RNZN Memorial at Devonport, Auckland.
Pilot: Lt (A) Adrian Hugh CHURCHILL, mid, RNZNVR - Age 23.

Volume Three:

CHURCHILL, Lieutenant (A) Adrian Hugh, mid(2).
(no No.) (prev FX85150); b Wgtn 13 Aug 21; Palm Nth BHS (1st XV & Tennis Team) & Victoria Univ Coll (1st XV); cadet - Public Trust Office, Wgtn. Enlisted NZ for RN/FAA as Aircrew u/t 16 Jan 41, emb for UK & att HMS St Vincent/Gosport 18 Jan 41, arr 28 Feb 41, HMS Daedalus/Lee-on-Solent, att 14EFTS RAF as Pilot u/t 14 Jul 41, att 1SFTS RAF 1 Sep 41, Pilots Badge & Comm 3 Mar 42, 762 Sqn (Fulmar) c.13 Mar 42, att RAF for Army Co-op cse 4 May 42, HMS Raven/Eastleigh for emb for Canada with personnel for 890 Sqn (Martlet/Wildcat) 20 May 42 [Sqn formed 15.6.42 & emb on escort carrier HMS Battler 8 Dec-7 Jan 43 (transit to UK) & fleet carrier HMS Illustrious 14 Jun-17 Oct, thence Sqn personnel emb on cruiser HMS London for transit to Ceylon 17 Feb-13 Mar 44, Sqn emb on escort carrier HMS Atheling 13 May-10 Jul, Sqn disbanded 1.8.44], ldg acc (uninj) 16 Aug 42, 757 Sqn (Corsair) 1 Aug 44, 1838 Sqn (Corsair) 25 Aug 44 [Sqn emb on escort carrier HMS Atheling 25 Aug-11 Sep, Sqn disbanded in South Africa 13.9.44], 1833 Sqn (Corsair) 14 Sep 44 [Sqn emb on fleet carrier HMS Illustrious 13 Oct-1 Nov, 29 Nov-death], HMNZS Cook/Wellington for leave in NZ [from Australia] 12 Feb 45, rtd to 1833 Sqn/HMS Illustrious in Australia 26 Feb 45, kao 7 Apr 45. RNZN Memorial - Panel 8. Son of William Arthur & Ada Louise Churchill (née Caddick), Rongotea; h of Shirley Desiree Churchill (née McLeod), Rondebosch, Cape, South Africa. Note: credited with 2 e/a dest & 2 shared prob. [OH Navy & phot. TWN 27.6.45].

If you have not already done so you could obtain a free copy of his service record from Personnel Records, New Zealand Defence Force. See here for further information: www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/

Errol

[adamsutton]

Hey Errol,

That information was superb. Thank you very much.

Adam

[rastas]

Hi Adam,

My father in laws mother (Florence Churchill) was Adrian Hugh Churchill's cousin. I saw & read the Squadron diary/photo's shortly before it was given back to surviving family member in the Wairarapa 13-14 years ago. I believe in turn the documents were passed onto the Alexander Turnbull library.
In doing research into the family tree, I found that Adrian married a Shirley McLeod from South Africa, they married and had a son Hugh Adrian Churchill. Adrian was KIA and never got to meet his son. Shirley died in 1967, Hugh's family grew and ran a successful real estate business. Hugh passed away in 2007 shortly after the family made contact.

Kind regards
Nick

[rastas]