New Zealanders that flew Mustangs with No. 122 Wing, RAF

[Dave Homewood]

I find it interesting that several Kiwi fighter aces flew Mustangs with No. 122 Wing, RAF.

Patrick "Jamie" Jameson, CB, DSO, DFC & Bar, was Wing Leader in 1944-45.

He was replaced by Evan Mackie DSO, DFC and bar, DFC (US) as Wing Leader.

Within the Wing there were three Squadrons, No.'s 19, 65 and 122 Squadrons, all flying Mustangs. And No. 122 Squadron was commanded by S/Ldr James Porteous RNZAF, who was also a fighter ace.

It seems that also No. 486 (NZ) Squadron was attached to the Wing at one stage while in Europe with their Tempests.

But is anyone aware of other RNZAF pilots or Kiwis in the RAF serving on those three squadrons flying Mustangs within No. 122 Wing?

[hbpencil]

I believe Jamie Jameson was OC 122 Wing as a Group Captain but wasn't the Wing Commander (flying), a position that was filled by Evan Mackie, who previously was CO of 80sqn after 'Spud' Spurdle.

In October '44 while 122 Wing was in Europe the Mustang squadrons were pulled back to the UK to fly long range escort missions and their place was taken by the Tempest squadrons. In the following link is a picture of Jameson and the COs of the the three Tempest squadrons in the winter of 44/45, all Kiwis.

www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Jameson.htm

[Dave Homewood]

Oh right, thanks.

Basically I am mainly interested in Kiwis who flew the Mustang III's, whether with 122 Wing or other units.

[angelsonefive]

W/Cdr RJC Grant, DFC* DFM RNZAF, was CO of 122 Airfield HQ Wing based at Gravesend when he was killed in a low level bail out resulting from the failure of the engine of his Mustang Mk III FX996.

aviation-safety.net/wikibase/152221

[noooby]

Nipper Joyce from Hamilton was in 122 Sqn as well. He is mentioned in One More Hour by Des Scott. They trained together at Wigram.

Died 17 June 44 in Mustang III FX986. Probably shot down by a 109 when his flight was bounced. He'd been CO of 122 for a month.

Buried in Marville-Les-Bois communal cemetery.

Found more info here from John Stackhouse:

Ernest Leslie Joyce DFM was leading six 122 squadron aircraft on an armed reconnaissance. He was a New Zealand fighter ace with ten victories, nine of these achieved in 1942 in North Africa flying Hurricanes, five victories at night. They found and bombed a train at Evreux. Local people reported that one Mustang appeared to be hit and damaged and was separated from the five others from 122 Squadron. The Mustangs were also 'jumped' by three Me109s of JG27, one of which was shot down. The remaining two, one flown by German ace Hans Culemann pursued the lone Mustang piloted by Ernest 'Nipper' Joyce. The Mustang was hit by Culemann and it caught fire. The Mustang was at quite low level as it flew, smoking, over the village of Levasville, flying seemingly still under some sort of control, before crashing on the outskirts of Marville les Bois. The Mustang slithered mainly intact across the road and came to a stop, by now burning fiercely. A local woman, Mme Couzic, witnessed the crash and ran to the site. She could see the pilot dead in the flaming wreckage. The Mustang was well ablaze and the two German aircraft after circling to confirm its demise left. Mme Couzic sent her 14 year old daughter Maria for help in the village. She returned with her father and two villagers, plus the village priest. After the flames had died a little and ammunition was no longer exploding the three men managed with great difficulty to retrieve the pilot's badly burnt body using farm implements and hooks. He was put onto a door and carried to the village arsenal. Nipper's funeral was held in the church at Marville les Bois on Monday 19 June 1944. It was attended by nearly all the locals in three villages plus their priests, contrary to German orders. the funeral procession was led by a WW1 veteran with the tricolour and singing the Marsellaise. (I have a copy of a photo of the wrecked Mustang and visited the site last year. I spoke to a 100 year old villager from Marville les Bois who married Maria Couzic who was sent for help by her mother when the Mustang crashed. He had the information about the Mustang being hit at Evreux, told to him by locals whom he knew, the crash site, and confirmed the story of the crash itself. I hold comprehensive original documentation, letters, etc pertaining to Nipper Joyce including letters sent by him to his mother, a letter from the priest Gautier who held Nipper's burial service. The information tallies almost exactly with the geography of the crash area and with other information I have).


www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/north-american-p-51-mustang/106893-4156112.html

[angelsonefive]

The ace and Battle of Britain veteran, Flt Lt Basil Gordon Collyns DFC RNZAF, flew Mustangs with 65 Sqdn and was then posted to 19 Sqdn as a Flight Commander.
He was shot down and killed one kilometre from Rouves, near Paris, on the 20th of August, 1944, flying Mustang III FB194.

[angelsonefive]

Another 65 Sqdn, 122 Wing, RAF, NZ pilot flying Mustang Mk IIIs was Flt/Lt Richard Barrett NZ391324 RNZAF killed in action on 17 May 1944, on a Ranger op. to Aalborg, Denmark.
At about mid-day an air battle took place near Aalborg and Flt/Lt Barrett fired on a Heinkel 177 bomber damaging it, but as he did so he was shot down by a fighter of 10/JG 11, and his Mustang serial no. FX993 crashed in the shallow water off the north bank of Linfjord, near Aalborg.

[Dave Homewood]

Great research, thanks.