RNZAF Museum Photo gold

[Dave Homewood]

This photo interests me. The Geriatric Air Force. In April 1987 an article was published in North And South magazine about the opening of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. I first read it in 1988 and I fell in love with the museum thanks to that article. It detailed the various groups of people involved in the setting up of the museum, including The Black Hand Gang, The Moth Doctors, and The Geriatric Air Force. The GAF were all ex-RNZAF and WAAF members who were sorting out the museum's inventory and doing menial but very important tasks that meant it went from a collection of old stuff to becoming a proper museum.

The photo was taken 11 December 1987. The photo is WgG1034-3-87, found HERE:

The caption reads:

Group. Air Force Museum Geratric Air Force in the Atrium.
L-R: Back; R Orr, B Cox, M Ruane, P O'Sullivan, W Southgate, I Martin, F Eichbaum, I Purdie-Smith, A McGregor, J Moloney.
Front; M McGill, W Ashwell, F Mushet, C Waite, L Cole, A Braithwaite, E Braithwaite, J McDonald, K Clark, H Foster.

Some names there I recognise, Max Ruane was part of the wartime team of Contact magazine.

And Errol Freeman Brathwaite (note correct spelling, it is often seen the worn way as in the caption), a Ventura Air Gunner in WWII, was also a well known and respected author.  See here. That is his wife beside him, Alison Brathwaite.

Dos anyone know the other GAF members' first names?

I dear say they are likely all gone now, but I think it is worth remembering their voluntary efforts in setting up the museum.



By the way, there was an excellent feature on the Geriatric Air Force on Radio New Zealand back in 1987, on the Roundabout programme, where Philip liner visited them. It is not online but could be ordered from the Sound Archives here

www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/3729/

[denysjones]

2nd back row is Brian Cox. I knew him via AHSNZ from the later 1960s and also he was a senior in the technical section of the Chemistry dept at University of Canterbury.

I don't recall him ever mentioning having an RNZAF background perhaps Dave Duxbury can proffer further on that.

[davidd]

Wracking my brains on this, here are my best guesses (did not know any of the females in the photo, although knew of Allison, Errol's wife). In my time (somewhat later than the photo in question) the guys turned up pretty well once a week I think, work was mostly undertaken at Weedons, with a certain Sergeant Kevin Bennett (of RNZAF Museum) accompanying the older lads to confirm that they were behaving themselves, as well as driving the van (some also followed in own vehicles I think).

Back row: R Orr (not known to me, but possibly Russel), Bryan Cox (as noted by Denys), Max Ruane (a long-term employee of NAC and Air NZ I think), Pat O'Sullivan (wartime RNZAF, and also a force in the production of the organization's newsletter, from memory, "Latrinograph", or similar, with Max Ruane and Errol Brathwaite. William Southgate (pronounced as Suggate!), wartime and postwar RNZAF as technical (Signals) officer, Ian Martin (also wartime RNZAF, technical), great chap. Frank Eichbaum (I think wartime/postwar RNZAF, technical, engineering, another very fine fellow; I Purdie-Smith, unknown to me, but looks like the late Bill Weir to me! Alex McGregor (postwar RNZAF I think), and Jack Moloney (wartime RNZAF, Signals), thought his name was Maloney. He used to look after the radios in No. 6 Squadron's Hawker Hinds at Milson!

Front row: Murray McGill, wartime and postwar RNZAF, Equipment officer, served in Pacific Islands; W (Bill) Ashwell, not ex RNZAF so far as I know, could be wrong, bit of a free spirit! Frank Mushet, wartime RNZAF, served in Fiji, etc. The three ladies I did not know in connection with the GAF. John McDonald was the well known airline pilot from Fairle (too young for WW2), and better known as the fellow who got P-51D Mustang ZK-CCG airborne, along with the farmer from out in the country (name of farm was "Omaha") whose name escapes me at the moment, but he was wartime RNZAF, had just qualified as a C-47 pilot at end of war. K Clark was Keith, also known as Tubby, wartime RNZAF and postwar NAC, engineer. Haywood (Hayward?) Foster was pre-war Canterbury Aero Club (flew the Taylor Cub ZK-AFQ, etc).

Before I "signed up" for 50 years of heavy toil with no financial benefit whatsoever, I knew of the GAF, and after joining I discovered that two of their stalwarts had died just recently. One of these was Arch Beazer, a wartime RNZAF pilot, included Vincents and Venturas in his log books, both flown on operations, although he was also an engineeer. He was prominent in NAC postwar, being a quite big wheel with NAC, for a long time looking after all the engineering apprentices. Unfortunately cannot recall name of the other (deceased) stalwart, but he was also highly regarded.

At the AF Museum of NZ, they have the "archives" of the GAF, including (I believe) a full set at "Latrinograph", in fact I think I have a partial set myself somewhere, so their story is still available (well probably just the printable bits!)

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks very much David. Was the farmer you were trying to remember Ron Fechney?

[davidd]

Yeah, that's the one! Needless to say, probably none of the original members of the GAF are still with us, in fact I was on duty with them when Pat O'Sullivan died on the job at Weedons, heart attack. In fact I attempted some rescue breathing on him, all in vain, my competence at artificial respiration was definitley very poor! Don't think there were many new members joining after me, if any. Of course Ron Fechney is also long gone, as are John McDonald and Frank Mushet.

[Dave Homewood]

Oh that is sad David. Quite a shock for you too, I'd imagine.

[davidd]

Yes, very shocking indeed. Not certain when the GAF was officially wound up (it seemed to have just faded away, or maybe mentioned in the RNZAF Museum Newsletter).