Post by Dave Homewood on May 12, 2009 23:21:32 GMT 12
I find it interesting how many sets of twins served as pilots in the RNZAF in wartime.
Probably one of the most famous airmen in the RNZAF was Wing Commander Colin Gray DSO, DFC**, New Zealand's top ace. He was one of a pair, his twin brother being Flying Officer Kenneth Gray who won the DFC and the Czech War Cross before sadly being killed in action.
That pair was from Gisborne, and a second pair of twins from Gisborne who served in the RNZAF were Flt Lt Wallace Spence and LAC Geoffrey Spencer. I know very little about these two.
And a third pair from Gisborne were the Singer twins. Anthony Martin Singer and Peter Lloyd Singer were identical twins, both jioned the RNZAF on the same day in February 1941, were on the same course, both passed out of their course on the same day, both received commissions at the same time, and were both posted to Britain. Amazingly both men were posted to the same squadron, No. 57 Squadron, and both flew Lancasters on ops together. They were both awarded the DFC on the same day, and both returned safely home to New Zealand. After the war they went on to both fly Lodestars with Union Airways, as I've seen their names side by side as alternate co-pilots in one of the captain's logbooks. A remarkable pair. Peter died in 1953. It's possible that Tony is still with us.
Another pair of twins were Gerry and Jack Burton. They were remarkable in that they were the first two men to get accepted as RNZAF aircrew (both pilots) without having sat University Entrance or Matriculation. Jack went onto become a fighter pilot, flying with No. 488 Squadron in Singapore and then P-40's in the Pacific. He was sadly killed in the Pacific. Gerry became a staff pilot at Ohakea flying Oxfords and Hinds for No. 3 SFTS, both as an instructor and as the station test pilot. He later got transferred to No. 8 (GR) Squadron and flew Vincents, and then onto No. 30 Squadron where he flew Avengers including a Pacific tour. He died about 18 months ago.
The book New Zealand At War also lists the following RNZAF twins in WWII:
- Flt Lt H.C. Wilkie and a twin brother (name not given) (Wanganui)
- P/O F.A. Eden and P/O C.A. Eden (of Auckland)
- P/O J.A. Jackson and P/O T.A. Jackson (Raglan)
- Alan Peart and his twin brother Roger Peart (Raglan)
Probably one of the most famous airmen in the RNZAF was Wing Commander Colin Gray DSO, DFC**, New Zealand's top ace. He was one of a pair, his twin brother being Flying Officer Kenneth Gray who won the DFC and the Czech War Cross before sadly being killed in action.
That pair was from Gisborne, and a second pair of twins from Gisborne who served in the RNZAF were Flt Lt Wallace Spence and LAC Geoffrey Spencer. I know very little about these two.
And a third pair from Gisborne were the Singer twins. Anthony Martin Singer and Peter Lloyd Singer were identical twins, both jioned the RNZAF on the same day in February 1941, were on the same course, both passed out of their course on the same day, both received commissions at the same time, and were both posted to Britain. Amazingly both men were posted to the same squadron, No. 57 Squadron, and both flew Lancasters on ops together. They were both awarded the DFC on the same day, and both returned safely home to New Zealand. After the war they went on to both fly Lodestars with Union Airways, as I've seen their names side by side as alternate co-pilots in one of the captain's logbooks. A remarkable pair. Peter died in 1953. It's possible that Tony is still with us.
Another pair of twins were Gerry and Jack Burton. They were remarkable in that they were the first two men to get accepted as RNZAF aircrew (both pilots) without having sat University Entrance or Matriculation. Jack went onto become a fighter pilot, flying with No. 488 Squadron in Singapore and then P-40's in the Pacific. He was sadly killed in the Pacific. Gerry became a staff pilot at Ohakea flying Oxfords and Hinds for No. 3 SFTS, both as an instructor and as the station test pilot. He later got transferred to No. 8 (GR) Squadron and flew Vincents, and then onto No. 30 Squadron where he flew Avengers including a Pacific tour. He died about 18 months ago.
The book New Zealand At War also lists the following RNZAF twins in WWII:
- Flt Lt H.C. Wilkie and a twin brother (name not given) (Wanganui)
- P/O F.A. Eden and P/O C.A. Eden (of Auckland)
- P/O J.A. Jackson and P/O T.A. Jackson (Raglan)
- Alan Peart and his twin brother Roger Peart (Raglan)
