Attested for NZ Military Forces. RD Waimana, Bay of Plenty, N Island pending training.

Recruit Depot, Waimana, Bay of Plenty, pending training.

Applied for Aircrew in the NZRAF.

Initial Training Wing, Rotorua.

Leave until 15 July 1942.

Embarked Wellington, NZ, at 1245 on board the troopship ‘Kingsholm’ for Canada, via the Panama Canal on 07 Aug 42.

Disembarked New York, USA at 1830 and departed for Toronto, Ontario by overnight train at 2030.

Arrived at Toronto, Ontario at 0830.

No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto, Ontario (elsewhere reported as Debert, Nova Scotia); administrative posting.

Departed Toronto at 1410 to Orilla, XX, arriving at 1715.

No.4 Bombing and Gunnery School, 62 (Air Bomber) Course, Fingal, Ontario.

Battle, Nomad, Bolingbroke, Anson.

Departed Fingal by truck for St Thomas, Ontario.

Boarded a train at St Thomas for Newcastle, New Brunswick via a day stopover in Montreal, Quebec.

Departed Newcastle by bus, arriving at Chatham later that day.

No.10 Air Observers School, 62 (Air Bomber) Course, Chatham, New Brunswick.

Anson

Graduation Dinner in the Mess.

Departed Chatham for Montreal, Quebec.

Graduation Parade, awarded Air Bomber’s brevet, and promoted to Sergeant (Sgt).

Arrived at Montreal at 1000.

0930 departed Montreal for New York, USA.

0830 arrived in New York on leave.

1130 departed New York by train.

1130 arrived in Toronto, Ontario.

2330 departed Toronto by train.

0740 arrived Montreal, Quebec and departed by train for Halifax, Nova Scotia at 1900.

2400 arrived at Halifax.

No.1 'Y' Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

0230 Embarked Halifax for the UK on board the RMS Andes.

Disembarked Gourock, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, boarding the 1730 overnight train to Bournemouth.

1300 arrived in Bournemouth, Dorset.

No.3 (RNZAF) Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, Dorset.

Leave in London and Warwick until 1 Feb 43.

1400 train for London then Dumfries.

0830 arrived in Dumfries.

No.10 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit, 82 Course, Dumfries, Scotland.

Anson

Boarded 2315 train for Loughborough, Leicestershire.

0815 arrived in Loughborough.

No.28 Operational Training Unit, RAF Wymeswold, Leicestershire. L R B Matthews crew formed.

Wellington

Leave in Scotland until 22 April 43.

Promoted to Flight Sergeant.

Leave in Scotland and Shetland Islands until 9 Jul 43.

No.1662 Heavy Conversion Unit, Blyton, Lincolnshire.

Lancaster / Sterling / Halifax

No.101 Squadron, Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire. As part of the LRB Matthews crew, he flew the following operations:
27 Sep 43 - Hannover;
29 Sep 42 - Bochum: starboard engine faulty so arrived late over target;
03 Oct 43 - Kassel;
07 Oct 43 - Stuttgart;
22 Oct 43 - Kassel: abortive due to port outer engine failure and severe icing on the way to the target. Their 'Cookie' was jettisoned;
03 Nov 43 - Dusseldorf;
10 Nov 43 - Modane;
26 Nov 43 - Stuttgart;

Lancaster

No.576 Squadron, 'B' Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. Posted with the Matthews crew and other crews from 101 Squadron to form the nucleus of 'B' Flight of the newly-established 576 Squadron.

Lancaster

Lost in operations over Leipzig on the crew's first operation with 576 Squadron. The aircraft was hit by flak on way to the target in the vicinity of Burg at about 2300 hrs, and caught fire. Part of the bombload was jettisoned before the aircraft fell apart and crashed in two pieces, one near the brickworks in Stegelitz and the other in a field near Landhaus Zeddenick, near Möckern, 14 miles East of Magdeburg. The two villages are approximately 4 miles apart, which might suggest strong winds. Only one crew member (unknown) managed to bale out but he did not survive.

Lancaster

Personal Records Restricted - not available to the public

Personal Documents Restricted - not available to the public