BOMBING WEEK - Royal New Zealand Air Force

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38 GPCAPT ‘Hawkeye’ Wells, who has died aged 88, was one of Fighter Command’s most outstanding pilots; he was credited with shooting down at least 12 enemy aircraft and probably destroying and damaging many others. Wells began his brilliant fi ghting career during the Battle of Britain fl ying Spitfi res with No. 266 Squadron before transferring, in September 1940, to No 41, based at Hornchurch. He scored his fi rst victory on October 17 when he shot down a Messerschmitt 109 fi ghter off the French coast. Twelve days later he probably destroyed a second and on November 2 he accounted for another Me 109. He was the fi rst pilot to intercept an Italian Fiat CR 42 over England in November, shooting it down off Ordfordness on November 11. By the end of the year he had destroyed another enemy fi ghter. A champion 12-bore shot during his schooldays in New Zealand, his outstanding marksmanship earned him the nickname ‘Hawkeye. In March 1941 he joined No 485 Squadron, the first all-New Zealand fi ghter squadron, scoring its fi rst success on July 5 when he shot down a Me 109 whilst escorting Stirling bombers over Lille. In August he was awarded the DFC for showing “the greatest courage and determination”. Almost all Wells’s victims were fi ghters. He destroyed one on August 19, another a month later, two more on September 21 and probably destroyed another on October 2. In November, having completed 46 sorties over enemy territory, he was awarded a Bar to his DFC. Wells was promoted to SQNLDR and took command of No 485 in November. When the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau slipped out of Brest on February 12 1942, No 485 was one of the squadrons sent to attack the enemy fi ghters. Wells found no fi ghters to engage, and instead led an attack, through intense fl ak, on an E-boat, leaving the vessel sinking. Wells shot down a Focke Wulf 190 over Abbeville on April 16, another GPCPT Hawkeye Wells at 485 Squadron. A KIWI’S BRILLIANT FIGHTING CAREER on April 24 and damaged a third the following day. In early May he was promoted to Wing Commander and appointed to lead the Kenley Wing. He was awarded the DSO in July for ‘courage and inspiring leadership’. The son of a farmer, he was born on July 26 1917 at Cambridge, New Zealand. He joined the RNZAF in April 1939 and trained to be a pilot. In June 1940 he joined many of his fellow countrymen sailing for England in the passenger ship Rangitata. In August 1942, after two years’ continuous fi ghting, he was rested. Having taken part in the Battle of Britain, he had carried out 133 sweeps over enemy-occupied territory, probably more than any other pilot in Fighter Command. He was sent back to New Zealand, where he was offered an important post, but rejected it, preferring to return to Europe. He travelled back in March 1943 via the United States, where he visited aircraft factories and addressed the workers. Wells returned to operations in March 1944 as leader of the Tangmere Wing, equipped with the latest mark of Spitfi re. He destroyed a Messerschmitt night fi ghter on the ground and led his wing on many sweeps over northern France during the build-up to D-Day. He later led the Detling and West Malling Wings before being rested in November 1944, when he went to the Central Fighter Establishment to command the Day Fighter Leaders’ School. Wells’s amazing eyesight and superb shooting skills made him one of the RAF’s outstanding pilots. He retired from the RAF as a GPCAPT in June 1960. After a spell farming near Woodbridge, in 1975 Wells moved to Spain. ‘Hawkeye’ Wells died on November 4, 2005. In 1943 he married Mary de Booy, who three years earlier, aged 17, had escaped in a fi shing boat with her parents and sister from Nazi-occupied Holland. She died in 2001, and a son and a daughter survive him. The Daily Telegraph AFN69 APRIL 06 www.airforce.mil.nz
NO. 9 SQN RAAF REUNION 3-4 June 2006 For those who served with No.9 Squadron during WWII and in Vietnam and post Vietnam. Canberra, Australia Contact: check website for updates www. no9squadronassociation.org or email emweller@ozemail. com.au for more information and a registration form RNZAF NETBALL REUNION 28-30 July 2006 in conjunction with Interbase, Base Ohakea Contact: netballreunion@nzdf.mil.nz or check the website http://www. airforce.dixs.mil.nz/latest-info/whatson/reunions/default.htm MALAYSIAN MEMORY TOUR Merdeka 50th Anniversary August 2007 Contact: Russ Byrne 56B Hynds Road, Greerton, Tauranga OHAKEA OLD BAGGIES REUNION 1978 & 1979 Base Ohakea 17-18 November 2006 Contact: Chrissie Ellis Christine.Ellis@nzdf.mil.nz for registration forms 06 3515127 RNZAF MARINE SECTION REUNION (MOTOR BOAT CREW) 18 August: WO/SNCOs Mess Base Whenuapai 19 August: Duders reception lounge, Devonport Contact: Roger Johnson 07 5747144 or Glen Graham 09 4450262 NO. 29 AIRMEN CADET SCHOOL INTAKE 1972 35th Anniversary 19-21 January 2007 RNZAF Base Woodbourne Contact: John Forrest john.forrest@nzdf.mil.nz +64 3 577 119 U P C O M I N G R E U N I O N S www.airforce.mil.nz AK 06-0085-01 HILLIARD TAKES A BREAK MACR Peter Hilliard is congratulated by CO WGCDR John Lovatt on his last flight of his fourth tour with No.5 Squadron – a NORPAT from Rarotonga back to Whenuapai. ‘I hope it’s not my last flight. I will miss the flying but hopefully (if the body stays together for the next two years) I’ll be back for the P-3K2,’ says MACR Hilliard who is now working at the Joint Electronic Warfare Support Facility (JEWSF) at Ohakea. WOMEN GLIDERS T h e M a n a w a t u Gliding Club recently held an Open Day at Feilding Aerodrome, in conjunction with the Women in Aviation Association. The Open Day also coincided with the New Zealand Gliding Association’s National Day. Two Airtrainers from Pilot Training Squadron/Central Flying School, flown by SQNLDR Pete Cochrane and FLTLT Oliver Bint, were provided as part of the static display. Trial flights were provided in the Club’s twin seater glider, and a very impressive glider aerobatics display was flown during the afternoon, including a high-speed, low pass over the runway. The Manawatu Microlight Club and Flight Training Manawatu also took part in the Open Day. GENEROUS BEQUEST FOR AIR FORCE MUSEUM Museum development funds were bolstered recently by a $45,000 bequest from the estate of Christchurch woman Helene Stevenson Holmes. Miss Holmes left her entire estate to be divided between seven different charities but no one seems to know much about her or why she chose to bequeath money to the organisations she eventually selected. Miss Holmes does not appear to have any surviving family and her neighbours remember her only as a fiercely independent and practical woman who came from a wealthy Christchurch family, perhaps associated with the racing industry. Miss Holmes had at least two sisters and two brothers (one called David), none of whom seem to have married. The Museum would very much like to recognise Miss Holmes’ generosity but would also like to know a little more about her or any possible Air Force connections. If anyone knows of her, or the family, the Museum Director would love to hear from you. You can contact her on 03 3439530. AFN69, APRIL 06 SQNLDR Cochrane and FLTLT Bint with the owner of a microlight from the Manawatu Microlight Club. WN 06-0120-01 DEPARTURES We have been advised of the following departures from RNZAF Service. Best of luck in your new endeavours. BASE AUCKLAND SGT I.D. COLLIER Enlist: 7-01-86 Terminate: 17-04-06 AVIONICS SQUADRON BASE OHAKEA AC J.R.S. HENDERSON Terminate: 23-04-06 NO.3 SQN LAC A.N. HUGGINS Enlist: 07-04-99 Terminate: 09-04-06 AVTECH GSH VILE Terminate: 05-03-06 NO.3 SQN LAC B.R. WILLETTS Terminate: 30-04-06 NO.3 SQN WELLINGTON AIRMSHL B.R. FERGUSON Enlist: 07-01-69 Terminate: 30-04-06 CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE AVM J. HAMILTON Enlist: 1-1-71 Terminate: 30-04-06 CHIEF OF AIR FORCE WOODBOURNE SGT B.C. FAIRBAIRN Enlist: 04-04-95 Terminate: 09-04-06 OSS LAC D.N. MERWALD Enlist: 21-05-02 Terminate: 10-04-06 LOG WING GSH T.C. NEWPORT Enlist: 19-09-83 Terminate: 31-03-06 LOG WING LAC N.J. PETHIG Enlist: 04-04-00 Terminate: 04-06 SQNLDR D.J. TATTERSFIELD Enlist: 05-10-82 Terminate: 30-04-06 SGT D.A. WINTERBURN Enlist: 25-09-85 Terminate: 12-03-06 39
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Page 9 and 10: REFORMED NO. 6 SQUADRON MARCHES ON
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Page 27 and 28: Heading to the start block in Auckl
Page 29 and 30: THE 50 MILE CHALLENGE On 11 March,
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