From Invercargill, he learned to fly privately with Southland Aero Club pre-war, joining the RNZAF in 1939, arriving in Britain with 11 other Kiwis the following year - seven would killed in action, and two more captured.
On 21st June, 1919, two Canadian Flight Lieutenant's from No.1 (Communications) Squadron set off to deliver a diplomat to the Middle East, narrowly avoiding disaster along the way and gaining a charismatic passenger, Colonel T. E. Lawrence - later known as "Lawrence of Arabia."
JAMES EMMETT MCNAMARA of Northcliffe Avenue, Montreal, was the son of Michael John McNamara, a railway employee, and Lucy Mary McNamara (nee. Francoeur).
PHILLIP LESLIE IRVING ARCHER was born on the 10th February, 1917, in Bridgetown, Barbados. He was the son of Frederick Leslie Archer (a famous cricketer) and Millicent Beryl Archer, of Belleville, Hastings, Barbados.
Eric met his end in a flying accident, on 16th May, 1941, while serving with No.258 Squadron at Kenley. His Hurricane Mk.II, Z2589, dived into the ground near Lingfield, Surrey.
On 22nd November, 1926, No.24 squadron tragically lost two of its officers in a flying accident at 1.30pm, when their De Havilland DH9A, serial number 7310, stalled on take-off from Kenley.
On 22nd November, 1926, No.24 squadron tragically lost two of its officers in a flying accident at 1.30pm, when their DH9A, serial number 7310, stalled on take-off from Kenley.
Leonard John Patterson was the son of John and Nina Patterson of Freeland, Oxfordshire. He was shot down by Me.109's east of Hastings on 28th November, 1940.
Mieczyslaw Stanislaw Marcinkowski was born on 24th February 1919 in Rytwiany in the Staszow district of Poland.
Harry Cyril Grove was the son of Albert George and Alice Maud Grove, of Herne Hill, London.
On 30th September 1931, the tricky Bristol Bulldog claimed a life when No.23 squadron's Pilot Officer Noel Arthur Ireland failed to recover from a spin while practicing aerobatics.
On 5th June 1917, Sir F. Banbury, M.P. asked the Under Secretary for War, Mr. Macpherson, in Parliament, whether he was aware that the Royal Flying Corps had taken possession of 81 acres of Kenley Common and were felling trees on land that the City of London was under statutory obligation to maintain for the use of the public.
