NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
R.N.Z.A.F CATALINA FLYING BOAT CRASH
FIJI
SATURDAY 05 JUNE 1943
From - Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 133, 7 June 1943, Page 4 and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site
A flying-boat of the Royal New Zealand Air Force was reported missing on a sea flight which it made on Saturday 05 June 1943. It had a crew of seven and also carried eight passengers, six of whom are members of the R.N.Z.A.F. One of the others is a representative of the National Patriotic Fund Board, and the eighth is an officer of the Agriculture Department. Extensive searches were made in an attempt to discover the missing aircraft. but no report of the missing flying boat was received. It was officially stated by the Air Department in Wellington that extensive air searches were continuing. The missing, later presumed dead were as follow:
Members of CrewList of Passengers:
Flying-Officer Alan Edmund Wilkie BRADMORE � Son of Henry James Wilkie Bradmore and of Lena Evelyn Bradmore (nee Honeyfield); husband of Iris Adeline Bradmore, of Hastings, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
Sergeant Henry Marton KENNEDY - Mrs I A Kennedy, Auckland (wife).
Flight-Lieutenant Maxwell William McCORMICK � Son of Amy A McCormick (nee Martin-Smith), of Haumoana, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
Flight-Lieutenant John Robert Mills NICHOLSON, medical officer - Son of Thomas Andrew and Eva Irene Nicholson, of Merivale, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Leading-Aircraftman Eric Samuel PUDDLE � Mrs Marie Ann [nee DOUGLAS] Puddle, Auckland (wife).
Captain Norman John PALTRIDGE, 40 years - New Zealand National Patriotic Fund Board � Mrs N J [Dulcie May nee EXTON] Paltridge, Wellington (wife)
Leading-Aircraftman John Wilfred RUSSELL � Son of John and Beatrice Hawes Russell; husband of Alice Edith Russell, of Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mr Marcellius James SCOTT - Agriculture Department � Mrs M J Scott, Wellington (wife).
Squadron-Leader R B L MacGregor was awarded the Air Force Cross in this year's King's Birthday honours. He is a club-trained pilot and was employed as a co-pilot by Union Airways, at one time being on loan to Cook Strait Airways. He was stationed with Union Airways at Palmerston North when he joined the R.N.Z.A.F. at the outbreak of the war. He was related to the famous Squadron-Leader M C MacGregor, M.C.
Flight-Lieutenant Maxwell William McCORMICK was formerly well known in the Hastings district. He is about 28 years old. Together with Flying-Officer Bradmore, he has seen service in Fiji and the Solomon Islands. His mother lives in Orakei, Auckland.
Flying-Officer Alan Edmund Wilkie BRADMORE was born in the South Island and received his education at New Plymouth High School. He was subsequently employed at Napier in the office of the Bank of New South Wales. He enlisted with the Air Force two years ago and completed his training in Canada, where he won his commission. He flew to Fiji on a reconnaissance flight, and was posted to a unit there as observer. Recently he has been at Guadalcanal. Flying-Officer Bradmore, who is 33, is the husband of Mrs A E W Bradmore, of 8 Owens Road, Epsom.
Sergeant Henry Martin KENNEDY, who is 48 years old, is a resident of Fiji. He was educated at Sydney. He went overseas in the last war with a New Zealand contingent, and later served in a Scottish unit. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force a year ago, and served on the ground staff in Fiji. His family is well known in the Nandi Bay district on Viti Levu.
Leading-Aircraftman John Wilfred RUSSELL, who is aged 35, has been on service with the R.N.Z.A.F. in the Pacific for the past five months. He is the son of Mr and the late Mrs J Russell, of Pukekohe, where his wife and three children also live. Leading-Aircraftman Russell was educated at the Pukekohe primary and Technical High Schools, and before joining the R.N.Z.A.F. conducted a motor business in Pukekohe. He was prominent in many fields of sport, having been at various times a member of the White Star and Old Boys' Football Clubs, the Pukekohe Cricket Club and the Pukekohe Tennis Club. He is also a well-known rifleman. His younger brother was lost over the English Channel last year.
Pilot-Officer Douglas Edmund WOOD, aged 30, whose wife Mrs Rona Wood, lives at 26 Burleigh Street, Mount Eden, enlisted in the Air Force in October, 1941. He gained his wings in New Zealand a year ago, and left for overseas as a sergeant-pilot, returning later. He only recently gained his commission. Pilot-Officer Wood was educated at the Timaru Boys' High School and was a well-known all-round sportsman. His parents, Mr and Mrs L T Wood, reside at Timaru.
FAMILIES I AM RESEARCHING | MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL STUFF | NEW ZEALAND — ON LINE GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES | NEW ZEALAND — YOUNG BOY IMMIGRANT SCHEME 1911 — 1914 | NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES | NEW ZEALAND MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL INDEXES | NEW ZEALAND LAND WARS — MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL INDEXES | NEW ZEALAND AND WORLD WAR ONE | NEW ZEALAND AND WORLD WAR TWO | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR AND WAR MEMORIALS — BY LOCATION | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR AND WAR MEMORIALS — BY CONFLICT | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR — MILITARY NURSES | PAKEHA/MAORI TRANSLITERATIONS | PASSENGER LISTS TO NEW ZEALAND | SHAND — FAMILY HISTORY | SOUTH TARANAKI, NEW ZEALAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES | SPONDON, DERBYSHIRE, ENGLAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES | WANGANUI COLLEGIATE SCHOOL 1865 — 1947 | WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY, NEW ZEALAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES