Auckland Museum Transcription Projects

DA/NF

40747: Pilot Officer Robert DANIEL. PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. H. Daniel of Christchurch.

Robert Daniel was born on the 11th April, 1916, at Christchurch, and received his secondary education at Greymouth Technical High School, where he gained his Matriculation. The sports in which he was actively interested included football, tennis and swimming. He was a member of his school 1st XV. After leaving school he was employed as a storeman by Ashby Bergh & Co. Ltd., Greymouth, and later as a clerk by W. A. Clarke, also of Greymouth. At the time of his making application for aircrew training - on the 30th November, 1939 - he was serving full time in the Territorials as a member of the 20th Rifle Battalion at Burnham.

P/O Daniel was enlisted at Levin on 12th March, 1940, and, on satisfactorily completing his initial training, was posted to No. 1 Air Observers' School, Ohakea, where he was awarded his air observer's badge. He was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 27th July, 1940, and on the 11th August of the same year embarked for the United Kingdom.

Shortly after arrival in England P/O Daniel was posted to No. 13 Operational Training Unit, where he trained as navigator on Anson and Blenheim aircraft.

On the 21st January, 1941, he proceeded to No. 18 Squadron, Great Massingham, Norfolk, from which base he carried out, as navigator on Blenheim aircraft, 5 operational flights. These included raids on the targets of Dusseldorf, Wilhelmshaven, in Germany; and Buologne, in France.

On the 22nd March, 1941, P/O Daniel was a member of the crew of a Blenheim aircraft which took off on air operations for the

4216036: F/Sgt. John Edward DANSEY. PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. E. P. Dansey of Rotorus.

John Dansey was born at Rotorua on April 28th, 1923. He was educated at Rotorua High School, where he sat for University Entrance in 1941 and where he was a keen footballer and cricketer, being in the first XV and first XI. On leaving school, he served in the 3rd L.A.F.V. Territoral Regiment, but applied for aircrew enlistment in August 1942 and was enlisted in the RNZAF in December when he joined an Air Defence Unit at Waipapakauri. His turn for Flying Training did not come until July 1943 when he became a pilot of Tiger Moth aircraft at Harewood. On October 12th, 1943, John Dansey embarked for Canada and on arrival was posted to No. 37 Service Flying Training School in Calgary and then to No. 34 Service Flying Training School at Medicine Hat where he became a service pilot of Harvard and Anson aircraft, qualified for his Flying Badge on April 21st, 1944, and was promoted to Sergeant. Having been elected for further training as a Fighter Pilot, he returned to New Zealand in June and after leave and a refreshed course at Harewood was posted to No. 4 Operational Training Unit at Ohakea. Here he flew Kittyhawk aircraft and at the Conversion Flight at Ardmore also became a pilot of Corsair fighters. His instructors reported him as"a very capable pilot who shows initiative in his flying, keen and works well." He was promoted to Flight Sergeant and posted to No. 17 Squadron at Guadalcanal, leaving New Zealand on December 31st, 1944. On January 4th, 1945 F/Sgt. Dansey was carrying out formation flying practice at Beaufort Bay, Guadalcanal when he collied in mid-air with another Corsair aircraft and was killed.

5/2/16465 A.S.2 382 hours - 2 Log Books.

Mr. E. P. Dansey (F) C/o Post Office, ROTORUA.

RAF. 72500 Flying Officer Brian William Jesse D'Arcy-Irvine. Father: Mr. H.C. D'Arcy-Irvine of Nelson.

Brian D'Arcy-Irvine was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States on April 19. 1918. He joined the Cambridge University Air Squadron in England in 1938. On October 25th. of the same year he was granted an emergency commission as Pilot Officed on probation in the General Duties Branch, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer on April 25th. 1940.

On October 22nd 1939, Flying Officer D'Arcy-Irvine was enlisted at the Cranwell Service Flying Training School, being posted to No. 5 Operational Training Unit, Turnberry, on April 20th. 1940. He was further posted to No. 257 (F) Squadron, Northolt, Middlesex, for flying duties on May 15th..

On August 8th 1940. No. 257 Squadron, consisting of three sections took off from Tangmere with orders to patrol base. At 15,000 feet one section observed 20 enemy aircraft circling below them. The order was given to attack and in ensuing combat Flying Officer D'Arcy-Irvine was shot down by an M.E. 109.

4/9/50 A.S.2

Mr. D.C. D'Arcy-Irvine (F) C/- Bank of New South Wales, Nelson.

NZ 411862. Flying Officer Montague Eric DARK. Mother. Mrs M.C. Dark of Wanganui.

Montague Dark was born at Sydenham,England on March 31st 1921.He came to New Zealand when he was five years old,andwent to live in Wanganui.He was educated at the Wanganui Technical College, where he passed the Post and Telegraph Entrance Exam,and partook of all sports and was a member of the cadet corps.On leaving school he worked as a draughtsman in the Post and Telegraph Department in Wellington.

On March 23rd 1941 Montague Dark enlisted at Levin as an airman pilot under training,and at completion of the Ground Train-ing course was posted to the Service Flying Training School,New Plymouth,in May . In June he was transferred to Ohakea, here he gained 80% in the Wings' Exam and permission to wear the Flying badge from July 26th.At the completion of a very satisfactory course on September 6th,he was promoted Pilot Officer and recommended for an instructor. Pilot Officer Dark

Flying Officer Dark lost his life on December 24th 1943.He was one of Squadron Leader Arkwright's flights that was engaged in a fighter sweep over Rabaul.He was last seen engaged in combat with a Zeke and it is presumed that he was shot down.

Flying Officer Dark's brother John served as an airman with the Navy.

5/2/5335. A.S.2 1931 hours.

Mrs. M.C. Dark (Mother) 46 Campbell Street, WANGANUI.

403954: Flight Sergeant Richard Maxwell DARLING. MOTHER: Mrs. M.A. Darling of Waiwers.

Richard Darling was born at Dargaville on the 9th January, 1914, and received his secondary education at the King's College, Auckland, where he passed his University Entrance Examination. He engaged in gold, tennis, running, swimming, football, and boxing, and was a member of the sng chool first XV. He later played golf for the Auckland Golf Club. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a motor salesman by H.C. Rees of Auckland.

F/Sgt. Darling applied for aircrew training on the 28th September, 1939, but his application was deferred on medical grounds. He was enlisted on the 27th October, 1940, at the Ground Training School, Levin. On the 27th November, he proceeded to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, New Plymouth, to commence training as a pilot. In December, his flying training was terminated and he was remustered to Air Observer, returning to the Ground Training School, Levin, on the 15th February, 1941. On successfully completing the course there, he embarked on the "Acrangi" on the 24th March, 1941, for Canada, to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, F/Sgt. Darling was posted, in the 17th April, 1941, to No. 6 Air Observers School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and thence on the 6th July to No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, MacDonald, Manitoba, where he was awarded his Air Observer's badge and promoted to Sergeant on the 18th August, 1941. On the 1st August, 1942, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant. After a course at No. 1 Advanced Navigation School, Rivers, Manitoba, he embarked from No. 1 "Y" Depton, Halifax, late in September, 1941, for the United Kingdom.

F/SGT. DARLING

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F/Sgt. Darling arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 7th October, 1941. On the 25th November, he was posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourne, Hertfordshire, where he crewed up and completed his training on Anson and Wellington aircraft. He was posted on the 19th May, 1942, to No. 156 Squadron, Wyton, Huntingdonshire, from where he took park in 20 operational flights as a Navigator and Bomb Aimer on Wellington aircraft. The targets included Cologne, Essen (4) Baden (3) Bremen (2) Wilhemshaven, Duisburg (2) Mainz, Dusseldorf and Oanabruck in Germany. He also took part in mine laying operations off the Frisian Islands. On the 23rd July, 1942, he was remustered to Navigator.

F/Sgt. Darling was a member of the crew of a Wellington aircraft which took off on air operations on the night of August 27/28th, and which failed to return to its base. All the crew, including F/Sgt. Darling were classified as missing.

Information later received through the International Red Cross Committee stated that F/Sgt. Darling had lost his life on the 28th August, 1942. His death has since been presumed to have occured on that date. Further information was received through the International Red Cross Committee that F/Sgt. Darling was buried in the Principal Cemetery, Krefeld, Germany.

5/2/2516 AS2 339 hours as Navigator

Mrs. M.A. Darling (M) Waiwers, NORTH AUCKLAND.

42376 Flight Sergeant Jack Neville DARNEY PARENTS Mr and Mrs J. E. Darney of NEW PLYMOUTH

Jack Darney was born at New Plymouth on the 27th November, 1920, and received his secondary education at the New Plymouth Boys' High School. The sports in which he was interested included rugby, cricket, tennis and shooting. He played for his School First XI. After leaving school and at the time of his making application for aircrew training on the 26th August, 1940, he was employed as a clerical cadet by the New Zealand Railways, Wellington.

Flight Sergeant Darney was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 10th January, 1942 and moved with the Initial Training Wing to Rotorua on the 22nd February, 1942. On the completion of his initial training he was posted on the 6th march to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, New Plymouth for his elementary flying training. He embarked on the 10th May for Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Flight Sergeant Darney arrived at No 3 "M" Depot, Edmonton, Alberta on the 6th June, 1942 and was posted on the following day to No. 37 Service Flying Training School, Calgary, Alberta, where, on the 25th September, he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st June, 1943. Meanwhile, he was posted on the 13th October, 1942 to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Darned arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 5th November, 1942 and was posted on the 28th December to No. 15 (Pilots') Advanced Flying Unit, Ternhill, Shropshire and thence on the 2nd March, 1943 to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Oakley, Buckinghamshire, where as second pilot of Wellington bomber aircraft he flew on numerous training flights. Late in May he proceeded to No. 1657 Conversion Unit, Stradishall, Suffolk, where he converted to Stirling aircraft. On the 21st June, as second pilot of Stirling aircraft he took part in a

J.N. DARNEY

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operational flight to Krefeld in Germany. On the 2nd July, he was posted to No. 75 (N.Z.) Squadron at Mepal, Cambridgeshire and as the pilot of Stirling aircraft he carried out a further five operational flights the targets including Hamburg (3), and Essen in Germany.

On the 30th July, Flight Sergeant Darney was the pilot of a Stirling aircraft which took off on an operational flight to Remscheid, Germany and failed to return to its base. All the members of the crew including Flight Sergeant Darney were classified as missing. With no further news forthcoming his death was officially presumed to have occured on the 30th July, 1943.

5/2/6373 AS2 421 hours as Pilot

Mrs C. E. Darney (M) 83 Barrett Street, NEW PLYMOUTH

MRP/NF

402170 : Sergeant Clive Alan Gillons DALE. PARENTS. : Mr. & Mrs. D. S. Dale of Palmerston North.

Clive Dale was born in Dunedin on the 25th August, 1921 and received his secondary education at the Wanganui Technical College, Taumarunui District High School, and the Wellington Boys' College. He gained his School Certificate in 1938, and at the time of his application for a short service commission - on September 4, 1939 - he was still attending Wellington Boys' College. As a sportsman he was interested in tennis, cricket, rowing, rugby, swimming and running. He was a member of the Wellington College 1st XV.

As no appointments to short service commissions were made after the outbreak of war Sgt. Dale applied, on September 16, 1939, for war service training as an airman pilot, and eventually was enlisted at the Ground Training School, Levin, on the 28th July, 1940. The following month he was posted to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, New Plymouth and towards the end of October to No. 3 Flying Training School, Ohakea. On the 15th January, 1941, he was awarded his flying badge and a month later promoted to Sergeant. He sailed from Auckland on the "Awatea", travelling by way of Canada for the United Kingdom, on the 27th February, 1941.

Sgt. Dale, on arrival in England was posted, on the 27th May, 1941, to No. 59 Operational Training Unit, Crosby-on-Eden, Cumberland, where he flew Miles Master and Hurricane aircraft. On the 13th July, he proceeded to No. 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron, and during the next few months served with the Squadron at Colerne; Charmy Down, Somersetshire; and Fairwood Common, South Wales, carrying out patrol duties and a number of reconnaissance flights.

On the 25th October, 1941, Sgt. Dale was the pilot of a Boulton Paul Defiant aircraft which took off on a patrol flight from