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424401	: W/O William Gibbs ABBOTT.
PARENTS	: Dr. & Mrs. William Norman Abbott of Auckland.

William Abbott was born at Auckland on May 9th, 1922 and was
educated at Kings School and Kings College, Auckland. He gained
his University Entrance Examination in 1939 and after leaving school
was employed on clerical duties with the Colonial Sugar Refining
Co. at Auckland. Prior to the war he served with the 1st Battery,
1st Field Regiment, New Zealand Army Territorial Forces.
He applied for enlistment in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an
Airman Piot on the 19h February 1941 at the age of 18,
He was being attested on the 6th August 1941 at Auckland. He represented
his school in the 1st XV at football and the 1st XI at cricket
and played 3rd grade rugby for Auckland University. After a short
education course with the Royal New Zealand Air Force Education service, he went to the
Initial Training Wing at Rotorua for training in May 1942. His
Elementary Flying Training was undertaken at No. 1 Elementary
Flying Training School, Taieri and he then went on to No. 2 Training School,
Woodbourne, where he gained his Flying Badge on December 29th, 1942.
On completing his training, he was recommended for training on
fighter aircraft. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in
March 1943 and left New Zealand in the following month for service
in the United Kingdom.

He arrived in Great Britain at the end of May and a month later
commenced flying on Miles Master aircraft at No. 17 Advanced Flying
Unit, Calveley, where he completed his course in November. He was
promoted to Flight Sergeant on September 6th, 1943.
Warrant Officer Abbott next proceeded to No. 53 (Fighter)
Operational Training Unit at Kirton Lindsay for operational training
on Spitfire I & II fighters.

From the beginning of March until the end of July 1943 he was
stationed at the Tactical Exercise Units at Tealing, Kinnel and
Honiley in Scotland, at which he was flying the Hurricane IV,
Spitfire VB, Typhoon IA and Mustang III fighters after which he
spent a short period at No. 83 Group Support Unit at Bognor Regis
in Sussex.