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- 2 - then at Feltwell, Norfolk. With this squadron as pilot of a Wellington bomber he took part in attacks on Kiel, Wilhelmshaven and Heligoland and in long range reconnaissance flights along the Norwegian coast.
On the night of 3/4th August, 1940, Squadron Leader Collett was captain of a Wellington bomber aircraft detailed to carry out an operation over Germany. On the aircrafts return owing to bad weather conditions an attempt was made to carry out a forced landing at Mildenhall, Suffolk, and while carrying this out the aircraft crashed at Barton Mills, Mildenhall. Squadron Leader Collett receiving injuries from which he subsequently succumbed on the 4th August, 1940. He was buried in the St. Nicholas Churchyard, Feltwell, Norfolk.
(Info on his grave site https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112120595/wilfred-ira-collett)
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HD/NF 413738 : Flight Sergeant Ernest William Joseph COLLINGWOOD. WIFE: Mrs J. Collingwood of Christchurch.
Ernest Collingwood was born on the 26th August 1920, in Christchurch, and was educated at Christchurch West School and Shirley Intermediate School. At the time of making his application for aircrew training - on the 19th June, 1940 - he was a panel beater employed by Messrs. Hutchinson's Motors Ltd., Christchurch.
F/Sgt Collingwood was enlisted at Levin on the 6th July, 1941, and, on satisfactorily completing his initial training, embarked for Canada on 14th August, 1941.
On arrival in Canada, F/Sgt. Collingwood was posted to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba. On completion of the course at this school he was posted to No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School, Paulson, also in Manitoba, where - on the 13th April, 1942 - he was awarded the air gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. On the 1st May, 1943, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant. On 23rd March, 1942, he continued his training at No. 31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia, on Anson and Hudson aircraft; and on completion of the course he embarked for the United Kingdom.
On arrival in England - on the 30th July, 1942 - F/Sgt. Collingwood was posted to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth. On the 16th January, 1943, he proceeded to No. 1 Air Armament School, Manby, Lincolnshire, where he trained on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 7th March he was posted to No. 15 Operational Training Unit, Harwell, Berkshire, for further training on Wellington bomber aircraft, on completion of which he proceeded to No. 1658 Conversion Unit, Riccall, Yorkshire. At the latter unit he carried out air exercises as air gunner on Halifax bomber aircraft. On the 20th June he was posted to No. 78 Squadron, Breighton, Yorkshire for operational duties.
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E.W.J. COLLINGWOOD 2. On the night of the 25th (was 26th) June, 1943, F/Sgt. Collingwood was a member of the crew of a Halifax bomber aircraft which took off from Breighton to attack the target of Wuppertal, Germany, and failed to return to its base. This was his 1st operational flight. All the members of the crew, including F/Sgt Collingwood, were reported missnig. Later, information received from Air Ministry through the International Red Cross Committee stated the F/Sgt. Collingwood had lost his life. In consequence of this he was reclassified missing, believed killed in action. Subsequently his death was officially presumed. The only otehr R.N.Z.A.F member of the crew was Sgt. K.F. Morrison (Pilot) of Christchurch.
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NZ2513 ) RAF 39064) Flight Lieutenant John Noel Collins. Father Mr. B.R. Collins of Matamata. Sister: Miss R.H. Collins of Sydney, N.S.W.
John Collins was born at Wellington on the 31st March, 1917. He received his secondary education at Christs' College, Christchurch, afterwards continuing at St. Bede's College there. In 1936 he proceeded to the United Kingdom in order to take up a short-service commission in the Royal Air Force, and on the 13th July commenced his elementary flying training at the Civil Flying School, Brough, East Yorkshire. After completing this course he was posted on the 19th September to No. 2 Flying Training School where on the 22nd May, 1937 he was awarded the flying badge, and posted to No. 104 (Bomber) (was B) squadron. On the 17th October he commenced a Navigation course at Air Service Training Ltd., Hamble, Hampshire returning to No. 104 Squadron on the 14th January, 1938.
Flight Lieutenant Collins was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 5th July, 1939 in the rank of Flying Officer and posted to the New Zealand Squadron then forming at Marham, Norfolk, to fly Wellington aircraft to New Zealand. He served with this Squadron as pilot of Wellington aircraft, being granted the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant on the 4th May, 1940, and transferring to No. 75 (N.Z.) Squadron at Feltwell when it formed there on the 4th April, 1940.
Flight Lieutenant Collins was the Captain of a Wellington bomber aircraft engaged in an operational flight over enemy territory on the night of the 21/22nd May, 1940. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew including Flight Lieutenant Collins were classified as missing. In due course his death was presumed to have occured on the 21st May, 1940.
Miss R. Collins (Sister) P.O. Box 15, Rose Bay SYDNEY (underlined) 4/1/81 A521 No logbook found.
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HW/NF
41599: Sergeant Norman Joseph COLLINS. MOTHER: Mrs. E. J. Collins of Christchurch. FATHER: Mr. D. Collins of Rakaia.
Norman Collins was born on the 3rd January, 1916, at Rakaia, and received his education at Rakaia at at St. Mary's Convents. The sport in which he was most actively interested was swimming. At the time of his making application for aircrew training - on the 30th October, 1940 - he was employed as a shop assistant by John Orr & Co., Ashburton. Sergeant Collins was enlisted at Levin on the 2nd November, 1941. On the 28th December, having satisfactorily completed his ground training, he embarked for Canada. On arrival in Canada Sgt. Collins was posted to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta, and thence in February, 1942, to No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School, Dafoe, Saskatchewan. At the latter school he was - on the 17th August, 1942 - awarded the air gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. On the 27th September he proceeded to No. 31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia, where he carried out air exercises as a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner on Anson trainer and Hudson bomber aircraft. He embarked from Canada for the United Kingdom in January, 1943.