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AJM/NF (right aligned)
423669 : Flying Officer Neville Alexander HEFFERNAN.
PARENTS: F/Officer & Mrs. Heffernan of Whenuapai.

Neville Heffernan was born at Auckland on the 2nd November 1921. He received his secondary education at Mt. Albert Grammar School, followed by night classes at Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland, and the Wellington Technical College, where he was successful in passing 5 subjects of his Professional Accountancy examination. He played football, and also took part in athletics and swimming. After leaving school he was employed in a number of clerical positions and at the time of enlistment in aircrew was employed in a clerical accountancy capacity by the Air Department in Wellington. F/O Heffernan was granted a commission as an accountant officer on the 1st June, 1942 in order to proceed to Headquarters in London for accountancy duties, but this was relinquished on the 19th September and he was posted to the Initial Training Wing at Rotorua on the 25th September for aircrew training.

Flying Officer Heffernan embarked for Canada on the 24th December, 1942, after successfully completing his initial training for an air observer.

F/O Heffernan arrived at No. 3 "M" Depot, Edmonton, on the 11th January, 1943 and was posted to No. 1 Central Navigation School on the 23rd of the same month. Here he trained as navigator of Anson aircraft and on the 14th May was awarded the air navigator's badge and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 14th November 1943. Meanwhile on the 23rd June 1943 he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia and thence to No. 1 Radio School at Montreal, before embarking early in January, 1944 for the United Kingdom.