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HD/NF 12848 Vol. 8 NA-PY
4211613: Pilot Officer Murray Adamson NAGEL. M.I.D. PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. Nagel of Wanganui.
Murray Nagel was born on the 20th April, 1924, at Wanganui, and received his secondary education at Wanganui Technical College, where he gained this Public Service Entrance examination. The sports in which he was actively interested included rugby football, cricket and american basketball. He was a member of his school's 1st XV and 1st XI. At the time of his making application for aircrew training - on the 18th May, 1942 - he was employed in a clerical position in the Engineer's Dept. of the New Zealand Railways at Wanganui.
Pilot Officer Nagel was enlisted on the 19th September, 1942, at Levin, in the Air Training Corps, and was posted on the 27th October to Rotorua. He commenced his initial training as a pilot at Rotorua on the 26th November, and proceeded to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, Ashburton, on the 3rd January, 1943. On the 3rd March, 1943, he was posted to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, where - on the 12th July, 1943 - he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 18th March, 1944, and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 1st April, 1944. On the 12th July, 1943, he proceeded to No. 1 Operational Training Unit, Ohakea, where he completed his training on Kittyhawk and Harvard aircraft.
P/O Nagel was posted on the 6th August, 1943, to No. 18 (Fighter) Squadron, Woodbourne, and moved with the Squadron on September 2nd to Whenuapai, and again by Dakota aircraft to Espiritu Santo on the 17th September. Operating with No. 18 Squadron from Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Munda and Ondonga, he took part as a pilot of Warhawk aircraft, in numerous operational flights, completing his first operational tour. The duties
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M. A. NAGEL.
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included patrols, escort bombing and straffing enemy positions. On the 26th November he returned in a Dakota aircraft to Guadalcanal, and thence, on the 29th to Espiritu Santo, and New Zealand.
P/O Nagel arrived at Whenuapai on the 20th November, and, on the completion of his leave he proceeded to No. 18 (Fighter) Squadron, at Ardmore, on the 28th December. He flew a Warhawk aircraft from Waipapakauri to Guadalcanal, landing at Norfolk Island, Tontouta and Santos en route, arriving at Guadalcanal on the 20th January, 1944. On the 25th January he was flown in a Dakota aircraft to Torokina.
P/O Nagel completed his second tour with No. 18 (F) Squadron, Torokina, from which base, he carried out numerout further operational flights, the duties including patrols, escort, interception and bombing Rabaul and Japanese installations. On the 13th March, 1944, he was a passenger on a Hudson aircraft which flew him back to Norfolk Island. He flew a Warhawk aircraft on the 18th March to Waipapakauri and thence to Mangere. On the completion of his disembarkation leave he joined No. 18 (F) Squadron at Ardmore. He embarked again on a Dakota aircraft and was flown on the 9th May to Santos via Norfolk.
P/O Nagel, on arrival at Santos, flew for a short time Corsair (Fighter) aircraft for familiarisation before again moving to the forward area with No. 18 (F) Squadron, Torokina, on June 4th. From this base he took part in numerous further operational flights, entailing similar duties as the first two tours. On July 11th he was piloting a Corsair (F) aircraft on a patrol in the Rabaul area and which failed to return to its base. In consquence P/O Nagel was reported missing. This was his 105th operational flight. He was one of four detailed for a dawn patrol and became separated from the others in inclement weather about 10 miles off Cape St. George. His death was officially presumed to have occured as at 11th July, 1944. He was mentioned in dispatches in January, 1945.
5/2/17306 AS2 716 hrs. as pilot.
Mr. H.C. Nagel (F) Fox Rd., WANGANUI.
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NZ42117 Pilot Officer Colin George NAIRNE. Widow Mrs. R.O. Nairne, R.M.D., Richmond, Nelson. Parents Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Nairne, Kaiwarra, Wellington.
Colin Nairne was born at Palmerston North on the 8th April 1922, and received his secondary education at the Taihape Dis-trict High School. While at school he played Rugby, football for the First Fifteen, and also took part in cricket and swimming. Prior to joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force, he was employed on the Studholme Estate, Hihitabi, farming and tractor driving.
Pilot Officer Nairne made application for aircrew trainnig in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, on the 26th December 1940, and was enlisted at Blenheim on the 12th January 1942, where he was employed on ground duties until proceeding to the Initial Training Wing, Rotours for aircrew training on 3rd September.
On completion of his intial training he was poster to No 3 Elementary Flying Training School, Harewood, on the 15th October, and on the 29th December to No 1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram, where on the 15th March 1943 he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to Sergeant, on the 6th May. He embarked for the United Kingdom via Canada on the 20th May 1943.
On arrival in England on the 8th July 1943, Pilot Officer Nairne was posted to No 12 Personnel Reception Centre, Brighton, and proceeded to No 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, Dell-achy, Scotland on the 3rd August. Here he trained until mid November, when he was posted to No 11 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force, Oakley for operational training on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 3rd March 1944 he was posted to No 1657 Conversion Unit, Stradis-hall, Suffolk, where he trained on Stirling aircraft, until proceed-ing on the 29th May to No 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, Nepal, Cambridge, from which base he carried out 20 operational flights. The targets on these raids included Calais, Lisieux, Dreux, Nantes, Le Harve, Valen-ciennes, Montdidier, Villiersbocage, Watten, and Vaires (4) Bois Desjardines andd Cagny in France, and Homburg (2), Keil, and Stuttgart in Germany.
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Pilot Officer Nairne was the Pilot of a Lancaster air-craft, which took off on July 30th 1944, to attack Amayesur-Suelles, a heavily defended target in France. Nothing further was heard of the aircraft after its take-off, and all members of the crew were posted as missing. Subsequently information was received from Air Ministry, that the body of Warrant Officer Kidley, a member of the crew, was buried at sea by a Naval Patrol, after a mid-air collision, but no further news was received of the remaining member. The death of Pilot Officer Nairne was officially presumed as having occured on the 30th July 1944.
Other New Zealanders including in the crew were Pilot Officer L.C. Perry of Lower Hutt, and Flight Sergeant P. Falkiner of Auckland.
Total flying hours 555. 5/2/7674 AS2
Mrs. R.O. Nairne (W) R.M.D. Richmond, NELSON.
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432723 Pilot Officer Clement Walter NASH. Widow: Mrs. L.R. Nash of NAPIER. Parents: Rt.Hon. Walter and Mrs. Nash of LOWER HUTT
Walter Nash was born at Birmingham, England, on the 10th June 1907 and accompanied his parents to New Zealand at an early age. He received his secondary education at the New Plymouth Boys' High School, and Wellington College, passing the matriculation examination. While studying for his Legal Degree at Victoria University College, he was employed with a number of legal firms in Wellington. In 1929 he passed the L.L.M. Degree with first class Honours and also gained the B.A. degree. After obtaining his degree he entered into practice at Napier, and was still engaged there in his profession at the time of applying for a commission in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 11th September 1942. He served with the Napier Battalion of the Home Guard after its formation there.
Pilot Officer Nash was enlisted at Levin on the 10th March 1943 and employed in clerical duties at Air Headquarters, Levin, and Gisborne, until granted a Commission in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch and posted to Omaka on the 10th September for an officers' training course.
Pilot Officer Nash died of sickness at the Wairau Hospital on the 29th September 1943 and was buried in the Parke Island Cemetery, Napier.
5/5/635 A.S.2
Mrs.L.R. Nash (W), 35 Thompson Road, NAPIER.