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In February 1943, Flying Officer Parata was posted to No. 1 Operational Training Unit at Ohakea for a course on Hudson aircraft and was the most outstanding pilot on the course. The report reads - "This officer is an outstanding pilot who has generally been approaching exceptional for his number of hours on the type. He has co-operated fully with the staff and controls his crew with ability."

He then became a member of No. 2 Squadron and (redacted Became) Captain of a Hudson crew with Sergeant Moss as 2nd Pilot, Sergeant Willis as Navigator and Flight Sergeant Bollson and Sergeant Horgan as Wireless Operator Air Gunners. After a month's crew training and cross country exercises they went forward to Nausori Fiji on June 6th.

On June 27th, 1943, Flying Officer Parata took off on air operations with his regular crew; later they asked for bearings and from that time on continual navigation aids were given but two hours later the Hudson made a forced landing and a long search revealed no trace of the aircraft or crew.

Find a Grave link with photos of Flying Officer Parata: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249417573/alistair_tanetoa-parata/photo

5/2/2787 A.S.2.
929 hours.

Mrs. M.H.C. Parata (M) (right aligned)
"Marchfield", (right aligned)
564 Highgate, Maori Hill, (right aligned)
DUNEDIN. (right aligned & underlined)