RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Qu - Sl

42467 Flight Sergeant John Neil SINCLAIR. Parents: Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Sinclair of Edendale, SOUTHLAND.

John Sinclair was born at Mataura on the 18th March 1920. He received his secondary education at the Gore High School, passing the Matriculation examination and gaining a school certificate. He was the title holder of the 440 yards Southland amateur championship. From the time of leaving school in 1935 until applying for enlistment in aircrew, on the 20th May 1941, he was employed in a clerical capacity by the Post and Telegraph Department at Invercargill.

Flight Sergeant Sinclair was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 12th January 1942, and posted to Taieri early in March for his elementary flying training. He proceeded to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim, early in May, where he was awarded the flying badge on the 18th September and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 17th October. Later, while serving in New Zealand, he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st June 1943. Meanwhile, early in November 1942 he was posted to Seagrove for further training and then on the 19th September 1943 to No. 2 Operational Training Unit, Ohakea, for completion of his training.

Flight Sergeant Sinclair was the pilot of a Kittyhawk aircraft which crashed on to the Bulls Wanganui highway on the 27th October 1943, during night flying exercises, Flight Sergeant Sinclair losing his life. He was buried in the cemetery at Edendale, Southland.

5/3/16799 A.S.2. No Logbook.

Mr. W.N. Sinclair (F), (right aligned) Edendale (right aligned) SOUTHLAND. (right aligned)

NZ425022 : Flight Sergeant Rodney Herbert SINCLAIR. Parents: Mr. and Mrs. J.R. SINCLAIR of WHAKATANE.

Rodney Sinclair was born at Opotiki on the 30th January 1918 and received his secondary education at the Opotiki District High School. The sports in which he was interested included rugby, tennis, swimming and boxing. After leaving school he was employed in farming duties and at the time of his making application for aircrew training on the 1st April 1941 he was in partnership with his two brothers on a dairy farm at Waimana.

Flight Sergeant Sinclair was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing Rotorua on the 16th May 1942 and on completion of his initial training he embarked on the 20th July, 1940 for Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Flight Sergeant Sinclair arrived at No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia on the 19th August, 1942 and was posted on the 30th of the same month to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, thence on the 25th October, to No. 10 Air Observer School, Chatham, New Brunswick where on the 26th November he was awarded the Air Bomber Badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 4th June, 1943. Meanwhile he embarked on the 29th December, 1942 from No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Sinclair arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 8th January 1943 and was posted on the 2nd March to No. 10 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, Dumfries, Scotland and proceeded on the 13th April, to No. 28 Operational Training Unit, Wymeswold, Leicestershire, where he crewed up and completed his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. Early in July he proceeded to No. 1662 Conversion Unit, Blyton, Lincolnshire, where he converted to Lancaster aircraft before posting on the 9th September to No. 101 Squadron Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire. With this Squadron as the Air Bomber of Lancaster aircraft he took part in eight operational flights the targets including Hanover, Kassel (2), Stuttgart (2), Bochum and Dusseldorf, in Germany; and Modane in France.

-2- (centre aligned) On the 25th November he was posted to No. 576 Squadron, Elshamwolds, Lincolnshire.

On the night of the 3rd/4th December, 1943, Flight Sergeant Sinclair was the Air Bomber of a Lancaster aircraft which took off on air operations over the target of Leipzig in Germany and failed to return to its base all the members of the crew including Flight Sergeant Sinclair were classified as missing.

Information received from the International Red Cross Committee through a German source stated that Flight Sergeant Sinclair had lost his life. In consequence he was reclassified to missing believed killed in action.

Additional information received from the International Red Cross Committee revealed that he was buried in the City Cemetery, Muckern, 30 miles South of Leipzig, Germany. In due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 4th December, 1943.

Find a Grave link with photos of Flight Sergeant Sinclair: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18405017/rodney_herbert-sinclair/photo Auckland Museum link with more info on Flight Sergeant Sinclair: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C26994?n=rodney+herbert+sinclair&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/9802 AS2 310 hours as Air Bomber.

Mr. J.E. Sinclair (F) (right aligned) C/- Mr. E.A. Bunkall, (right aligned) Solicitor, (right aligned) P.O. Box 21, (right aligned) OPOTIKI (right aligned & underlined)

41945 Leading Aircraftsman Selwyn Allan SINCLAIR. Parents: Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Sinclair of Mt. Albert, AUCKLAND.

Selwyn Sinclair was born at Auckland on the 19th April 1921, and received his secondary education at the Mt. Albert Grammar School, passing the University Entrance examination. He afterwards studied by night classes at the Seddon Memorial Technical College and passed in 6 subjects of the Professional Accountant's examination. He played football for his school 1st XV, and afterwards for the Grammar Old Boys' Club. From the time of leaving school in 1937 until applying for enlistment in aircrew on the 18th April 1940, he was employed in a clerical capacity by the Auckland Transport Board.

Leading Aircraftsman Sinclair was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 9th February 1941 and posted to Whenuapai on the 22nd March for his elementary flying training. He then proceeded to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim, early in May.

Leading Aircraftsman Sinclair was the pilot of a Harvard aircraft engaged during the 29th May 1941 in a cross-country flight, and which failed to return to its base. Leading Aircraftsman Sinclair was classified as missing, and in due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 29th May 1941.

5/2/4465 A.S.2. No Logbook.

Mr. H.W. Sinclair (F), (right aligned) 15 Challenor Crescent, (right aligned) Mt. Albert, (right aligned) AUCKLAND. (right aligned)

4314354 Aircraftsman Thomas William SINCLAIR. Parents: Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Sinclair of Outram, OTAGO.

Thomas Sinclair was born at Waihola on the 29th January 1925 and educated at the school there. When applying for enlistment in the Air Force in August 1943, he was employed in farming for Mr. R. Clark at Clarkesville, Milton.

Aircraftsman Sinclair was enlisted at the Delta, Marlborough, on the 15th December, 1943, and remained there until posted to Hamilton for general duties, on the 21st June 1944. He died of natural causes on in the Balclutha Public Hospital on the 6th August 1944, and was buried in the Waihola Cemetery, Otago.

5/2/19712 A.S.2.

Mrs. R. Sinclair (M), (right aligned) Titri Road, (right aligned) Outram, (right aligned) OTAGO. (right aligned & underlined)