A major research project is now underway, being conducted by the creator of this Wings Over Cambridge website, me, Dave Homewood. The new project is an attempt to record the history of the Reconnaissance Squadrons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in World War Two.

Before the Second World War, the New Zealand Government had set up the Territorial Air Force. From 1937 the three main squadrons of the TAF had been equipped with the Blackburn Baffin, which were second hand torpedo bombers from the Royal Navy aircraft carriers.

When war erupted in Europe on the 3rd of September 1939, the men of the TAF and their aircraft were instantly drafted into the regular Royal New Zealand Air Force. They formed reconnaissance squadrons tasked to patrol the waterways around Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

As the war progressed these squadrons were at first merged into the New Zealand General Reconaissance Squadron, then split up again and expanded till the RNZAF could boast General Reconnaissance squadrons covering all the important parts of the country. Some were still flying the obsolete Baffin, Vickers Vincent and Vildebeest, while others upgraded to the new Lockheed Hudsons.

The first RNZAF unit to deploy into the Pacific theatre was Unit 20, based in Fiji defending shipping lanes with ex-airliners converted for General Reconnaissance work. When the Japanese entered the war this unit was superceded by No. 4 GR Squadron with Hudsons and No.5 GR Squadron with Singapore flying boats and Vincents.

No 9 GR Squadron was established with Hudsons at Plaine des Gaiac in New Caledonia, and then No 3 GR Squadron moved to Espiritu Santo, and then the hot war zone of Guadalcanal. Successively these units were rotated with other squadrons till most had seen a baptism of fire in the Pacific. Eventually the Hudsons were replaced by the Lockheed Venturas, and by this time the squadrons took a more active role in attacks so their designation changed from General Reconnaissance to Bomber Reconnaissance squadrons.

From the outbreak of war through till its end, there is a fascinating history to be told surrounding the men and machines of the reconnaissance squadrons, and the the actions they were in. I hope to record this history, which in the past has really only ever been brushed on in wider looks at the RNZAF, and previous books have largely forgotten the social side of life in the squadrons (with perhaps the exception of Alex Horn's excellent 'Wings Over The Pacific' which inspired me to attempt this book).

As well as the official records and statistics, this book will include the human side of life on the squadrons. I have begun interviewing veterans of the squadrons, and have been recording their memories and impressions of the GR and BR squadrons from the prewar Territorial days; to their initial establishment as regular RNZAF units; through the dark days of attempting to stop German raiders from sinking New Zealand shipping; and the darker days of Japan's entry into the war when it was realised how unprepared the RNZAF really was.

The book will cover the training and expansion of the squadrons, and the deployment of them to foreign soil, and in some cases dangerous war zones, and the casualties of war. This history will also remember the social life on the squadrons too, what life was like for the men who flew, and those on the ground keeping the engines and the squadrons running. There will be the lighter moments, the successes and good times as well as the more sobre side of squadrons at war.

I also intend to cover what happened to the squadrons and the people after the war, and what became of the aircraft too, including a section on GR and BR Sqn aircraft that survive today. And I hope to have a section on colour schemes and markings of the aircraft types for modellers if there's room. So this will be a big book, maybe having to be in two volumes.

Already many veterans have been interviewed and many untold stories recorded for this book. But I am seeking more input from veterans. Can you help please?

If you were connected in any way with the General Reconnaissance or Bomber Reconnaissance squadrons of the RNZAF in New Zealand or the Pacific, or you know someone who was, I'd very much like to hear from you please.

To clarify who I want to talk with and interview, I'm looking for anyone (whether you were aircrew, maintenance groundcrew or administrative staff, no matter what you did) who served with the squadrons and units listed below please:

I'll stipulate again, you don't have to have been a pilot or aircrew member - though of course I really do want to speak to them too - but even if you were a flight mechanic, fireman, accounts clerk, cook, driver, armourer, aircraft finisher, safety equipment worker, instruments mechanic, rigger, padre, adjutant, or whatever, and you have memories of life on or alongside these units - I'd love to hear from you and have a chat please. Here are the squadrons and units I'm most interested in:

Operational Squadrons

- No. 1 (Auckland) Squadron - prewar, and 1939-1940

- No. 2 (Wellington) Squadron - prewar, and 1939-1940

- No. 3 (Christchurch) Squadron - prewar, and 1939-1940

- The New Zealand General Reconnaissance Squadron 1940-41

- No. 1 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 1 (BR) Squadron - 1941-45

- No. 2 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 2 (BR) Squadron - 1941-46

- No. 3 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 3 (BR) Squadron - 1941-45

- No. 4 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 4 (BR) Squadron - 1941-45

- No. 5 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 5 (AC) Squadron - 1941-43

- No. 7 (GR) Squadron - 1942-43

- No. 8 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 8 (BR) Squadron - 1942-45

- No. 9 (GR) Squadron - later redesignated No. 9 (BR) Squadron - 1942-45

- Unit 20, Fiji

- Short Singapore Delivery Flight Ferry Crews and Maintenance Staff 1941

- Singapore Flying Boat Flight - Fiji, 1943

- Ventura Ferry Flight - Hawaii 1943

 

Maintenance Units

- No. 10 Bomber Maintenance Unit - later redesignated No. 10 Servicing Unit

- No. 11 Bomber Maintenance Unit - later redesignated No. 11 Servicing Unit

- No. 12 Bomber Maintenance Unit - later redesignated No. 12 Servicing Unit

- No. 13 Bomber Maintenance Unit - later redesignated No. 13 Servicing Unit

- No. 14 Bomber Maintenance Unit - later redesignated No. 14 Servicing Unit

- Any depot level maintanence crews who worked on GR or BR aircraft

 

Training Units (wanted - instructors, staff and pupils)

- The Air Gunners and Air Observers School (Ohakea, 1940-41)

- The FAFAI Squadron Oxford crews

- The School of General Reconnaissance (Omaka, then New Plymouth)

- No. 10 Operational Training Squadron 1942 (Levin)

- No. 1 (Bomber) Operational Training Unit (Levin, New Plymouth and then Ohakea)

 

 

So, if you served on any of the above, or you have memories of them, photos from them, or any information or contacts that might help the project, please do get in touch. You can email me directly by clicking here on my email

dave_daasnz@hotmail.com

Or you can write to me at the following address:

Dave Homewood
13 Froude Street
Leamington
Cambridge
New Zealand

 

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