News

When NZBCA Veterans Affairs Office Barabra Hunter learned that a new Bomber Command documentary was in preparation, and the directors wanted to interview a New Zealand veteran, she knew just the person.

"The First Flight" is the little-known story of the New Zealand Squadron, a small ferry flight unit set up in England by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in June 1939 to fly brand new Vickers Wellington bombers halfway round the world. Now this story is told in a new book by NZBCA member, Chris Newey.

Bruce and Alison Hebbard recently travelled to the UK and Norway to join commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of the German battleship Tirpitz. Their father, Loftus (Lofty) Hebbard was one of the New Zealanders that flew on Operation Catechism, the mission on 12 November which finally resulted in the sinking of Tirpitz.

A new monument for all the missing airmen lost over the North Sea has been unveiled in Egmond aan Zee, the centre of the so called “Gap”, in the Netherlands. The memorial is created from five hundred identity tags formed into an image of an airman.

Nelson Bomber Command veteran John Beeching got a special surprise when a World War II Rolls Royce Merlin was fired up at his retirement village to mark his 101st birthday in October. Beeching had flown flew radar equipped NF versions of the merlin-powered Mosquito with 169 squadron.

Iwuy'stoire, the historical association in the French village of Iwuy in Northern France recently paid to the crews of two aircraft lost in raids in June 1944, including the Betley crew of 75 (NZ) Sq. The service was attended by families of four of the two crew, including three New Zealanders.