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List of World War II aces from New Zealand

Summary

This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from New Zealand. An "ace" is generally considered to be any pilot who has downed five or more enemy aircraft. Historians have gleaned figures from combat reports, unit histories, personnel records, and award citations, which sometimes recorded the pilot’s tally of victories at the time the decoration was recommended. The top-scoring New Zealand ace of World War II, Colin Gray, is generally credited with 28 victories, that is 27 solo "kills" and two shared. Records were also kept for the shooting down of V-1 flying bombs, with the most successful New Zealander being Arthur Umbers, who is credited with destroying 28 V-1s, in addition to 4 solo aerial victories and one shared.

Colin Gray, top-scoring New Zealand ace of World War II, with his Supermarine Spitfire in the Middle East, 1943

List edit

Name Victories Others Awards Notes
Robert Hamish "Jimmy" Balfour 4 & 1 shared - DFC [1]
Minden Vaughan "Mindy" Blake 10 & 3 shared - DSO, DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, POW 19 August 1942.[2]
Robert Duff Bremner 0 & 3 shared 7 V-1s DFC [3][4]
Stanley Franklin Browne 5 & 1 shared - DFC* [5]
Charles Roy Bush 3 & 1 shared - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Also 2 probables. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIFA 30 November 1948.[6]
Raymond John Cammock 0 20 & 1 shared V-1s DFC KIA 6 October 1944.[7]
Brian John George Carbury 15 & 2 shared - DFC* Also 2 probables. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, achieved "ace in a day" status by shooting down five aircraft on 31 August 1940.[Note 1][8]
Donald C. Carlson 3 & 2 shared - DFC Also 2 probables.[9]
Hansford Ward Chambers 7 & 1 shared - DFC [10]
John "Johnny" Milne Checketts 16 - DSO, DFC Also 2 probables. Total includes 2 V-1s.[11]
Wilfred Greville Clouston 9 & 3 shared - DFC Also 1 probable and 1 shared probable. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, POW February 1942.[12]
Basil Gordon "Buck" Collyns 5 & 2 shared - DFC Also 1 probable. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIA 20 August 1944.[13]
William Vernon Crawford-Compton 20 & 1 shared - DSO*, DFC* Also 3 probables and 1 shared probable. Served in the Royal Air Force.[14][15]
James Roy Cullen 0 16 V-1s DFC* POW 4 May 1945.[4][16]
Raymond Jack Danzey 0 11 V-1s DFC [3]
Alan Christopher "Al" Deere 17 & 1 shared - DSO, DFC* Also 4 probables. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[17]
Antonio Simmons Dini 5 & 2 shared - Served in the Royal Air Force. KIFA 31 May 1940.[18]
Eric Steele "Francis" Doherty 7 - DFM, DFC (US) [19]
Owen David "Ginger" Eagleson 2 & 1 shared 20 V-1s DFC POW 2 May 1945.[4][16]
Geoffrey Bryson Fisken 11 - DFC Also 1 probable. Highest scoring flying ace of the Commonwealth against the Japanese in the South Pacific.[20]
John Albert Axel Gibson 12 & 1 shared - DSO, DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, also in South Pacific with RNZAF.[21]
Reginald Joseph Cowan Grant 7 & 1 shared - DFM, DFC* Also 1 probable. KIA 28 February 1944.[22]
Colin Falkland Gray 27 & 2 shared - DSO, DFC** Also 6 probables. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, highest scoring New Zealand flying ace of WWII.[23]
Bevan Mason Hall 0 7 & 1 shared V-1s KIA 27 December 1944.[4]
Peter Francis Locker Hall 8 - DFC* Also 1 probable.[24]
Owen Leslie Hardy 3 & 3 shared - DFC* Also 1 probable.[25]
James Chilton Francis "Spud" Hayter 5 - DFC* Also 1 probable and 1 unclaimed. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[26]
Gilbert McLean "Gillie" Hayton 5 - DFC Possibly 6 aerial victories. Died on or about 20 October 1942 of thirst and exposure after the sinking RMS Laconia.[27]
Michael James Herrick 6 & 2 shared - DFC* Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, also in South Pacific with RNZAF. KIA 16 June 1944.[28]
Raymond Brown Hesselyn 18 & 1 shared - DFC, DFM* POW October 1943.[14]
William Henry Hodgson 5 & 2 shared - DFC Also 3 probables. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIFA 13 March 1941.[29]
Garnet J. Michael "Gus" Hooper 1 8 V-1s DFC [30]
John Arthur Houlton 5 & 2 shared - DFC [31]
Reginald Jack Hyde 5 - AFC Also 1 probable. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[32]
Mervin Robert Bruce Ingram 8 & 6 shared - DFC Also 3 probables. Died of sickness 11 July 1944.[33]
George Edmond "Jamie" Jameson 11 - DSO, DFC New Zealand's highest scoring night fighter ace of WWII.[34][35]
Patrick Geraint Jameson 9 - DSO, DFC* Also 1 probable and 1 shared probable. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[36]
Ernest Leslie "Nipper" Joyce 10 - DFM Also 2 probables. KIA 17 June 1944.[37]
Julian Ivon 5 - DFM Also 2 probables.[38]
Edgar James "Cobber" Kain 16 - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force and was its first flying ace of WWII. KIFA 7 June 1940.[14][39]
William Arthur "Wacky" Kalka 0 9 V-1s KIA 25 March 1945.[30]
Robert Gordon "Dutch" Kleimeyer 0 7 & 1 shared V-1s DFC [30]
Edmund Eric Geddes Kuhn 5 - [40]
Frank Brewster "Bruce" Lawless 1 10 V-1s DFC, DFC (US) [30][41]
Keith Ashley Lawrence 4 & 2 shared - DFC Served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[42]
Roy Emile LeLong 7 3 V-1s AFC, DFC* Also 1 probable.[43]
David Franklin Livingstone 5 & 2 shared - DFC [44]
Harold Watson Longley 5 & 1 shared - DFC Total includes 3 aircraft destroyed on ground or sea.[45]
Kevin McCarthy 0 6 V-1s [41]
James Hugh "Black Mac" McCaw 0 19 & 1 shared V-1s DFC [46]
Sir Hector Douglas McGregor 2 - DSO Has been credited with 6 aerial victories in the past. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[47]
John Noble MacKenzie 9 & 1 shared - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[48]
Russell Merriman MacKenzie 3 & 1 shared - DSO, DFC Total may be 4 & 1 shared.[49]
Evan Dall "Rosie" Mackie 23 - DSO, DFC* Also 2 probables.[14]
Henry Maurice "Morrie" Mason 2 5 & 1 shared V-1s DFC, FC (NL) KIFA 19 July 1948.[46]
William Lister "Dusty" Miller 0 7 V-1s DFC [46]
Leighton John Montgomerie 4 & 1 shared - DFC DOW 29 August 1944.[49]
Francis "Spud" Murphy 4 - DFC Also 1 probable.[50]
Percival Guy Haig Newton 5 - DFC Also 1 probable.[51]
Harold Leslie "Knockers" North 5 - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIA 1 May 1942.[52]
Brian John O'Connor 1 & 1 shared 8 & 1 shared V-1s DFC [30]
Nigel Manfred Park 10 & 1 shared - DFM KIA 25 October 1942.[14]
Alan McGregor Peart 6 & 1 shared - DFC [53]
John Howard Player 4 - DSO, DFC Has been credited with 6 aerial victories in the past; KIFA 8 August 1947.[54]
Neville Joseph "Pip" Powell 1 5 V-1s [30]
Paul Wattling Rabone 9 - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIA 24 July 1944.[55]
John Donald "Jack" Rae 12 - DFC* POW August 1943.[14]
Arthur Norman "Artie" Sames 2 & 1 shared 5 V-1s DFC*
Warren Edward "Smokey" Schrader 11 & 2 shared - DFC* Also 4 aircraft destroyed on the ground.[14][56]
Desmond James Scott 5 & 3 shared - DSO, DFC*, CDeG* Also 6 probables.[57]
Cornelius James Sheddan 5 7 and 1 shared V-1s DFC [58]
Irving Stanley Smith 8 - DFC* Served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[59]
Robert Lawrence Spurdle 10 - DFC* Served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, also in South Pacific with RNZAF.[60]
John Harry "Jack" Stafford 2 & 3 shared 8 V-1s DFC [61]
Gray Stenborg 14 - DFC KIA 24 September 1943.[14]
Kenneth William Stewart 5 - DFC [62]
William Hector Stratton 2 & 1 shared - DFC* Has been credited with 9 aerial victories in the past.[63]
Harvey Nelson Sweetman 2 & 2 shared 10 and 1 shared V-1s DFC [64]
Kenneth William Tait 6 - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, MIA 4 August 1941.[65]
Keith Granville "Hyphen" Taylor-Cannon 4 & 1 shared 1 V-1 DFC* Also 1 shared probable. MIA 13 April 1945.[66]
Owen Vincent Tracey 6 - DFC Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIA 8 December 1941.[67]
Richard Macklow Trousdale 7 - DFC* Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIFA 19 May 1947.[68]
Arthur Ernest "Spike" Umbers 4 & 1 shared 28 V-1s DFC* Also 1 probable and 1 shared probable. KIA 14 February 1945.[69]
Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity 8 & 1 shared - DFC Also 3 probables. Served in the Royal Air Force.[70]
Derek Harland Ward 6 & 1 shared - DFC* Also 1 probable. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIA 17 June 1942.[71]
Edward Preston "Hawkeye" Wells 12 - DFC* Also 4 probables. Served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain.[14][72]
Jeffery George West 4 & 2 shared - DFM Also 1 shared probable.[73]
Derrick Fitzgerald "Jerry" Westenra 8 & 3 shared - DFC* Also 2 probables.[74]
Gordon Albert Williams 5 - DFM [75]
Bert Samuel Wipiti 3 & 3 shared - DFM Flew in Southeast Asia and then Europe. KIA 3 October 1943.[76]
Brian Wallace Woodman 4 & 1 shared - DFC [77]
Robert Duncan Yule 3 & 5 shared - DSO, DFC* Also 2 probables and 1 shared probable. Served in the Royal Air Force. Flew in Battle of Britain, KIFA 11 September 1953.[78]

Table notes edit

Abbreviations edit

Awards edit

Award Title Notes
AFC Air Force Cross Awarded for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy".[79]
CDeG Croix de Guerre A military decoration of both France and Belgium, also commonly bestowed to foreign military forces allied to France and Belgium.[80]
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded to Royal Air Force commissioned officers and warrant officers for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy".[79]
DFC* Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DFC who received a second award.[79]
DFC (US) Distinguished Flying Cross – United States The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight".[81]
DFM Distinguished Flying Medal Awarded to military below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy".[82]
DSO Distinguished Service Order Awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime.[83]
DSO* Distinguished Service Order and Bar A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DSO who received a second award.[83]

See also edit

Notes edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ The term "ace in a day" is used to designate a pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day, based on usual definition of a "flying ace".

Citations edit

  1. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 274.
  2. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 328–330.
  3. ^ a b Sortehaug 1998, pp. 317, 352.
  4. ^ a b c d Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1794.
  5. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 375.
  6. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 464–466.
  7. ^ Martyn 2008, p. 119.
  8. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 474–475.
  9. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 478.
  10. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 484.
  11. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 492–494.
  12. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 509.
  13. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 522–523.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Spick 1997, pp. 218–219.
  15. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 542–543.
  16. ^ a b Sortehaug 1998, p. 317.
  17. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 590–592.
  18. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 602.
  19. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 608.
  20. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 694.
  21. ^ Spick 1997, p. 210.
  22. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 848–849.
  23. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 850–853.
  24. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 872.
  25. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 883–884.
  26. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 887–889.
  27. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 889–900.
  28. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 907–908.
  29. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 923–924.
  30. ^ a b c d e f Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1795.
  31. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 939–940.
  32. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 960.
  33. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 965–966.
  34. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 969–970.
  35. ^ Lambert 2014, pp. 241–243.
  36. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 970–972.
  37. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1000–1002.
  38. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1002–1003.
  39. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1003.
  40. ^ 'Those Other Eagles', Shores 2004 , page 334
  41. ^ a b Sortehaug 1998, p. 318.
  42. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1061–1062.
  43. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1071–1072.
  44. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1082–1083.
  45. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1089.
  46. ^ a b c Sortehaug 1998, pp. 319, 352.
  47. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1230–1231.
  48. ^ Morris 2000, p. 238.
  49. ^ a b Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1190.
  50. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1281–1282.
  51. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1291–1292.
  52. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1298.
  53. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1354–1355.
  54. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1373–1374.
  55. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1392–1393.
  56. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1456–1457.
  57. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1462–1463.
  58. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1534–1536.
  59. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1560–1561.
  60. ^ Spick 1997, pp. 218–220.
  61. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1579–1580.
  62. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1598–1599.
  63. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1607–1608.
  64. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1614–1615.
  65. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1617.
  66. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1623.
  67. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1644.
  68. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1647–1648.
  69. ^ Martyn 2008, p. 483.
  70. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1675–1676.
  71. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1701.
  72. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1715–1716.
  73. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1717–1718.
  74. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1719–1720.
  75. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1743–1744.
  76. ^ Martyn 2008, p. 514.
  77. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 1758.
  78. ^ Shores & Williams 1994, pp. 1781–1783.
  79. ^ a b c Hanson 2001, p. 28.
  80. ^ Hanson 2001, pp. 38–39.
  81. ^ Hanson 2001, p. 43.
  82. ^ Hanson 2001, p. 30.
  83. ^ a b Hanson 2001, p. 27.

References edit

  • Hanson, C. M. (2001). By Such Deeds: Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1923–1999. Christchurch: Volplane Press. ISBN 0-473-07301-3.
  • Lambert, Max (2014). Victory: New Zealand Airmen and the Fall of Germany. Auckland: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-77554-043-4.
  • Martyn, Errol (2008). For Your Tomorrow – A Record of New Zealanders Who Have Died While Serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services Since 1915 – Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices. Christchurch: Volplane Press. ISBN 978-0-473-12829-6.
  • Morris, Gerard S. (2000). Spitfire: The New Zealand Story. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 0-7900-0696-0.
  • Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII (Kindle ed.). London, United Kingdom: Grub Street. ISBN 1-8-9869-7000.
  • Sortehaug, Paul (1998). The Wild Winds: The History of Number 486 RNZAF Fighter Squadron with the RAF. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Print. ISBN 1-877139-09-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1997). Allied Fighter Aces: The Air Combat Tactics and Techniques of World War II. London, United Kingdom: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-282-3.

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