Our growing list of titles focuses on the aircraft, squadrons and above all the men and women who shaped the legend that endures to this day. Bomber command losses 1941 his second book in the series detailing losses incurred by bomber command for 1941. The new zealand territorial force was not idle during the period from 3 september 1939 until japans entry into the war on 7 december 1941. New zealanders in world war 2 rnzaf christchurch city libraries. These are royal air force raf operations record books orbs, though the oldest books predate the formation of the raf in april. Users can browse, search and view photos of todays people and events. New zealanders in bomber command max lambert the great melting pot that was the raf during the war has always, to me, been a strong indicator of how people from different countries and backgrounds can work closely together to achieve a common goal.
Jan 01, 1979 a brilliant study of the rafs bomber command and their campaign in world war ii. The new zealand bomber command association facebook. Life and death in bomber command imperial war museums. An operational reference book, 19391945 middlebrook, martin on. Just under 2,000 paid the ultimate sacrifice and this book is a fine tribute to them. Bomber command by max hastings goodreads share book. Until 1945 the rnzafs role in the sw pacific was to provide combat squadrons to support us operations in defeating japanese forces in the solomon islands. Issued for the air ministry by the ministry of information. Nz bomber command memorial trophy last thursday at a service at rnzaf whenuapai, our president ron mayhill dfc presented avm peter stockwell chief of air force with a bronze statue of wwii bomber command airmen. The crews were men from the united kingdom, other commonwealth countries, and occupied europe, especially poland, france, czechoslovakia and norway, as. Royal air force operations record books 19111963 the national. Publishers of the late sir arthurs book bomber offensive 1947. The rnzaf in world war ii royal new zealand air force.
Nz bomber command association news the new zealand bomber. In 1941 the british air ministry published bomber command, a book intended to describe to the public the bomber offensive of the royal air force against targets in. The bomber command war diaries, an operational reference book, 19391945. Two of these were in bomber command 75 and 487, three were in fighter command 485, 486, 488, and two were in coastal command 489 and 490. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war by wr chorley amendments and additions, to be used in conjunction with the royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war 9 volume series from ian allan publishing. With special thanks to commonwealth war graves commission, sir george grey special collection auckland library awns194107233419, pastpapers national archives of new zealand, fold3, w r chorley bomber command losses 1941, martin middlebrook and chris everitt bomber command war diaries 19391945, gordon thorburn bombers first and last. German surface raiders operated in new zealand waters in 1940 and 1941, sinking four ships. When flying over the zuider zee at,000 feet the aircraft was attacked from beneath by a messerschmitt 110 which secured hits with cannon shell and incendiary bullets. New zealand suffers its worst naval loss when 150 new zealanders on board hms neptune are killed after the ship strikes mines and sinks off the coast of libya.
The first units mobilized were the 1st and 2nd heavy artillery groups, 1st and 2nd antiaircraft groups, and 23rd heavy battery, nza, which were all mobilized on 3 september 1939. The aircrews of raf bomber command during world war ii operated a fleet of bomber aircraft. Read an online edition of this book at nzetc new zealand official war histories. The crews were men from the united kingdom, other commonwealth countries, and occupied europe, especially poland, france, czechoslovakia and norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. New zealand new zealanders with the royal air force electronic text soviet bombing raids bomber command british bombing strategy in world war two raf bomber command royal air force raf bomber command raf bomber command bomber command dambusters 617 squadron dam busters. As us operations moved north of the solomon islands, the rnzaf took on a garrison role, harassing japanese ground forces trapped on the various islands. Jun 25, 2018 the rafs victory over the luftwaffe during the battle of britain in the summer of 1940 made a german invasion of britain all but impossible. The new zealand bomber command association was founded in 1986 membership is informal and is open to ex raf and rnzaf aircrew veterans together with families and friends from throughout new zealand. All in date order, aircraft type, serial number and circumstances of the loss. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, wr chorley.
I have just scrolled thru all entries in the hamburg cemetry for that date but i find no other 1105 1941 crewmen. An operational reference book 19391945 reprint by middlebrook, martin, everitt, chris isbn. Bomber command books is the sales site for mention the war ltd. Buy raf bomber command losses of the second world war. For example, the germans could have been dealt a crushing blow had the schwinefurt ballbearing raid with another immediate raid.
Life magazine is the treasured photographic magazine that chronicled the 20th century. Contributions to the nzbca news are always welcome. Raf bomber command aircrew of world war ii wikipedia. New zealanders in bomber command 75 nz squadron 1940. A year before dday the second tactical air force was formed within the raf. Closeup of the damage caused to vickers wellington mark ic, l7818 aav, of no. Many new zealanders served in the seven new zealand raf squadrons nos. On 8 december 1941, the rnzaf had 641 aircraft, the majority for training. Royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war. Royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war 1941 volume. Ground crewmen hand propaganda leaflets to a crew member of armstrong whitworth whitley mark v, n86 dyp, of no. A list of all known allied losses and aviation incidents from all nations organized within the raf structure including all commands and all theatres of war, and including lsses and incidents to usaaf forces. Night after night focuses on the new zealand members of the rafs bomber command and their operations over occupied europe during world war ii.
Two aucklandbased world war ii veterans will be formally awarded frances highest honour today. I bomber command emblem approved 24 april 1942 the i bomber command later xx bomber command was an intermediate command of the army air forces during world war ii. Noteworthy are the intelligence failures of both bomber command and the u. This book tells the story of the defense of the british homeland, 1939 1941. About australians in the uk bomber command 1939 1945. When war was declared on 3 september 1939 the rnzaf personnel strength was 91 officers, 665 airmen in the regular force, with 79 officers and 325 airmen in the territorials.
The royal air force, formed on april 1st 1918 from the royal flying corps and royal naval air service, was split into several main parts. Air 8111291 squadron leader s a middleton, pilot officer r a f frew, pilot officer l j p foster, sergeant j a orton, sergeant p c g maflin, sergeant m g kipling, sergeant a e greenwood. A further search on bob baxters site indicates to me that the aircraft in question from 40 sqn may be wellington r30. Few campaigns waged from the summer of 1942 onwards continue to excite more hotlycontested debate than the bomber offensive against the third reich. In his book bomber offensive, published in 1947, marshal of the royal air force sir arthur harris wrote that all the credit for preventing the invasion of britain had been given to fighter command. Royal new zealand air force start with warburton, g. Sir roderick carr raf bomber command and chief of the indian air force johnny checketts fighter pilot and flying ace with the royal new zealand air force. We specialise in publishing and selling books about raf bomber command in the second world war and related topics. It now lives on at, the largest, most amazing collection of professional photography on the internet. On the night of 7 july 1941, sgt ward was second pilot of a wellington returning from an attack on munster. The publication of the book night after night new zealanders in bomber command led to the making, in 2011, of the lost airmen of buchenwald, an. The information will be brief, but will give a place to start in researching new zealand aircrew flying in bomber command. It also covers the air ministry s attacks on german naval targets and on german land targets. Bomber command books from mention the war publications.
Interior of the operations room at bomber command headquarters. New zealanders in the air dday nzhistory, new zealand. It was based throughout its service at albrook field, in the panama canal zone. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The vi bomber command was a military formation of the united states army air forces. World war two air warfare luftwaffe, raf, usaaf, bombing. The new zealand bomber command association was founded in 1986 membership is informal and is open to ex raf and rnzaf aircrew veterans together with. Welcome to the new zealand bomber command association. It trained bombardment units and aircrews for deployment to combat theaters. The aircrews of raf bomber command during world war ii operated a fleet of bomber aircraft carried strategic bombing operations from september 1939 to may 1945, on behalf of the allied powers. This is the second volume of a five part work that provides a comprehensive insight into all aspects of raf bomber command in world war two. Covering 1,515 bomber command individual losses later revisions may hold more detailing losses from the period of 1941.
Bomber command books from mention the war publications march 12 at 1. They have free access to share, print and post images for personal use. Nz bomber command association wings over new zealand. Raf bomber command with hq at high wycombe was responsible for most light and medium, and all heavy, bomber units. Mar 21, 2019 unlike stamp collectors and their knowledgeable breadth of history, when you pick up raf bomber command profiles. From eyewitness statements it is reported that the bomber, with one engine ablaze, passed low over the village. The facebook page for the new zealand bomber command association, remembering the kiwis who served in raf bomber command. New zealanders in bomber command this will be a work in progress, as i go about searching for kiwis serving in bomber command during world war two. There were seven squadrons with a new zealand identity in the raf, manned largely by new zealanders. It engaged in antisubmarine operations from the canal zone. Bomber command books mention the wars online book store.