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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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FAA
18th January 1944 784 Squadron Fulmar I N1910 Sub/Lt. (A) Boniface

Operation: Night training flight

Date: 18th January 1944 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 784 Squadron. Fleet Air Arm

Type: Fulmar I

Serial: N1910

Code: -

Base: Drem, East Lothian - HMS Merlin

Location: Whitekirk

Pilot: Sub/Lt. (A) Douglas Phillip Hurlstone Boniface RNZNVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking part on his first solo night training flight.

It seems that he mistook RAF East Fortune for RAF Drew and flew into trees at 18:39 hrs. The young New Zealand pilot was killed.

Burial details:

Buried on the 22nd January 1942 at location shown.

Sub/Lt. (A) Douglas Phillip Hurlstone Boniface. Dirleton Cemetery. Sec. E. Grave 1041. Born on the 05th January 1921 at Feilding. Worked as a fireman for Palmerston North Fire Brigade prior to service. Enlisted in the RNZN on the 01st October 1941. Embarked for England on the 05th May 1941, arriving on the 16th June 1941. Embarked for Canada for pilot training on the 11th October 1941. Pilot badge awarded and commissioned on the 28th February 1942. Joined 784 squadron for night fighter course on the 06th December 1943. Son of George Edward Boniface, and of Ethel Fanny Boniface (née Keyes), of Feilding, Wellington, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 07-06-2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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