Archive Report: Allied Forces

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74 Squadron Spitfire IIa P7381 P/O.'Wally' Edward Walter Gillies Churches

Operation: Channel Patrol

Date: 19th April 1941 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 74 Squadron (motto: I fear no man') 11 Group

Type: Spitfire IIa

Serial: P7381

Code: ZP-?

Base: RAF Mansto, Kent,

Location: English Channel

Pilot: P/O.'Wally' Edward Walter Gillies Churches NZ/39900 RNZAF Age 19. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Involved in a mid air collision. On the 30th August 1940 on a patrol when the collision took place involving Sgt. Edward Churches. Sgt. Churches managed to nurse his Spitfire P7839 (1) back to base and made a forced landing, whilst Sgt. Skinner (2) was forced to bale out of his Spitfire I X4022 uninjured.

Taking off at 17:10 hrs on a channel patrol with Sgt. Alex Davidson Payne 745798 RAFVR who was flying Spitfire IIa P7839, (1) Attacked by Me109's from Stab/JG51 with P/O.' Wally' Churches went into the channel, his body was never knowingly recovered.

Sgt. Payne landed back at base at 18:10 hrs.

Burial and other details:

Pilot: P/O.'Wally' Edward Walter Gillies Churches. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 63. Born on the 17th July 1921 in Cambridge, New Zealand. Educated at Auckland Grammar School. Worked as a telegram messenger for the New Zealand Post and telegram department in Auckland prior to service. Enlisted on the 26th of October 1939 at Levin. Trained at No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, New Plymouth, No. 2 Flying Training School, Woodbourne, where, on the 23rd April, 1940 he was awarded his wings. On the 28th May awarded a commission. Left for England on the 07th June 1940 on the RMS Rangitata. Arrived on the 19th July 1940 and then joined No. 7 Operational Training Unit, Hawarden, Cheshire,. Joined 74 squadron on the 21st August 1940

Son of Sydney Reuben Ross Churches (died 29th September 1942 in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia, age 44) and Flora Ann Catherine Kelly Churches (nee Sydney, later Sharp - died 23rd November 1965 age 63) of 32 Shackleton Road, Mt. Eden, Auckland, New Zealand.

Credited with 3 enemy aircraft destroyed, 1 shared, destroyed, 2 probable and 2 shared probable. A total of 416 flying hours logged. .

Above: Pilots course 2, No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne January 1940 (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

L-R: Rear; Andrew Jack Cowlrick NZ/39902-killed 03rd June 1942, A.H Stubbings, Sexton Ivan Baird NZ/39897-died 18th December 1994, Edward Preston Wells NZ39950-died 04th November 2005, David William Metherell NZ/39927-killed 15th December 1943, Francis James Rolston NZ/39939-killed 08th August 1944, Douglas Owen Stanley NZ/39944-killed 26th October 1940.

Front; Edward Walter Gillies Churches NZ/39900-killed 19th April 1941, John Gordon Pattison NZ/39931-died 2009, Tancred Eric Cooper NZ/39901-killed 18th December 1941, Jack Ward Edwards NZ/39908-killed 10th May 1944, Arthur James Falconer NZ/39910-killed 21st February 1941, Alfred William Doel NZ/39907-killed 12th January 1943, William Arthur Middleton NZ39928-killed 27th August 1941.

(1) P7839 (City of Derry presentation Spitfire) was lost on Friday 03rd October 1941 whilst with 610 squadron. The pilot, Sgt. Andrew Albert Taylor NZ/402911 RNZAF. Further details here.

(2) P/O. Wilfred Malcolm Skinner DFM was lost on the 06th June 1941, Further details here.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archive Kew. AIR-27-.641-7/8.

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