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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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rnzaf
2 SFTS Harvard II NZ977 LAC. Jack Clarence Voss

Operation: Training

Date: 22nd March 1942 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 2 Service Flying Training School (ATS)

Type: Harvard II

Serial: NZ977

Code: -

Base: RNZAF Woodbourne

Location: Mountains - west of Kekerengu

Pilot: LAC. Jack Clarence Voss NZ/415391 RNZAF Age 20. Survived

REASON FOR LOSS:

During solo flying practise he was flying with another one of the schools Harvard at 15:15 hrs up the Dee River valley.

During a right hand turn to leave the valley LAC. Brian Cecil Heaps NZ/415413 aircraft stalled and crashed into a hillside and caught fire. The young pilot was killed but due to the dense bush and obvious transport difficulties he was buried at the scene.

Harvard, NZ977 was also unable to climb out of the valley and forced landed in some trees. The pilot although uninjured was not able to be rescued for three days by musterers. (a person who round up livestock). He survived the war as a Flying Officer.

Above and below remarkable images of the wreckage taken in 2016 (Courtesy Hollie Woodhouse - see links below)

Burial details:

None - he survived the war.

LAC. Jack Clarence Voss MiD. Born on the 02nd January 1922 in Palmerston North. Enlisted on the 28th September 1941. On the 17th January 1945 he was transferred to the RNZAF reserve and returned to his family business Auld and Voss in Palmerston North. According to his widow Joan he suffered with back problems directly related to the crash in the Kaikoura Ranges. Died at the Palmerston North Hospital on the 27th November 1981 at the young age of 59, cremated on the 30th November 1981. Kelvin Grove Cemetery and Crematorium.


MiD Citation:

16 Squadron RNZAF (Kittyhawk) In recognition of distinguished service and devotion to duty - W/O. Voss proved himself a capable fighter pilot and a sound sub-section leader. He shot down one enemy dive-bomber which was attacking Allied shipping. In order to reach the enemy aircraft he dived through the protective curtain of anti-aircraft fire with a complete disregard for his own safety. Served three tours in the South and South West Pacific Areas - one with 16 Squadron and two with 20 Squadron RNZAF (Corsair).


Above L-R: Rear; Fowler, Haynes, Beazer, W.D Walker, McIlraith, Newey, Nicol, Salt, Boyes, Hickinbotham, Harrison, Transom.
Third Row; A.R Walker, Irwin, McPherson, Harvey, Brabin, Veint, Norman, Morgan, Kennedy, Harding, Beresford, Thomas.
Second Row; Turvey, Bourke, Stevenson, Burton, Voss, Cook, Lawson, Darton, Henry, Focerty, Thornley, V. Smith.
Front; Worsp, Chaffe, Chattock, Archibald, Moore, Butt. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand - see links below)

Above L-R: Rear; Jack Clarence Voss, J Miller, S Sharp, John Henry Arkwright NZ/1067, A George, B Delves, J Black, J Day, J Nelson, F Smith, Robert Lawrence Spurdle NZ/44230, M de Denne, E Laurie, Mortimer Tuke Vanderpump NZ/40994, C McDonald, D Jones.
Front; M Willis, A Bayly, S Duncan, K Mulligan, N Pirie, L Williams, P Tilyard. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand - see links below)

Above Kelvin Grove Cemetery - exact location of his ashes are being sought (Courtesy Kelvin Grove Community Association - see links below. Following confirmation from his funeral directors 'Mr Voss' ashes were scattered on the Kelvin Grove Cemetery Rose Garden and his name recorded in the Book of Memories which is located in the Kelvin Grove Crematorium Chapel'. (Courtesy Lychway Funeral Directors - see link below)


Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot, thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Hollie - the Adventurous Kiwi for her extensive wreck site photographs (used with full permissions), Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Kelvin Grove Community Association, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Wings Over New Zealand, the Lychway Funeral Directors for confirmation of resting place, other sources as quoted below:


KTY 07-09-2022

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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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