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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
4 Service Flying Training School Crane I 7703 LAC. Knight

Operation: Training

Date: 02nd February 1942 (Monday)

Unit: No. 4 Service Flying Training School

Type: Airspeed Crane I

Serial: 7703

Code: -

Base: RCAF Saskatoon, Canada

Location: South of airbase

Pilot: LAC. Mervyn David Knight NZ/414641 NZ/RNZAF Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off on a formation flying practice. At 15:30 hrs collided with Crane I 7831 in the formation and crashed some 18 miles south of Moon Lake.

The crew of 7831 managed to force land their aircraft safely, both the instructor and the RNZAF pilot under training, LAC. Frederick Leonard Perrers NZ/414672 survived uninjured.

Burial details:

LAC. Mervyn David Knight. Saskatoon Cemetery(Woodlawn). Block H. Lot 401. Grave 9. Born on the 21st July 1915 at Winton. Educated at Greymouth College. Attendant at Sea View Hospital in Hokitika. Membe of West Coast United Aero Club. 'A' licence 25th November 1938. Enlisted at Levin as a pilot under training 17th August 1941. With No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School 29th September 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 17th November 1941. No. 4 Service Flying Training School 05th December 1941. Son of David Knight (died 24th October 1958 age 68), and of Isabella May Knight (née Frisby - died 24th November 1918 age 33), of Lilburne, Southland, New Zealand.

Epitaph: 'The Lord Will Perfect That Which Concerneth Me Thy Mercy Lord Will Endure Forever'.


Other, later:

On the 23/24th November 1943 during an operation to Berlin flying Lancaster IIIJB236 LE-O they were shot down. 5 of the crew including Fl/Lt. Perrers were killed, 2 others taken PoW.

Fl/Lt. Frederick Leonard Perrers. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 3. H. 8. Born on the 28th October 1913 at Christchurch. Worked as a farrier/workroom foreman for Regent Fur Company Ltd in Auckland. Enlisted at Levin on the 17th August 1941 as a pilot under training. With No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School 27th September 1941. Embarked for Canada on the 17th November 1941. No. 4 Service Flying Training School 05th December 1941. Pilots badge and commissioned on the 27th March 1942. Embarked for England on the 01st May 1942. With 15 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit 30th June 1942. Further training with 19 Operational Training Unit on the 25th August 1942. With No. 10 Operational Training Unit between November/December 1942. Forced landing in Spain and interned on the 11th December 1942. Finally released and left for England on the 24th February 1943. With No. 16 Operational Training Unit on the 10th April 1943. With 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit 24th June 194. Joined 57 squadron 31st July 1943. To 630 squadron on the 15th November 1943. Son of Frederick Perrers (died 05th October 1961, age 76) and of Lillian Perrers (née Teague), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand and husband of Mary Gwendoline Perrers (née Greeson), of Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks 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, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 24-05-2022

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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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