Operation: Training

Date: 03 December 1943 (Friday)

Unit: No. 2 Service Flying Training School

Type: Harvard II

Serial: NZ907

Code: -

Base: RNZAF Woodbourne

Location: As shown

Pilot: LAC John Russell Rice NZ/4215101 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On a solo night circuit and landing exercise, the pilot entered a starboard turn soon after take-off at 01:00 hrs.

But whilst at 300 ft lost height and flew into the ground about 2.5 miles northwest of the airfield at right angles to the flare path. The young New Zealand pilot was killed.

Above: Ground collision between Harvard NZ907 (left) and Harvard NZ919 (right), both from No. 2 Service Flying Training School, at RNZAF Woodbourne on the 06th October 1942. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Burial details:

LAC John Russell Rice. Christchurch (Bromley) Cemetery. 11. 1F. Born on the 14th of August 1921 in Invercargill. Worked as an optical Meccanic for A.R Batstone in Palmerston North. Served with territorial army with 10th Field Ambulance for 10 months. Enlisted in Omaka on the 27th of November 1942. Served as aircraft hand at Masterton, Rongota and Woodbourne. Remustered as as a pilot under training 18th August 1943. With No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School 20th August 1943. With No. 2 Service Flying Training School 23rd October 1943. 53 hours solo with 28 on the Harvard, 50 minutes night flying. Son of Cyril Leslie (died 13th April 1939, age 43) and Muriel Adele Rose Rice (née Kingsland - died 19th September 1987, age 81). Husband of Jessie Ruby Ann Rice (née Davis), of Palmerston North, New Zealand.

L-R: Rear; K.D Ballach, Henry Charles Brougham 4216668, R.N Carter, Floyd John Cousins 4215181, R.W Craven, John Leonard Doggett 432247, V.C Duckmanton, I.F.W Eggington, A.J Ewert.
Centre; I.G Field, K.G Gibson, R.H Granger, W.G Hackshaw, Leslie Cecil Jeffs 432209, R.W King, N.W McCready, I.J Munro, L.W Murray, L.S Pitcher.
Front; J.D Probert, John Russell Rice 4215101, H.A Sime, T.C Simpson, F.M Thomson, William James Thomson 413688, Ivan Warwick Tyerman 4211037, J.J Walls, J.H Will, Noel Herbert Wood 437361. (Courtesy Air Museum of 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:

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