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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30th September 1942 203 Squadron Baltimore I AG723 F/O. Tahiwi

Operation: Reconnaissance

Date: 30th September 1942 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 203 Squadron (motto: Occidens oriensque - 'West and east') 247 Wing. 201 Group

Type: Baltimore I

Serial: AG723

Code: F

Base: Abu Sueir North, Egypt

Location: Meditteranean Sea

Pilot: F/O. Kingi Te Aho Aho Gilling Tahiwi NZ/411951 RNZAF Age 27. Missing - believed killed

Obs: Sgt. Norman Stanley Whales 1182491 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Geoffrey Edward Dowsett 1380161 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alan Dawson Glover NZ/403600 RNZAF Age 23. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On detachment to LG226 at Gianaclis, Alexandria, Egypt. Taking off in the afternoon to on a reconnaissance spotting a convoy being escorted by 5 JU88's to the south and west of Crete.

The crew were listed as being lost without trace after coming down west of Crete.

L-R: Back; JD Howard, L Guise, GC Arkley, Cyril Charles Newlove NZ/41994 killed 16th August 1942, Trafford McRae Nicol NZ/411929 killed 24th April 1942, Douglas Walter Cocks NZ/41878 died 05th January 1987.

Middle; Graham Edward Murdoch NZ/411927 killed 09th June 1942, Alan Gray Tolley NZ/411954 killed 21st April 1943, RD Lucas, W Honeyfield, NJ McHugh, HR Leckie, EDB Lusk, Sidney Arnold Crump, PD Mullooly. NZ/411978 killed 23rd December 1941.

Front; Cyril Henry Baigent NZ/411973 died 10th November 1953, John McCullough NZ/40410 killed 03rd February 1943, FB Snell, Hugh McKinnon, Kingi Te Aho Aho Gilling Tahiwi NZ/411951 killed 30th September 1942, WG Horne, Frank Murphy NZ/411928, RW Gilbert.

Above: New Zealand Listener, dated September 24, 1942; Pilot Officer Kingi Tahiwi, 2ZB, with P/O. Des Lock and Miss Noni Wright, of the BBC who comes from Auckland. They are broadcasting from London, for the BBC's 'Calling New Zealand Programme.'

(note: P/O. Henry Desmond Lock NZ/413865 a former broadcaster for 1ZB Commercial Broadcasting Service covering Aukland - died 1993. Wynona “Noni” Hope Wright, born at Auckland on 08 September 1913, killed in an air accident on the 20th June 1964 on Civil Aviation Transport Flight 106 B-908 - all 57 crew and passengers killed when the aircraft came down at Shenkang, western Taiwan - see photo below)

Burial and personal details:

F/O. Kingi Te Aho Aho Gilling Tahiwi. Alamein Memorial. Column 265. Born on the 17th November 1914 at Otaki. Announcer for the 2ZB Commercial Broadcasting Service at Wellington prior to service. Served in the NZ territorial army for 4 years prior to enlisting at Levin on the 23rd March 1941. Trained at No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School and No. 2 Service Flying Training School. Awarded pilots badge on the 26th July 1941 and commissioned on the 06th September 1941. Embarked for England on the 14th September 1941. After seving with various units and after further training with No. 5 Coastal Command Operational Training Unit crewed a Beaufort to Egypt via Gibraltar and Malta 31st July - 02nd August 1942. Joined 203 squadron on the 21st August 1942. Son of Kingi Rowin Tahiwi (died 20th December 1948 age 65) and Jean Esther Tahiwi (nee Armstrong - died 03rd January 1942), of Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand and husband of Phyllis Gretchen Tahiwi (nee Ryan - later Canny) of Palmerston North. Tribe: Ngati-Raukawa.

Sgt. Norman Stanley Whales. Alamein Memorial. Column 262. Son of George James Whales and Kate Whales, of Battersea, London.

Sgt. Geoffrey Edward Dowsett. Alamein Memorial. Column 261. Born on the 15th June 1920 at Hackney. London. Son of Alfred Edward and Edith May Dowsett of Hackney. London, England.

Sgt. Alan Dawson Glover. Alamein Memorial. Column 266. Born on the 08th June 1919 at Otaki. Worked as a clerk for the Government Transport Department prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 29th September 1940. Embarked for training in Canada on the 05th December 1940. Air gunners badge and promoted to sergeant on the 13th October 1941. Embarked for England on the 23rd October 1941. After further training with No. 5 Coastal Command Operational Training Unit crewed a Beaufort to Egypt via Gibraltar and Malta around the 07August 1942. Joined 203 squadron on the 22nd August 1942. Son of Gilbert Ernest (died 18th March 1967, age 85) and Kathleen Glover (nee Dawson - died 28th January 1987, age 104), of Levin, 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, Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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