One
of our first contributions is from an Invercargill family
of a young lad who signed up with the RNZAF
at the age of 18 years. He and his crew lost their lives,
along with thousands of others, on D-Day - 6th. June
1944.
He was only 21.
It
is up to all of us, living in these days of freedom, that
his sacrifice was not in vain. Lest we forget. |
| Pilot Officer James
Chute Chalmers |
 |
From
Invercargill. Born October 8th. 1922.
Secondary Education: Southland Technical
College. Interests: Football &
Tennis.
A clerk at Kilkelly Bros. Ltd prior to
enlistment.James
applied for aircrew training at the age
of 18, enlisting as an air observer.
After "basic" at Levin, went on
to Canada under the Empire Air Training
Scheme,
and was posted to the No.6 Air Observers
School.
Through Bombing & Gunnery school to
No.1 Navigation School sept.1941.
|
From
Canada to Bournemouth, UK, to Advanced
Navigation School,
training on Avro Ansons at Babbington
Airforce Station.From
Babbington to No.1651 Conversion Unit on
Stirlings,
finally transferring to 214 Squadron as
navigator.
|
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He went on mine-laying
ops around the French coast and U-boat
bases, and had to bail out of his
aircraft
when it developed 'problems'. A night
raid planned on Munich turned into
disaster,
when the Stirling crashed on takeoff,
injuring and burning the crew. |
After he was discharged
from hospital, James took part in 25
operations with No.88 Squadron,
including attacks on the flying-bomb
sites and rail marshalling yards in
France, flying navigator on Bostons. |
 |
 |
Early-morning. 6th.June
1944. D-Day landings.
Engaged in smoke-laying ops over the
English Channel as navigator with No.88
Squadron.
His aircraft was one of the first to take
part in the opening of the "second
front".
It never returned to base. All crew were
reported missing.
Presumed to have lost their lives. This
was James' 29th. operational flight,
completing 441 hours as a navigator. We
have more details of his service -
available upon request. |
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After
60th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings it
should be recognised that many airmen
also contributed to this gigantic effort in a wide
variety of ways, and some too were casualties on June 6th
1944.
88 Squadron’s Operations Record Book: Hartford
Bridge. June 6th 1944. “D” Day. Squadron was
called at 0130hrs and Navigators briefing was at 0200hrs.
Main briefing 0230hrs.
88 Squadron were to screen the landing craft from Le
Harve Coastal batteries and 342 Sqdrn to screen
landing-craft from east side of Cherbourg Peninsular. 88
Squadron were away first.
First detail was W/Cdr Maher who carried W/Cdr Reynolds
from Group as passenger in Gunners Cockpit.
Smoke was laid OK but drifted away quickly owing to
strong wind on surface. First detail on target at
0500hrs.
A/C followed at 10 minute intervals. Light flack was
experienced from Le Harve and French Coast up to Etretat
and from some enemy surface vessels proceeding into Le
Harve.
W/O Boyle and crew failed to return from sortie – no
news available. 19 crews were on this 1st detail.
Aircraft were re bombed with Smoke and 14 crews stood by,
but no further call was made.
Boston IIIA Coded ‘N’ S/n BZ243 W/O Boyle A J;
P/O Chalmers J C. 24 year old W/O Alan John Boyle
(promoted to Pilot Officer after death) was the son of
John Lewis & Florence Isabel Boyle of Jersey.
His name appears on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 1210,
as does his Navigators, 21 year old New Zealander
James Chute Chalmers (panel 263). Just two of many. |
 |
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Mrs.
Lorna Russell from Auckland has provided 2 photos
of crew from
RNZAF 75 Squadron Stirling EJ-108 Bomber Command.
They include her Uncle - Flt/Sgt Walter (Wally)
Hurdle from Feilding...
tail gunner and one of the original crew.
We've added some others, that turned up
'from here and there'. |
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|
| On a night mine-laying mission
around the coast of Denmark and Sweden, they discovered
the target area covered by cloud. |
The Stirlings turned around for home. Some never
made it. |
 |
A
german night-fighter zeroed-in on Walter's
aircraft
and fired a burst into the rear turret. |
After
some desperate maneuvers, the pilot managed to
shake off the
German fighter, jettison the mines, then head for
home. |
|
| Walter Hurdle was the only one
killed in EJ-108 that night. |
 |
The
crew were devastated, losing not only a
crew member, but a friend also.
Glen Marshall, the radio operator,
(ex fireman from Wairoa, Hawkes Bay),
was particularly saddened.
They had been good friends for some time.
Glen made it home to NZ
and was 89 years old when he passed away.Wally
Hurdle was aged 28 when he died.
|
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The crew were back in the air the
following night with a replacement Striling in order to
complete the mission.
Such was war in those times - no time to mourn, but just
carry on. |
| PICTURE
OF THE CREW TAKEN AFTER WALLY'S PASSING |
 |
| LEFT TO
RIGHT: |
F/E (UK) |
A/G (NZ) |
Nav. (NZ) |
Pilot (NZ) |
B/M (UK) |
A/G (Canada) |
W/Op (NZ) |
| |
Reg Gunn |
Joe Collins |
Ted Anderson |
Eric Witting |
Sgt. Thomas |
Jerry
Campbell |
Glen Marshall |
|
|
Mrs.
Russell has kept in touch with members of 75
Squadron,
passing on NZ 75 Sqdrn letters to the UK members.
The crew's navigator told Lorna;
"the crew worked very well together and were
well-organised." |
 |
| "Night
After Night" -
a book by Max Lambert - provides a rich account
of the ordeals such air crews had to face. |
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| ARTHUR
JAY. RAF 4048933 Bandsman No 265 Squadron |
 |
It
appears he was also serving in the Fire section
when not on Band duties. Arthur
was our special Salvation Army Officer who, every
Friday
afternoon, would move around everyone at the
Taradale RSA with his ‘Army’s’
publication ‘War Cry’. He had a
friendly word for all and will be sadly missed.
Arthur passed away
Wednesday the 26th of June 2008.
Not generally known,
he was a bandsman with the RAF for a number of
years,
and served with RAF No 205 group Band from their
UK base at
West Kirby in Cheshire.
A Salvation Army band
section was integrated with 265 Squadron’s
regular
band, and played for No’s 50 51 52 53 and 54
Squadrons on occasions.
|
He
was stationed with No 265 Sq’n in the Middle
East ( Suez ) at Elham Ra Station RAF Abkaerot
– this would have been at the time the UK
was occupying the Suez zone after the Suez Canal
crises with Egypt.
Below are some of his photos. |
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| R.A.F.
Hudson Transport |
Arthur
on Fire duty |
R.A.F.
N.F Meteor 265 Squadron |
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| Some
of the lads off duty |
W/O
Borley Band Master in charge |
R.A.F
No 205 Group Band 'on parade' |
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 |
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R.A.F.
No 205 Group Band
Summer Uniform |
Egyptian
'town' close to
Elham Ra R.A.F. base |
'Sally'
Boys - On Parade
Salvation Army Section of 205 Group |
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