From Napier -
commenced service 2nd May 1941.
Departed N Z in the early Fleet Air Arm
draft 4th May 1941
After initial naval training in the UK,
he was posted for flight training with
the
U.S. Navy, and commenced primary flight
training at the U.S. Naval Air Station,
Pensacola Floridain January 1942.
He returned to
the U.K. 21st July 1942 for operational
training
as a fighter pilot. In November1942 he
returned to the U.S.
for carrier flying training. Posted to
H.M.S. Victorious
for service in the Pacific theatreof war
in February 1943.
HMS
Victorious
Returning
to the U.K. on H.M.S. “Victorious” he
was promoted to Lieutenant, and transferred in
December
1943 to H.M.S. “ Searcher” an escort
carrier, for Service in the Atlantic theatre of
operations.
German Pocket Battle Ship
" Turpitz "
In
April 1944 he was involved in operations off
Norway where German convoys were attacked and the
German
battleship “Tirpitz” was sunk,
resulting in him receiving the award of
“MID” “ Mentioned in
dispatches” References
to his Norwegian actions can be found in the
“Official RNZ Naval War History – World
War 2 page 515.
In July 1944 he took part in operations in the
Medit –erranian, including the invasion of
southern France
and was on active service in Europe untill the
end of hostilities in 1945.
Martlet Aircraft on
Victorious Flight Deck
Courtney flew
Martlets, Wildcats and Seafires
( Naval version of the Spitfire ) and
shared in the shooting down of
three enemy aircraft. After three months
leave in New Zealand he
returned to the U.K. as an instructor at
No 2 Fighter School at Henstridge.
He
was discharged from the Fleet Air Arm in March
1946, and returned to New Zealand.
