Noel
began his training at the "Pine
Plantation" Gisborne, (The Air Defence
Unit).
All the aircrew trainees
eventually assembled at De-Bretts Hotel Rotorua
and attended lectures in various halls around
Rotorua.
He was posted to the
Ashburton airforce base, where he trained and soloed on
Tiger Moths.
He re-mustered as a navigator. Training continued at
Rongatai and Rukuhia (Mystery Creek).
After final
leave, Noel embarked with other trainees on the ship 'New
Amsterdam'
sailing to San Francisco - then a 5-day train journey to
Toronto, Canada, with hundreds of others
training under the Empire Training Scheme.
Training
continued at Portage La Prarie in the various
sections
from November 1943 to April 1944.
After graduation, he sailed on the 'Ile De
France' to Liverpool, UK,
and posted to West Freugh, where the navigators
trained on Ansons.
Avro Anson XII
He later transferred to
Oakley, crewing-up on Wellingtons with night+day
exercises in advanced navigation.
Cartoon of
the Bomber Crew
drawn by Frank
Rhodes
(mid-upper gunner).
As
navigator, Noel's crew were...
Monty Adamson
(Skipper), Ken Mitchell
(Bomb Aimer),
Frank Rhodes
(Mid-Upper Gunner),
Jack Fisher
(Wireless Operator), Reg Smith
(Rear Gunner),
John Palmer
(Flight Engineer).
Trained
and now crewed-up, the team were posted to North
Luffenham, then to 75 Squadron NZRAF Mepal.
Their first bombing raid took place 9th.Feb.1945,
on targets around Hohenbuo Berg, flying
Lancasters.
Noel returned to New
Zealand and took up farming at Rangiahua, Wairoa, Hawke's
Bay.
Noel
and the old crew, like many others,
formed a bond
through those dark days and always kept
in touch. This photo was taken
at one of their last get-togethers at Te
Puke, January 1983. Reg Smith
(Rear Gunner) and Monty
Adamson (Skipper) are now
deceased.
Sadly, Noel passed
away at the Hawkes Bay Regional
Hospital Wed.18th.August 2004.
