1082
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
[No. 54

Dated 16th June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Jack DAVIDSON, D.F.C.

Dated 18th June, 1946—
Wing Commander Ronald Affleck KIRKUP, A.F.C.

Dated 19th June, 1946—
Flying Officer Frederick Raymond GREGORY.

Dated 23rd June, 1946—
Flying Officer Robert Andrew Louis ANDERSON.

Dated 24th June, 1946—
Flying Officer Lawrence CURREEN.

Dated 26th June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Neale HILTON.

Dated 28th June, 1946—
Flying Officer Rupert BLAIR.

Dated 1st July, 1946—
Flying Officer Harold Stanley BUSH.

Dated 3rd July, 1946—
Flying Officer Peter Alexander CANNONS, D.F.C.

Dated 9th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Wilfred John MYGIND.

Dated 15th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Robert Gordon HARVEY.

Dated 16th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Julian Robert ADAMS.

Dated 20th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Colin CHRYSTALL, D.F.C.

Dated 23rd July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Raymond Clarence PRINCE.

Dated 24th July, 1946—
Flying Officer Lawrence George DONALDSON.

Dated 26th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Noel Eric ROSEMAN.
Flying Officer Allan GRAY.

Dated 28th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant John Aston WILKINSON, D.F.M.

Dated 29th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Jack Gaius WHITING.

Dated 30th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Roy Elton EVERISS.
Flight Lieutenant Christian Eric ERIKSEN.

Dated 31st July, 1946—
Flying Officer Frederick Edward BAILEY, D.F.C.

The undermentioned officers are transferred from the Active List to the Reserve of Air Force Officers, Class B, Section I:—

Dated 29th September, 1945—
Flying Officer John Douglas GUY.

Dated 17th November, 1945—
Flying Officer David Keith SCRIVEN.

Dated 4th December, 1945—
Flying Officer Arthur Ernest MASON.

Dated 25th April, 1946—
Pilot Officer Rowland John Whitby LINDSAY.

Dated 30th April, 1946—
Pilot Officer Henry Ray BURNS.

Dated 7th May, 1946—
Flying Officer Ernest Richard BODDY.

Dated 9th May, 1946—
Flying Officer Ian Ferguson MCKINLAY.

Dated 11th May, 1946—
Flying Officer Lloyd Samuel LEASK.
Flying Officer Mervyn Lawrence WICKLIFFE.

Dated 12th May, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Rex Beresford POTTER.

Dated 14th May, 1946—
Flying Officer Leslie Frank KENDALL.
Flying Officer John William MONTGOMERY.

Dated 21st May, 1946—
Flying Officer Sherard TOON.
Flying Officer Bernard Frederick James BEV.

Dated 24th May, 1946—
Pilot Officer William James Graham WATSON.

Dated 25th May, 1946—
Flying Officer John Balfour HOPKINS.

Dated 29th May, 1946—
Squadron Leader Kelvin Henry DAY.
Squadron Leader Frank Andrew REEVES.
Flying Officer Norman Eric Northcott SMITH.

Dated 2nd June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant the Rev. John Alexander McKAY.

Dated 3rd June, 1946—
Squadron Leader John Harold MCFADDEN, M.B.E.
Flying Officer Martin David BURNS.

Dated 5th June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Lawrence BAGGOTT.

Dated 7th June, 1946—
Flying Officer George Ernest FINERAN.

Dated 10th June, 1946—
Flying Officer Thomas Fairclough HAWORTH.

Dated 11th June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey ORCHARD, M.B., Ch.B.

Dated 19th June, 1946—
Flying Officer Eric Charles BUNTING.

Dated 20th June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Eric Gabriel BUDGE.

Dated 22nd June, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Herbert Keele HORNE.
Flight Lieutenant John Ross FALLS.

Dated 9th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Charles Cyril VERRY.

Dated 13th July, 1946.
Flying Officer Leonard Nelson REEVES.

Dated 24th July, 1946—
Flying Officer Robert Wilbur DUFFIN.

Dated 25th July, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant James David MCKEWEN.
Flying Officer John Letham HORN.

Dated 29th July, 1946—
Flying Officer William Keith RENDALL.

Cancellations

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 66, dated 25th October, 1945, page 1317, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to Flight Lieutenant Arthur CAREY, D.F.C., is cancelled.

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 13, dated 7th March, 1946, page 301, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to Flight Lieutenant David JACKSON, is cancelled.

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 332, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” so far as it relates to Flying Officer Cyril William SHARP, is cancelled.

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 28, dated 2nd May, 1946, page 542, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” so far as it relates to Flying Officer John Cedric WARD, is cancelled.

Amendment

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 41, dated 13th June, 1946, page 815, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to Pilot Officer Shirley HARRISON, is amended to read “Flying Officer.”

F. JONES, Minister of Defence.

Honours and Awards approved by His Majesty the King

Air Department,
Wellington 18th July, 1946.

HIS Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards to members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in recognition of gallant services rendered during the war:—

Victoria Cross

Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Trent, D.F.C.

Citation :—

“On 3rd March, 1943, Squadron Leader Trent was detailed to lead a formation of Ventura aircraft in a daylight attack on the power-station at Amsterdam. This operation was intended to encourage the Dutch workmen in their resistance to enemy pressure, and the target was known to be heavily defended. The importance of bombing it regardless of enemy fighters or anti-aircraft fire was strongly impressed on the aircrews taking part in the operation. Before taking off Squadron Leader Trent told the deputy leader that he was going over the target whatever happened.

“All went well until the eleven Venturas and their fighter escort were nearing the Dutch coast. Then one bomber was hit and had to turn back. Suddenly large numbers of enemy fighters appeared. Our escorting fighters were hotly engaged and lost touch with the bombing force. The Venturas closed up for mutual protection and commenced their run up to the target. Unfortunately, the fighters detailed to support them over the target had reached the area too early and had been recalled. Soon the bombers were attacked. They were at the mercy of fifteen to twenty Messerschmidts, which dived on them incessantly. Within four minutes six Venturas were destroyed. Squadron Leader Trent continued on his course with the three remaining aircraft, and in a short time two more Venturas went down in flames. Heedless of the murderous attacks and of the heavy anti-aircraft fire which was now encountered, Squadron Leader Trent completed an accurate bombing run, and even shot down a Messerschmidt at point blank range. Dropping his bombs in the target area he turned away. The aircraft following him was shot down on reaching the target.

“Immediately afterwards his own aircraft was hit and went into a spin and broke up. Squadron Leader Trent and his navigator were thrown clear and became prisoners of war. The other two members of the crew perished. On this, his twenty-fourth sortie, Squadron Leader Trent showed outstanding leadership. Such was the trust placed in this gallant officer that the other pilots followed him unwaveringly. His cool unflinching courage and devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming odds rank with the fine examples of these virtues.”