mike newman 2,214 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 ...a few weeks ago, I talked about a collection of WW2 aircraft.....in a tiny 'village '' in New Zealand..including a P51 Mustang and another iconic aircraft, a DH Mosquito.....intact in a shed ..owned by a recluse, who dedicated his life to preserve these aircraft...plus others including two P40 Kittyhawks... I have a few photo's of the PR Mosquito's of Royal Airforce 684 Squadron (PR) ....that my Father was part of ...... Dad was a New Zealander, but was "seconded" to the RAF , and also was one of several test pilots for Geoffrey de Haviland.... 684 Squadron was stationed in India, Burma and Cocos Island...at various times...and was ordered by the Royal Air Ministry to assist the Chinese Nationals in their , ultimately futile endeavors , to prevent the Communists , thus he never returned to NZ untill late 1946......(which is when I first met him.....I was four years old...he was thirty four yrs old....) One of my adult Daughters worked in the UK, and in 1989, I visited the UK when the surviving members of 684 , and 681 Squadron were having a reunion...Of the many wonderful stories from those couple of days.....for you American blokes who might read this...one is worth recounting. .The only decent food the two Squadrons got , came from the American Navy Base in "Trincomale" (spelt incorrectly..) in Ceylon. The Americans were generous to an extreme, according to the old blokes.....and upon finding ''motor transport '' at the Air Force bases was about non existent...the Americans dropped off two Military jeeps.... for the Squadron......one of which, was immediately removed by some British Officer...but at least Dad had one Jeep, which made life a little easier the various bases......which were under constant , clandestine threat from the obvious enemy....Thus there were a contingent of Gurkha Soldiers on the bases All the photo's of the infamous Burma /Siam Railway that exist , (ariel pictures ) ..were taken by these men..and there were horror stories about the photo taking sweeps , with the intensive light anti aircraft guns in full, noise.... Included is a happy couple of blokes standing by the Mosquito...they had just come back from the UK to India....the quickest recorded trip ever , at the time, a record that stood for almost a decade until 'broken ; by a DH Comet, civilian airliner . Dad on the right...Ray Smith was the navigator.....they did 45 missions together...all , of course documented in his log books...which we have....Also a very interesting entry regarding test flying P40 Kittyhawks...where by he sprung the rivets on the mainplane .."testing''...this to the chagrin of the American engineers.....but that is another story.... Ray Smith, the navigator came out with another Mosquito pilot, to Karachi , India,.....crashed on landing, Ray got out, with a sprained ankle....the Pilot died. Note the 'ladder to enter the aircraft.....last in ..first out. Ray visited us in NZ some years ago....he was an old man then..but very interesting to listen to.... Also where the camera's were positioned in the 'nose' of the aircraft is obvious.....no armour plating ...or guns on those PR aircraft......just speed to evade the Japanese fighter 's. The revolver Dad is wearing is not the usual SW 38M and P..it is a Smith and Wesson 455....His old comrades referred to it as ""Koss's bloody great cowboy gun..."" Just one of a million questions that I would have had for Dad..but for his demise at the hands of a drunk , in 1965. I knew him for 18 years, as the oldest child.....I have two Brother s, both mandatory retirement..one a 777Captain for Air NZ...t'other a Rotary Wing Captain for Canadian Helicopters ...his last three years spent in Afghanistan, flying American Soldiers into combat zones....(I can operate an excavator....sigh ...there has to be one in the family....) The Japanese officers name , who surrendered his Sword to Dad at the Japanese Air Field in Saigon, was Captain T Imai.....We have the sword , the SW 455 and other memorabilia at home..... Mike 7 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KWRB 1,285 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Read the title and was thinking insects. Don't know if I was pleased or disappointed! 😁 Then I read your post. That is high quality stuff. There are some real gems on the forum this morning. What does the PR stand for? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldtanker 10,063 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Thank you for posting that! Great read! Rick 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
560Dennis 1,396 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Thanks for posting . ❓did the Japanese invade NZ ❓ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lazy WP 596 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 You did a great job of sharing your history. Thanks to your father and all the other folks who served. 3 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sandhiller 14,724 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Great pictures Mike and the stories to go along with them puts them over the top. Thank you for sharing with us. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rawleigh99 826 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Those Mosquitoes were awesome airplanes! Great story, thanks for posting Mike. I want to see a picture of the 455 if that won't get you in any trouble. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ron Cook 130 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Fantastic posting. Thank you!! Ron 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
New Englander 1,486 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Thanks for sharing Mike. Great stories and pictures as well. So sad about your dad. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sledgehammer 7,399 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Great story and pictures Mike. That sort of story is a thing of legends. Things like you relay in those stories is why your Father was part of “the greatest generation”. Thank You for sharing. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dasnake 2,788 Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Great post mike, thanx, 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fred B 342 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 thanks for sharing Mike. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dumbfarmer 248 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Very good post. Can’t imagine how your father felt receiving that sword 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
exSW 1,951 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 11 hours ago, dumbfarmer said: Very good post. Can’t imagine how your father felt receiving that sword The level of restraint and civility is impressive. Given the conduct of the Japanese toward anyone nonJapanese during that conflict. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AKwelder 1,949 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 3 minutes ago, exSW said: The level of restraint and civility is impressive. Given the conduct of the Japanese toward anyone nonJapanese during that conflict. Very true. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TomH 1,576 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Great story, thanks so much for posting! It is so important that this history is passed along to keep everyone mindful of what all those amazing people did to keep us in freedom. My Father recounted how they had several Mosquitos on his base in England, a few had USAAF markings for awhile but most retained British insignias. He flew as navigator/photographer on a few trips to the outskirts of Germany and back. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
searcyfarms 2,477 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 those are excellent, thanks for sharing mike 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jeeper61 1,165 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Mike great story we are thankful for men like your father 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike newman 2,214 Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/25/2020 at 12:04 AM, KWRB said: Read the title and was thinking insects. Don't know if I was pleased or disappointed! 😁 Then I read your post. That is high quality stuff. There are some real gems on the forum this morning. What does the PR stand for? KWRB.......due to diminishing cognitive ability..............I had great difficulty spelling the "R" word in "PR".... ''Photographic Reconnaissance "" ...those Mosquitos were without armament or armour.......thus their means of defense ...was limited to the pilots ability and the inherent speed that the Merlin engines provided .....those blokes played a vital role in the Pacific theater...providing up to date detail for US and British Intelligence...to keep tabs on the Japanese....Some of the most horrific, heart rending stories from the old veterans , was the treatment of the Allied prisoners on the Burma /Siam railway.....Another story ..sometime Mike 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iowaboy1965 2,344 Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 Thank you for sharing with us Mike. I'm sorry you only were able to know your dad for a short 18 years. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Art From Coleman 617 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 2 hours ago, mike newman said: ..Some of the most horrific, heart rending stories from the old veterans , was the treatment of the Allied prisoners on the Burma /Siam railway.....Another story ..sometime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpVgDgKpQS8&ab_channel=WarStorieswithMarkFelton And another: ANY of Mr. Felton's YouTube postings are well worth subscribing to: (Contrary to what one of this board's resident Karen's has to say about You Tube) (Check out videos by Drachfinal and The History Guy, and Blanco Lirio also) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike newman 2,214 Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 On 10/25/2020 at 2:54 AM, 560Dennis said: Thanks for posting . ❓did the Japanese invade NZ ❓ No.....they got to Darwin, though....on ''top'' of Australia...as you look at the map of Aussie.... Mike 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Beale 801 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Air raids https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/air_raids Army didn't get beyond New Guinea. Various shipping including mdiget subs in Sydney Harbour Quote Link to post Share on other sites
560Dennis 1,396 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 4 hours ago, mike newman said: No.....they got to Darwin, though....on ''top'' of Australia...as you look at the map of Aussie.... Mike Must heard about what good shots you guys are , let’s go somewhere else Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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