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417058 Pilot Officer Ronald John Wilson HEY.
Parents: Mr. & Mrs. E.J.W. Hey of Dunedin.

Ronald Hey was born at Dunedin on the 30th January 1920. He received his secondary education at Otago Boys' High School, passing the Senior Free Place Examination, and attended night classes at King Edwards Technical College for a number of years. His sporting activities were football, running, swimming and minature rifle shooting. After leaving school he entered the electrical trade, and was employed as an electrician by the Otago Hospital Board. Early in 1939 he joined the Territorials, and after the outbreak of hostilities served for some time as an instructor at Burnham Military Camp, with the rank of Sergeant. In March, 1941, he applied for aircrew service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Pilot Officer Hey was enlisted on the 21st December, 1941, in the Initial Training Wing, Levin, and after completing a course of ground training was posted on the 7th February, 1942 to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri. Here he commenced training as an airman pilot, and on the 11th April, embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Arriving in Canada, he reported first to No. 2 "M" Depot, Brandon, Manitoba, on the 28th April, and was posted a month later to No. 11 Service Flying Training School, Yorkton, Saskatchewan. While at Yorkton, he was awarded the Flying Badge on the 11th September, and at the same time was promoted to Sergeant. Later, he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant, on the 19th May, 1943 to Warrant Officer on the 11th March, 1944, and on the 18th May, 1944 was granted at commission in the rank of Pilot Officer. Meanwhile, he had been posted on the 10th October, 1942 to No. 1 General Reconnaissance School, Prince Edward Island, but his training was interrupted by a period of illness. After his recovery his next posting was on the 23rd January, 1943, to No. 32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, British Colombia, and after completing the course there, was posted on the 15th May, to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

On reaching England, Pilot Officer Hey proceeded to No. 12