RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Ib - Ly

5/2/2870 AS2 117 hours as AIRCREW (underlined)

Mr. H.R. Irving (F) (right aligned) P.O. Box 89, (right aligned) TOLAGA BAY. (right aligned & underlined)

405378 Sergeant Thomas Walter IRVING. Parents: Mr. & Mrs. R. Irving of Napier.

Thomas Irving was born at Hokitika, Westland on January 8, 1915. He received his secondary education at the King Edward Technical College, Dunedin, where he also attended night classes for four yearss in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. His school sports included rugby football and cricket. At the time of applying for short service commission in which he was unsuccessful, he was employed as a blacksmith in the N.Z. Government Railways. He again applied for enlistment in the trade air-gunner on January 5th, 1940 and was finally accepted as an air-observer under training.

Sergeant Irving was enlisted at the Ground Training School, Levon on December 22nd 1940. On February 27th, 1941 he embarked by the "Awatea" for Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

On his arrival in Canada in March, 1941 Sergeant Irving proceeded to No. 6 Air Observer's School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan for his initial training, being posted in June to No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, MacDonald, Manitoba. On completion of a course at No. 1 Air Navigation School, Rivers he was awarded the Air Observers' Badge and promoted to Temporary Sergeant on July 22nd. The following month he was posted to No. 31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia thence to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

On arriving in England Sergeant Irving disembarked at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth and proceeded on October 14th to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourn. A few days later he transferred to No. 3 Operational Training Unit, being posted in December, 1941 to 150 (B) Squadron, Snaith.

Sergeant Irving lost his life on air operations on January 16th 1942, when the aircraft on which he was a member of the crew, crashed at West Hill, near Dunsdale, Kirk Newton, Northumberland.

Sergeant Irving was buried in the Chevington Cemetery, Broonhill, Morpeth, Scotland.

5/2/1673 AS2 No Log book.

Mr. R. Irving (F) (right aligned) 86 McGrath Street, (right aligned) NAPIER (right aligned & underlined)

429176 Flying Officer Leslie Darcy IRWIN. PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. T. Irwin of Paeroa.

Leslie Irwin was born in Hastings on September 18th, 1917 and received his secondary education at the Paeroa District High School, obtaining his Matriculation and School Certificates. He also held a State Diploma in Optics.

His sport interests included athletics, riding, swimming, golf and tennis. He was a member of the 2nd Battalion Waikato Regiment for a short period. At the time of applying for enlistment in the Royal New Zealand Air Force he was employed as an optician by Balfour, Irvine and Webster of Hamilton.

Flying Officer Irwin was enlisted at Masterton on Aerodrome Defence duties on August 1st, 1942. On being remustered to aircrew and reclassified Leading Aircraftsman early in February, 1943 he was posted to the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua. In April he proceeded to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri transferring to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram at the end of May. Here he was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on September 25th, 1943 and to Flying Officer on March 25th, 1944. Meanwhile he had been posted to Omaka early in September, 1943 and shortly afterwards proceeded to Tauranga on a Flying Instructors' Course. On completion of this course he returned to Taieri on December 14th on flying and instructional duties.

Flying Officer Irwin was the pilot instructor of a Tiger Moth aircraft which crashed in the sea off Brighton Beach, Dunedin on June 20th 1944. The bodies of the instructor and the pupil, Corporal Murray Alexander Gillon, were never recovered from the sea.

5/2/12962 AS2.

Mr. T. Irwin (F) (right aligned) Paeroa. (right aligned & underlined)

HW/NF (right aligned) 414632 : Flight Lieutenant William Alexander IRWIN. D.F.C. PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. E. Irwin of Dannevirke.

William Irwin was born on the 2nd April, 1915, at Raumati, and educated at Matamau School. His sporting interests were both football and tennis. At the time of his making application for service with the R.N.Z.A.F. - on the 16th October, 1939 - he was in the employ of the Matamau Co-op Dairy Co. Ltd.

Flight Lieutenant Irwin was enlisted Levin on the 16th August, 1941, and after satisfactorily completing his initial training proceeded to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim, where - on the 20th December - he was awarded the flying badge. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 31st January, 1942, and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 26th October, 1942. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 26th April, 1943, having held the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant since the 27th February, 1943, and he was again promoted to the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant on the 14th April, 1944. Meanwhile on the 22nd February 1942 he embarked for the United Kingdom.

Flight Lieutenant Irwin arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 15th April and on the 12th May was posted to No. 11 Advanced Flying Unit, Shawbury, Shropshire. On completion of his training with this unit he proceeded - on the 30th June - to No. 12 Operational Training Unit, Chipping Warden, Oxfordshire, where he crewed up and completed his training as pilot on Wellington bomber aircraft. At the termination of his course with this unit he carried out 1 operational raid on Essen, Germany. He was then posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, where he converted to Stirling bomber aircraft. On the 24th October, 1942, he was posted to No. 15 Squadron, Bourn, Cambridgeshire, from which base he carried out 29 operational raids over enemy territory. The targets on these missions included

W.A. IRWIN. 2. (centre aligned)

Essen, Stuttgart (2), Munich, Cologne, Mannheim, Wilhelmshaven, Nuremburg, Duisburg, Berlin (3), Hamburg, Frankfurt, in Germany; Lorient (3), St. Nazaire (2), in France; Genoa and Turin (2), in Italy. He also carried out minelaying operations off Coubre Point (France) and off the Frisian Islands in the North Sea. On the 11th April, 1943, he moved with the squadron to Mildenhall, Suffolk, here carrying out an additional operational flight to Ludwigshaven, in Germany before being posted late in April, 1943 to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, as a staff pilot. After approximately 7 months as instructor with this unit he was posted to No. 1 Navigation Training Unit, Warboys, Huntingdonshire, for conversion to Lancsater aircraft and thence - on the 11th March, 1944, to No. 7 Squadron, Oakington, Cambridgeshire. From this base, as pilot of Lancaster bomber aircraft, he carried out a further 20 operational raids over enemy territory, the targets on these missions including Nuremberg, Aachen, Karlsruhe, Essen, in Germany; Lille, Aulnoye, Montdidier, Nantes, Courtrai, Louvain, Le Mans, Rennes, Angiers, Trappes, Dreux, Amiens, Le Havre, Valenciennes and Courbonne, in France.

F/Lt. Irwin was captain of a Lancaster bomber aircraft which took off from Oakington for the target of Courbonne, in France on the night of the 23/24th June, 1944. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew, including F/Lt. Irwin were reported missing. Subsequently the death of F/Lt. Irwin was officially presumed to have occurred on the 24th June, 1944. A post war investigation by the Missing Research and Enquiry Service revealed that F/Lt. Irwin lost his life when his aircraft crashed near Dunkirk and that he was buried with his crew in a Comrades Grave in the Cemetery at Warhem, near Dunkirk.

In April, 1943, F/Lt. Irwin was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation reading:- "This officer has taken part in many operational sorties with determination and courage. He has set a splendid example to all by his thoroughness in pressing home his attacks undeterred by difficulties or enemy opposition. At all times he has displayed outstanding keeness and devotion to duty."

5/3/5402 A.S.2. 1175 hrs. as pilot.

Mrs. E. Irwin (M) (right aligned) Matamau, DANNEVIRKE (right aligned & town underlined)