RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Ma - McW

Pilot Officer Ronald Stanley MAGEE (surname underlined) Mr. & Mrs. S.V. Magee of Reefton.

Donald Magee was born at Reefton on the 29th March, 1914, and received his secondary education at Reefton District High School, and St; Bede's, Christchurch, where he passed the Matriculation examination. He rugby and cricket for his school first fifteen and eleven respectively and in 1931 was the school senior athletic champion. After leaving school he joined the New Zealand forces as a gunner and while serving in gton, joined the Wellington Aero Club gaining his "A" Flying License. March, 1937 he applied for a Short Service commission in the Royal Air Force but was unsuccessful at the time an he accordingly applied for enrolment in the Civil Reserve of Pilots being assigned to the Otago Aero Club for (unreadable). Following this on the 12th September, 1939 he was posted with the (unreadable) pilot officer to No. 1 Flying Training School, Wigram, to continue training on service type aircraft. While here, on the 20th November he was awarded his Flying Badge. In the meantime he had renewed his station for a Short Service commission in the Royal Air Force, and on (unreadable) accepted, on the 17th February, 1940 embarked for the United Kingdom.

On arriving in England Pilot Officer Magee reported to Air Ministry (unreadable) confirmed in his appointment to a Short Service commission as a officer for five years from the 9th April, 1940. On the same day he was instructed to proceed to No. 1 Royal Air Force Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex, a short disciplinary course. This was succeeded by his posting on (unreadable) April to No. 12 Operational Training Unit, Benson, Oxfordshire. On the 4th June 1940 he was posted to No. 98 Squadron forming part of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France, but on the 22nd July was posted to Ferry Pilot Pool, Kemble, Gloucestershire, for aircraft delivery duties. His next posting was on the 17th August to No. 5 Operational Training Unit, (unreadable), Gloucestershire, for a further course in operational flying.

On the 26th August, 1940, Pilot Officer Magee was carrying out (unreadable) flight in a Hurricane fighter which crashed near South Cerney, Pilot Officer Magee being killed. He was buried in the Woodchester Priory, Chester, near Stroud, Gloucester.

(unreadable)/1300 AS2 (unreadable)ng time not available

Mrs. C.M. Magee (M) 3 Belvedere Flats, Salisbury Street, CHRISTCHURCH

402113. F/O John Aitcheson MAGUIRE. (D.F.C.) PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. P.J. Maguire of Milton. WIFE: Mrs. P.M. Maguire of Mataura. (Married on

John Maguire was born at Alexandra on 1st July, 1920. He was educated at Tokomario High School where he played the usual sports. After leaving school, he worked on various farming jobs until October 1938 when he was employed by Mr. B. Ritchie, Waipiata as a farm manager.

He applied for aircrew training in September, 1939, was accepted and entered camp at Levin in July 1940. He was trained at Ohakea as an Air Gunner until in November he left for the United Kingdom. There he was posted as Sergeant Air Gunner to No. 151 Squadron and was on Defiant night fighters for two months, his pilot being Sgt. Atkenson. From March 1941 he took part in the Battle of Britain on various night flying patrols and other general flying duties, until in November he was posted to a gunnery school for special training on Hampden aircraft. He was then posted back to his former squadron.

In January 1942 he was commissioned as Pilot Officer and in May converted to Wellington and Whitley bombers. For the following three months he took part in various patrols as Air Gunner. On September 20th he was injured when a Whitby crashed on landing, but he quickly recovered and in October was promoted to F/O. In December he joined No. 161 Squadron where he was Air Gunner on Halifax aircraft captained by F/L Prior. For the next six months their plane was engaged on Patrols making flights to Malta and Gibralter. In June 1943 he was awarded the D.F.C., the citation stating -

"F/O Maguire has completed many operational sorties. He is a keen and enthusiastic gunner, always displaying a high standard of devotion to duty."

In July he went to No. 24 O.T.U. at Honneybrookes as a Gunnery leader.

F/O Maguire returned to New Zealand in October 1943 and after leave, went to No. 3 B.R. Squadron at Ohakes where he was one of the crew of a Ventura piloted by F/L Stevens.

In May 1944, they went overseas to Espirita Santos where they were engaged on anti-submarine patrols. In July and August the squadron went forward to Guadalcanal and Bougainville. On September 9th, 1944, the Ventura in which F/O Maguire was Air Gunner was reported missing over Kerarat, New Britain. Other members of the crew were F/L J.H.W. Stevens (Captain & Pilot) F/O J.J. Carson (Navigator), W/O G.J. Innes (W.O.A.G.) and P/O S.J. Dawson (Air Gunner)

5/2/2478 A.S.2. 781 hours as Air Gunner (290 of them night flying)

Mrs. P.M. Maguire (W) C/o T. Ramage, River Street, Mataura, SOUTHLAND.

405849. Leading Aircraftman Albert MAHER Parents: Mr. and Mrs. M. Maher of DUNEDIN.

Albert Maher was born at Dunedin on the 23rd December 1918, and received his secondary education at the Dunedin Technical College. He was employed as a blacksmith by Mr. J. Sparrow on Dunedin, at the time of applying for enlistment in aircrew of March 1940.

Leading Aircraftman Maher was enlisted at Taieri on the 16th December 1940, and employed there on ground duties until remustered to aircrew and posted to the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 2nd March, 1941. He proceeded to Harewood on the 13th April for his elementary flying training; and then, on the 24th May, to No. 1 Service Training School, Wigram.

Leading Aircraftman Maher was the pupil pilot of an Oxford Aircraft which crashed near Wigram on the 21st June 1941, Leading Aircraftman Maher losing his life in the crash. He was buried in the Dunedin Cemetery.

4/2/6153 A.S.2 No Log Book.

Mrs. S.h. Maher (M), 34 France Street, North East Valley, DUNEDIN

4212852: F/Sgt. Patrick Terence MAHER. MOTHER: Mrs. C.E. Maherm, Westport.

Patrick Terence Maher was born at Westport on March 4th, 1921 and received his education at St. Josephs School, Granity and at the Granity District High School. After leaving school, he was employed as a clerk by John Duthie & Co., Wellington. He applied for enlistment as a pilot early in 1942 and was eventually mobilised in October of that year, when he reported to Ohakea for duty with the Aerodome Defense Squadron there. In January 1943, he commenced training as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner at the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua and in the following April embarked for Canada.

Flight Sergeant Maher was posted to No. 2 Wireless School at Calgary on his arrival in Canada and after qualifying as Wireless Operator in November, 1943 he proceeded to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Mossbank, Saskatchewan where he was awarded his Air Gunner's Badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on January 17th, 1944. After a short period at No. 9 Air Observer's School, St. Johns, Quebec, he returned to New Zealand in April. In August, 1944 at the conclusion of a course at No. 1 (Bomber) Overseas Training Unit, Ohakea, during which he was promoted to Flight Sergeant, he was posted for duty to No. 2 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron on Ventura aircraft. He departed with the Squadron for service in the Pacific area on October 28th, 1944 and a few days later, on November 3rd, was posted missing when the aircraft of which he was a crew member failed to return to Guadalcanal from an anti-submarine sweep. The other members of the crew of the lost Ventura were F/Sgt. C.F. St. John (Pilot), Sgt. S.G. Claughton (Navigator), Sgt. J.R.L. Leonard (Air Gunner) and Sgt. V.W. Mullany (Air Gunner). Subsequently the whole crew, including F/Sgt. Maher, were presumed to have lost their lives on the above dates.

5/2/14282 265 hours as Air Gunner.

Mrs. C.E. Maher (M) Post Office, Kongahu, WESTPORT.