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

413100 : Sgt. Albert Patrick MAHONY. PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. W.G. Mahony of Christchurch. WIFE : Mrs. I.L. Mahony of Avonside.

Albert Mahony was born at Christchurch on September 7th, 1916. He was educated at Chirstchurch West High School where he gained his University Entrance in 1934 and where he was prominent in the School 1st fifteen. He was also keenly interested in rowing, being a member of the Avon Rowing Club and his hobbies were books and woodwork.

From January 1939 he was employed on clerical and accountant duties at the Apex Ice Cream Co. in Christchurch and at the same time studied for his Accountancy with Harle's College.

He applied for aircrew enlistment in June 1940 and after completing the pre-entry course, commenced his flying training at Taieri in July 1941. Going on to Wigram, he qualified for his Flying Badge and became a service pilot of Oxford aircraft on September 28th, 1941. Having been selected for further training as a bomber pilot, he went on to the Advanced Training Squadron at Wigram until November, when he sailed for the Far East. Arriving at Singapore, he went to the transit camp at Seletar, but was evacuated before he did any flying and return to N.Z. having lost all his personal belongings.

In April 1942 he was posted to No. 10 Bomber Operational Training School at Levin where he spent three months on navigational and cross country flying and became a pilot of Hudson medium bombers. In August 1942, he became a member of No. 2 General Reconnaissance Squadron at Nelson and after six weeks proceeded on to No. 3 General Reconnaissance Squadron at Whenuapai where he became second pilot in a crew captained by F/Sgt. N.J. Newall with Sgt. R.T. Andrew, Sgt. Downard and Sgt. D. Newlands.

On October 6th, 1942, this crew joined No. 3 Squadron at Nandi, Fiji and a month later went on to Espiritu Santo where they carried out various operational patrols.

On December 18th, 1943 their Hudson aircraft was reported missing on a patrol flight and the Investigator Unit finally established that the crashed machine was located in Rekata Bay, Santa Ysobel Island and Sgt. Mahoney was believed to have lost his life.

5/2/4959 382 hrs. as Pilot (261 of multi engines)

Mrs. I.L. Mahoney, (W) 105 St. Martins Road, St. Martins, CHRISTCHURCH.

404916 Flight Sergeant Thomas Stanley MAHOOD. Parents: Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Mahood, of Cambridge.

Thomas Mahood was born at Cambridge on the 25th October 1916. He received his secondary education at the Cambridge District High School and passed the University Entrance examination, afterwards attending Victoria University College. Here he passed the Accountancy Professional examination and all but one subject of the examination for the B.Com.Degree. He played football for Victoria College and also rowed in the College 8. From the time of joining the staff of the Pensions Department in 1935, until applying for enlistment in aircrew on the 22nd December 1939, he was in the employ of the Government with the Social Security Department from 1939.

Flight Sergeant Mahood was enlisted was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 1st December 1940, and proceeded to No.3 Elementary Flying Training School Harewood, on the 20th January 1941 to commence his flying training; thence on the 3rd March to No.2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, Blenheim. Here on the 24th April he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to Sergeant on the 24th May. While overseas, on the 1st December 1941 he was promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant. Meanwhile, on the 18th June 1941 he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Mahood proceeded by way of Canada and arrived at No.3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 31st July, being then posted to No.22 Operational Training Unit, Wellsbourne, Mountford, Warwick on the 4th August. Here he converted to Wellington bomber aircraft before proceeding on the 11th October to No.405 Squadron at Pocklington, Yorkshire.

With this squadron as 2nd pilot of Wellington aircraft, he took part in two operational flights to Bremen, and Emden, both in Germany. Late in November he was posted to No.75 N.Z.Squadron at Feltwell, Norfolk, and took part in a further three

operational flights, two to Essen and to Kiel, before commencing a beam approach course at No. 1505 Beam Approach Training Flight, Honnington, Suffolk. On completing the course he returned to No. 75 Squadron and took part in seven more operations, first as reserve pilot and later as captain of Wellington bomber aircraft. The targets were Essen (3), and Hamburg in Germany and three raids on Le Havre, France.

From this latter target undertaken on the night of the 22/23rd April, 1942, the aircraft failed to return, and all the crew, including Flight Sergeant Mahood were classified as missing. Nothing further was heard of any of the crew, and in due course the death of Flight Sergeant Mahood was presumed to have occurred at sea on the 22nd April 1942.

5/3/6397 A.S.2. 344 hours as pilot.

Mrs. J.H. Mahood, (M), (right aligned) Leamington, (right aligned) CAMBRIDGE. (right aligned & underlined)

2522 Flying Officer Harry Naider Major. Mother: Mrs. M. Osmond of Christchurch.

Harry Major was born at Auckland on the 30th October, 1910, and received his secondary education at King's College, Auckland, reach-ing Matriculation standard. He played for his school 1st XI, and later playing golf. After leaving school, he was engaged in sheep farming at Lake Tekapo, Canterbury. He obtained his "A" License in 1930 and was appointed to a Commission in the New Zealand Air Force in the rank of Pilot Office on the 19th September, 1932, and posted to No. 4 Squadron.

Pilot Officer Major continued to carry out the annual prescribed training and was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer on the 2nd April, 1935, continuing to serve until the outbreak of war, when he was mobilised at Whenuapai with the Auckland General Reconnaisance Squadron. He was posted to Ohaken for duty as a Staff Pilot on the 17th November, 1939.

Flying Officer Major was the pilot of an Oxford aircraft engag-ed on the 19th October, 1940 in a fight from Hobsonville to Ohakes. The aircraft failed to arrive at its destination and Flying Officer Major was classified as missing. Several months later, the wrecked aircraft was forund in dense bush near the West Coast north of Mokau, and the bodies of the crew were found nearby,

Flying Officer was cremated at Auckland.

4/3/177 A.S.2. No log book.

Mrs M. Osmond (M), 249 Gloucester Street, CHRISTCHURCH.