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

J. MANEY. -2-

Sergeant Maney was the pilot of a Spitfire fighter aircraft which took off from West Hampnett, Sussex on the 24th July, 1941 as on of a formation for close escort duty to our bombers attacking Cherbourg, France. His aircraft was hit over the target area and he was forced to parachute into the sea about ten miles from the French Coast. In consequence he was classified as missing, and in due course his death was presumed to have occurred at sea without trace on the 24th July, 1941.

5/1/633 A.S.2. 355 hours as Pilot.

Mrs. A. Maney (Grandmother) (right aligned) c/- Stanton, Massey, North and Palmer (right aligned) P.O. Box 222, (right aligned) AUCKLAND (right aligned & underlined)

426054, Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Mangos (underlined) Widow (underlined) Mrs M.V. Mangos of Brighton, England. Mother (underlined) Mrs D.S. Finch of Cashmere Hills, Christchurch

Kenneth Mangos was born at Reefton on the 25th May, 1921. He received his secondary education at St. Bede's College, Christchurch, followed by a year's farm training at Flock House, Bulls. When applying for enlistment in aircrew, on the 26th May, 1941, he was employed in farm work for Mr. J. Sloss at Waipara, North Canterbury.

Flight Lieutenant Mangos was enlisted at Woodbourne, Blenheim, on the 30th May, 1942, and employed there on aerodrome defence duties until remustered to aircrew and posted to the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua, on the 26th November. He proceeded to Harewood on the 3rd January, 1943 for his elementary flying training and then on the 6th March to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram. Here, on the 2nd July, he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. While overseas, he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 2nd January, 1944, commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 13th July, 1944, granted the acting rank of Flying Officer on the 18th August, 1944 and the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant on the 31st October, 1944. Meantime, on the 15th July, 1943, he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Flight Lieutenant Mangos arrived at No. 12 R.N.Z.A.F. Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre, Brighton, on the 4th September and was posted to No. 20 (P) Advanced Flying Unit, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, on the 19th October. He remained there until proceeding to No. 17 Operational Training Unit, Silverstone, Northamptonshire on the 17th March, 1944, for crewing up and completion of his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 7th June he was posted to No. 51 Base, Swinderby, Lincolnshire, for conversion to Lancaster four-engined aircraft, before joining No. 44 Squadron at Dunholm Lodge, Lincolnshire, on the 18th August. From this base as pilot of Lancaster bomber aircraft, he took part in a number of operational flights.

Flight Lieutenant Mangos was the pilot of a Lancaster bomber aircraft engaged during the night of the 8th/9th February, 1945 in an attack on a target at Politz (Stettin) in Eastern Germany. The aircraft..

(2) (centre aligned)

aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew, including Flight Lieutenant Mangos were classified as missing. Later, information was received through the International Red Cross from an official German source that two members of the crew had been taken prisoner and that the bodies of three other members of the crwe had been found, but there was no news of Flight Lieutenant Mnagos. In due course, his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 8th February, 1945.

A search by the Missing Research and Enquiry Service of the area at Eickstadt, Germany, where the aircraft crashed, failed to find Flight Lieutenant Mangos, and his name is to be commemorated on a suitable memorial to the missing as having no known grave.

5/2/11294 A.S.2. No Log Book.

Mrs. D.S. Finch (M) (right aligned) 15 Westenra Terrace, (right aligned) Cashmere Hills, (right aligned) CHRISTCHURCH (right aligned & underlined)

1211 (rest not available) Flying Officer Denis George Mann (surname underlined). Parents: Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Mann of Wanganui (town underlined)

Dennis Mann was born at Taihape on the 4th January, 1921. His secondary education was received at Marton District High School and Wanganui Technical College where he gained his School Certificate. He played rugby and cricket for his High School first fifteen and eleven respectively. His civilian occupation was that of a clerical cadet in the Social Security Department at Palmerston North and he was so employed when applying on the 25th September, 1939 for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

Flying Officer Mann was enlisted for aircrew training on the 7th May, 1940 at the Ground Training School, Levin, and was posted on the 12th June, to No. 1 Air Observer's School, Ohakea, where on the 1st September, 1940 he was awarded his Air Observer's bage and promoted to the rank of sergeant. Later, when overseas on the 1st September, 1941 he was further to promoted to flight sergeant. On the 30th March, 1942 he was commissioned as a pilot officer being subsequently made a flying officer on the 1st October 1942. Meanwhile, on the 6th October, 1940 he had embarked on the "Mataroa" at Wellington to proceed to the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 30th November, 1940, Flying Officer Mann was held at the R.A.F. Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex, until posted on the 12 December, 1940 to No. 612 Squadron, Dyce, Aberdeenshire. With this squadron as navigator of a Whitley bomber he took part in ninety-seven operational flights being mostly anti-submarine patrols but including eighteen convoy patrols, sixteen flights affording cover for shipping, three naval escort flights one shipping strike, one reconnaissance flight to Iceland, and an air sea rescue flight.

His tour of operations concluded, Flying Officer Mann was posted on the 20th November, 1942 to No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. This was followed by his posting on the 28th Februrary, 1943 to No. 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, Thornsby, County Durham, and on the 4th March, 1943 for a course with No. 1 Air Armament School, Manby, Lincolnshire, where he remained until the 3rd April, 1943 when he was posted back to No. 6 Operational Training.

-2- (centre aligned) (missing) still at Thornsby, but later at Silloth, Cumberland.

On the 28th June, 1943 Flying Officer Mann was a member of the crew of a Wellington bomber which crashed into Solway Firth. An immediate search was made for survivors but no trace was found of Flying Officer Mann who was consequently classified as missing believed downed. His death was confirmed when his body was recovered on the 3rd August, 1943 and he was buried on the 26th August, at Silloth, Cumberland.

(missing)/2/2289 A.S.2. (missing)02 hours as air observer.

Mrs. R.M. Mann (M), (right aligned) 4 Wallace Place, (right aligned) Wanganui East (right aligned)