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411774 Sergeant Alan Irwin PARKINSON.
Parent: Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Parkinson of CHRISTCHURCH.

Alan Parkinson was born at Mangatainoka on the 22nd June, 1920, and received his secondary education at the Rangiora High School where he gained his Intermediate Certificate. The sports in which he was actively interested included football, tennis and swimming. After leaving school he was employed in various capacities and at the time of his making application for aircrew training on the 4th February, 1940 he was employed as a shepherd by Mr. J. Courage of Amberley.

Sergeant Parkinson was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 16th March, 1941 and on the satisfactory completion of the course he embarked on the 29th April for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada Sergeant Parkinson was posted on the 16th May, 1941 to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba and thence on the 29th September to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, where on the 24th October, 1941 he was awarded the Wireless Operator/Air Gunners badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. On the 30th October he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Sergeant Parkinson arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, proceeding on the 9th December 1941 to No. 2 Signals School, Yatesbury, Wiltshire and on the completion of the course he was posted on the 3rd March 1942, to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourne, Hertfordshire, where he crewed up and completed his training on Anson and later Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 16th July, he was posted to No. 101 Squadron, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire, and thence one month later to No. 218 Conversion Flight, Marham, Norfolk, for conversion to Stirling bomber aircraft and on the 1st August, 1942 he proceeded to No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron also