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NZ425467 Flight Sergeant Cyril Robert PARKINSON.
PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. W.J. Parkinson of TE AWAMUTU.

Cyril Parkinson was born at Warkworth on the 13th October 1918 and received his secondary education at the Te Rau-a-Moa School where he passed his Proficiency Examination, after which he studied with the Wellington Correspondence School. He played football, tennis, and golf, and was a member of the Ketetahi Senior Rugby Team. On leaving school he was employed as a motor driver with various Carrying Firms in Te Awamutu, and at the time of applying for aircrew training in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 24th April 1941 was a driver for Advance Cars Ltd., Te Awamutu.

Flight Sergeant Parkinson was enlisted at Ohakea on the 30th May, 1942 and proceeded to the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua on the 9th July, where he remained until the 2nd October when he embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada Flight Sergeant Parkinson was posted on the 25th October to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba where he trained until 21st March, 1943 before proceeding to Trenton, Ontario for remustering to an Air Gunner's (redacted Course). From here on the 2nd May, he was posted to No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery, MacDonald, Manitoba. Here on the 11th June he was awarded the Air Gunner's Badge and promoted to Sergeant. Six months later, while in the United Kingdom, he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant. Meanwhile he had proceeded on the 23rd June, to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Parkinson disembarked in the United Kingdom on the 7th July, 1943 and was attached to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth until his posting to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, on the 31st August to crew-up and train on Wellington bomber aircraft, then on the 26th November to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, where he converted to Stirling aircraft. From here, he proceeded on the 10th March, to No. 1 Lancaster Finishing School, Hemswell, and later at Wickenby, both in Lincolnshire, where he completed his training on Lancaster aircraft. He was then posted to No. 101 Squadron, Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire on the 15th March, and from this base he was the Air Gunner of a Lancaster aircraft on two operational flights. The targets being Aulnoys in France and Nuremburg in Germany.