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NZ41932 Pilot Officer William James PARTON.
PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. R.A. Parton of Christchurch.

William Parton was born at Hastings on the 8th April 1921, and received his secondary education at the Featherston and Hastings District High Schools, passing the Matriculation examination in 1936. On leaving school he studied architecture and was successful in passing ten subjects of the University of New Zealand Professional Examination in Architecture. He played Rugby, cricket, and tennis and also took part in swimming. At the time of applying for aircrew training in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 25th June 1940 he was employed as an Architectural Draughtsman by Crichton, McKay and Haughton of Wellington.

Pilot Officer Parton was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 9th February 1941 and on completion of his Ground Training Course proceeded on the 23rd March to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School, Harewood to commence his flying training. On the 26th May he embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

On arrival on the 16th June, Pilot Officer Parton proceeded to No. 10 Service Flying Training School, Dauphin, Manitoba, where, on the 1st September he was awarded the Flying Badge and promoted to Sergeant. The was superseded by his being commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the same date. Shortly after his promotion, on the 7th of September he was posted to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Pilot Officer Parton arrived at No. 2 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 2nd October, and remained attached there, until posted on the 28th October to No. 19 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT Kinloss, Scotland, for crewing-up and training on Whitley bomber aircraft. He commenced his operational flying on the 26th February, 1942, as a member of No. 75 (N.Z.) Squadron, Feltwell, Norfolk, and from this base, as 2nd pilot of a Wellington bomber, took off on the night of 12th/13th March on air operations the target being Kiel in Germany. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all members of the crew, including Pilot Officer Parton were classified as missing. In due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 12th March, 1942.

Included in the crew of the aircraft was one other New Zealander Flight Sergeant L.M. Chamberlain of Hamilton.

No subsequent information was received concerning the aircraft or any member of the crew has ever been received.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Pilot Officer Parton: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15260770/william_james-parton

5/2/5372 AS2
201 hours as Pilot.

Mrs M.D. Parton (Mother) (right aligned)
13 Naseby Street, Merivale (right aligned)
CHRISTCHURCH. (right aligned)