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411768 Flying Officer Richard Lovett MEREDITH (surname underlined)
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. R.D. Meredith of Otorohanga.

Richard Meredith was born at Otorohanga on the 17th June 1920. His education was obtained at the Te Awamutu Convent School where he gained his Proficiency Certificate. He played rugby for his school first fifteen and was later an Otorohanga junior representative. His civilian occupation was that of a plumber's apprentice in the employ of Mr. C.R. Taylor of Otorohanga and he was so employed when in March 1940 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Flying Officer Meredith was enlisted for aircrew on the 16th March 1941 at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, and on the 29th April embarked for Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after his arrival in Canada, Flying Officer Meredith was posted on the 16th May 1941 to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and having completed the course here he was posted on the 24th September to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. While here on the 24th October he was awarded his wireless operator air gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 27th October 1941 and promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st October 1942. Meanwhile, early in November 1941 he had proceeded to No. 31, Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia, and following his training here, on the 19th January 1942 he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 7th February 1942, Flying Officer Meredith was held at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, until posted on the 18th March 1942 to No. 5 Signals School, Oxford. From here he was posted on the 16th May 1942 to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, first at Steeple Morden and later at Bassingbourne, both in Hertfordshire. With this unit he crewed-up and completed his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. On the 6th August 1942 he was posted to No. 115 (Bomber) Squadron, then at Marham, Norfolk,