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415303 : Flight Sergeant Noel Roy MEYER (surname underlined)
Parents : Mr. and Mrs. A.N. Meyer of CHRISTCHURCH. (city underlined)

Noel Meyer was born at Wanganui on the 24th July 1920. His secondary education was received at St. Bede's College, Christchurch, where he passed the Intermediate examination. The sports in which he took part were rugby, cricket and swimming. Joining the Territorial Forces in January 1939 he served for a year with the 16th Battery New Zealand Artillery. His civilian occupation was that of a letter-press machinist in the employ of Simpson & Williams Ltd., Christchurch, Printers. In January, 1940 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Flight Sergeant Meyer was enlisted for aircrew training on the 23rd December 1940 at the Ground Training School, Levin, and was posted on the 8th February 1941 to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School, Harewood, to commence his flying training. Following this, he proceeded to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, and while here on the 5th May was awarded his flying badge. Shortly afterwards, on the 14th June he was made a sergeant and later, when overseas on the 1st January, 1942, further promtoed to Flight Sergeant. Meanwhile, on the 22nd July, 1942 he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Having arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 1st September, 1941, Flight Sergeant Meyer was posted on the 16th September to No. 10 Operational Training Unit, Abingdon, Berkshire, to crew-up and complete his training on Whitley bomber aircraft. On the 21st November he was posted to No. 61 Squadron first at Woolfox, Rutland, and later at Syerston, Nottinghamshire. With this squadron as pilot of Manchester and Lancaster heavy bombers he took part in twenty-eight operational flights comprising attacks on Kiel, Essen (5), Lubeck, Emden, Bremen (4), Wilhelmshaven, Hamburg and Saarbrucken all in Germany, Paris and Marseilles in France, eight anti submarine patrols