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HW/NF (right aligned)
428017 : Flight Sergeant Bruce MILNE.
PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. A.K. Milne of Hawera.

Bruce Milne was born on the 17th June, 1923, at New Plymouth, and received his primary education at Hawera School. The sports in which he was actively interested were football, tennis and running. At the time of his making application for aircrew training with the RNZAF - on the 6th January, 1942 - he was employed by his father in the plumbing trade. Prior to his enlistment he served for six months in the Territorials.

F/Sgt. Milne was enlisted at Ohakea on the 11th July, 1942 and was employed at this station for several months on ground duties with an Aerodrome Defence Unit. On the 29th October, 1942 he was posted to Rotorua and, on satisfactorily completing his initial training embarked for Canada on the 10th January 1943.

On arrival in Canada F/Sgt. Milne was posted to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta. On the 25th July, 1943 he proceeded to No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mont Joli, Quebec, where - on the 3rd September - he was awarded the air gunner's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 3rd March 1944.

Sailing from Canada for the United Kingdom - on the 16th October, 1943 - F/Sgt. Milne was, on arrival at No. 12 Personnel Reception Centre, Brighton, posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit. With this unit, both at Westcott and Oakley, Buckinghamshire he carried out air exercises as air gunner on Wellington bomber aircraft. In July, 1944 he proceeded to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire where he trained as air gunner on Stirling bomber aircraft. At the conclusion of the course he was posted to No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, Norfolk, for a short period, and thence - on the 27th May - to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, Mepal, Cambridgeshire. From the latter base he flew as air gunner