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403970 Flying Officer James Brian MONRO. (surname underlined)
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. C. MONRO of WELLINGTON. (city underlined)

Born in Wellington on the 22nd November, 1920, James Monro received his secondary education at Wellington College where he passed the matriculation examination. The sports in which he took part were football, tennis and swimming. His civilian occupation was that of a clerk in the Transport Department, Wellington. On the 18th September 1939 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Flying Officer Monro was enlisted for aircrew training on the 27th October 1940 at the Ground Training School, (was Wereroa) Levin, and was posted on the 27th November, (redacted 1940) to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School, Harewood, to commence his flying training. He proceeded on the 18th January 1941 to No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Woodbourne, and while here on the 3rd March (redacted 1941) he was awarded his flying badge. The following month on the 22nd April (redacted 1941) he was commissioned as a pilot officer later while overseas on the 12th April 1942 he was promoted to flying officer. Meanwhile, on the 29th April, 1941 he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

The journey was made by way of Canada and Flying Officer Monro arrived in England on the 2nd June 1941. He was held at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth. Until posted on the 7th June (redacted 1941) to No. 10 Operational Training Unit, Abingdon, Berkshire, to crew up and complete his training on Whitley bomber aircraft. On the 26th August (redacted 1941) he was posted to No. 51 Squadron, Dishforth, Yorkshire and (redacted commending) commenced operational flying. With this squadron as pilot of a Whitley bomber he took part in eighteen operational flights comprising attacks on Frankfurt (2), Berlin (2), Warenmunde, Stettin, Wilhelmshaven, Mannheim, Hamburg, Aachen and Cologne in Germany, Brest (2), St. Nazaire, Paris and Lorient in France, Ostend in Belgium and Genoa in Italy.

In late December 1941 while in the midst of his operational tour. Flying Officer Monro had proceeded by air to the Middle East on attachment to No. 138 Squadron, Kabrit, Egypt.