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After a period of leave, he rejoined his Squadron at Ardmore and at the completion of a refresher course once again proceeded to the Pacific forward area and was based again at Espiritu Santo. On December 11th the Squadron was moved to Green Island, which was their base for the remainder of the tour.

His operations were not without incident: on one occasion, owing to a failure in his oxygen supply, he "dimmed out" and had to drop from 16,000 ft. to 8,000 feet with his cockpit hood open in order to recover. On two occasions he was forced to make emergency landings on the airstrip at Green Island and Treasury Island because his petrol supply was low. He was one of those who formed fighter cover during the gallant but unsuccessful attempt to rescue F/L Keefe who was shot down in Simpson Harbour, Rabaul on January 15th, 1945.

He was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer. Pilot Officer Moore returned to N.Z. at the end of January 1945 and after six weeks he commenced his 3rd tour of duty in the Pacific with No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron, going from Espiritu Santo to Piva North, Bougainville. From this airstrip the Squadron, operated providing air cover at various times for Australian troops and Allied bombers and harrassing enemy troop movements. Most of these sorties were in the Rabaul and New Ireland areas.

Pilot Officer Moore in a Corsair aircraft was engaged on a bombing mission on 31st May 1945 at the North East tip of Bonis Peninsula, North Bougainville. He led the first section in to bomb and after releasing his first bomb, he pulled away sharply to the right and the nose of the aircraft dropped in a diving turn into the sea. P/O Moore's death was presumed from 31st May 1945.

P/O Moore had carried out more than 100 sorties during his three tours of duty in the Pacific.

Find a Grave link with photos of Pilot Officer Moore: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240224765/peter_george-moore/photo

5/2/10300
660 hrs. as pilot.

Mrs. F.O.H. Moore (W) (right aligned)
4 Gaynor Buildings (right aligned)
Jackson Street, (right aligned)
PETONE. (right aligned & underlined)

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