343

412256 Flying Officer George John Moorhead (surname underlined)
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. G. Moorhead of Ashburton (town underlined)

Born in Christchurch on the 11th January, 1922, George Moorhead received his secondary education at the Technical College in the nearby town of Ashburton where he passed the Senior Free Place Examination. The sports in which he took part were football, tennis and rifle shooting. He was employed on general farm duties on his father's farm near Ashburton. In March, 1940 he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

Flying Officer Moorhead was enlisted for aircrew training on the 13th April 1941 at the Ground Training School, Levin, and was posted on the 25th May 1941 to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri, to commence his flying training. Following this he proceeded on the 6th July 1941 to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram, and while here on the 16th August 1941 he was awarded his flying badge. The following month on the 27th September he received his promotion to Sergeant. Later, when overseas on the 13th August 1942 he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and the following year on the 13th February 1943 promoted to Flying Officer. Meanwhile, on the 27th October he had embarked for the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 23rd December 1941 Flying Officer Moorhead was held at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, until posted on the 13th January 1942 to No. 5 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, Ternhill, Shropshire. He was next posted on the 24th February 1942 to No. 57 Operational Training Unit, Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales, where he completed his training on Spitfire fighter aircraft, prior to being posted on the 10th June 1942 to No. 485 Squadron first at Kenley, Surrey, later at King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire, and finally at Westhampnett, Sussex. With this squadron as pilot of a Spitfire fighter he engaged in eighty-five operational flights comprising twenty-three