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41350 Pilot Officer Robert John MOSEN. (surname underlined)
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Mosen of Raetihi.

Born at Raetihi on the 6th October 1918, Robert Mosen received his secondary education at the District High School in the neighbouring town of Ohakune. He subsequently furthered his studies by taking an accountancy course with a correspondence school. The sports in which he (redacted he took part in) particpated here were cricket, rugby, hockey and swimming. His civilian occupation was that of a clerk in the Te Awamatu Branch of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Limited. In January 1940 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Pilot Officer Mosen was enlisted for aircrew training on the 19th January 1941 at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, and was posted on the 2nd March, (redacted 1941) to No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School, Whenuapai to commence his flying training. On the 29th April (redacted 1941) he embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after his arrival in Canada, Pilot Officer Mosen was posted on the 16th May (redacted 1941) to No. 32 Service Flying Training School, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and while here on the 8th August (redacted 1941) he was awarded his flying badge and promoted to sergeant. Later, when in Scotland on the 1st July 1942 he was further promoted to flight sergeant and on the 12th February 1943 he was commissioned as a pilot officer. Meanwhile, on the 16th August 1941 he had proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 15th September, 1941, Pilot Officer Mosen was held at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, until posted on the 7th October (redacted 1941) to No. 2 Air Gunner's School, Dalcross, Invernessshire, Scotland, for duty as a staff pilot. With the exception of an attachment in February 1943 to No. 1514 Beam Approach Training Flight, Coningsby, Lincolnshire for an instrument flying course. Pilot Officer Mosen remained with the Air Gunner's School until the 23rd March 1943 when he was posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire, to crew-up and complete his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. Following this, he proceeded on the 12th June 1943 to No. 1678 Heavy Conversion Unit,