493

A. 40236 Pilot Officer Bruce Alexander MCALISTER.
Mother: Mrs. I. McAlister of Invercargill.

Bruce McAlister was born in Lumsen, Southland on January 5th, 1918 and received his secondary education at the Southland Boys' High School up to Matriculation standard. At the time of making application for War Service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force early in October, 1939, he was employed as a stock clerk by Dalgety's Ltd., Invercargill.

Pilot Officer McAlister was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on January 14th, 1940 as airman-pilot under training. He was posted to Taieri for his elementary flying training on February 13th, proceeding to Wigram for his service training on April 9th. Here he was awarded the Flying Badge on June 10th, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on July 27th 1942. He was further promoted to Pilot Officer on May 8th 1941 when overseas. Meanwhile, he had embarked for the United Kingdom on transfer to the Royal Air Force by the "Akaroa" on August 11th, 1940.

On his arrival in England on September 30th he proceeded to Bournemouth thence a fortnight later to No. 7 Operational Training Unit, Limavady, Northern Ireland, for converion to fighter aircraft. Early in December he was transferred to No. 258 Squadron, and moved with this Squadron to Kenley, Redhill, Martlesham and Debden between May and October 1941. Pilot Officer McAlister proceeded to the Far East with No. 258 Squadron towards the end of October 1941 spending some time at Gibraltar arriving at Singapore in January 1942.

Pilot McAlister was the pilot of a fighter aircraft missing on operations at Syonanni, Johore, Malays on February 3rd, 1942. No further information was received of the fate of the pilot or aircraft.

5/2/10049 A.S.2.
No Log Book.

Mrs. I. McAlister (M) (right aligned)
73 Catherine St, INVERCARGILL. (right aligned)