539

-2- (centre aligned)
participated in many communications flights. During May 1943 he was posted to No. 152 Operational Training Unit, Peshawar, India where he converted to and trained on Vengeance fighter aircraft until posting on the 3rd August to the Advanced Flying Training Unit at Amarda Road where he completed his training and on the 8th October proceeded to No. 82 Squadron operating in the province of Bangalore. With this squadron as the pilot of Vengeance aircraft he participated in 47 operational flights comprising 40 attacks on Japanese strongholds, the airfield at Akyab and the towns of Rathadung, Ganbale, Kyautan and Zadidaung, all these targets being in Burma.

Warrant Officer McCombie was the pilot of a Vengeance fighter aircraft which crashed after being engaged in action with the enemy south of Goppe Bazaar Landing Ground on the 15th March, 1944, Warrant Officer McCrombie losing his life.

He had successfully carried out the operation to the target of Punkore Village and was returning to base when the aircraft developed and oil leak. The other member of the crew baled out and landed safely, near Goppe Bazaar and Warrant Officer McCrombie was killed when he landed, having evidently baled out from too low an altitude.

A Post war casualty search failed to locate Warrant Officer McCrombie's grave, on account of the excessive tropical growth in this region.

Find a Grave link with a photo of W/O McCombie: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56224547/kenneth_edward_william-mccombie/photo

5/3/1432 A.S.2.
664 hours a Pilot.

Mr. W.M. McCombie (F), (right aligned)
Winiata (right aligned)
TAIHAPE (right aligned & underlined)