AIRMEN MISSING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 171, 22 July 1941, Page 3

AIRMEN MISSING

SERGEANT A. J. HIGGISON UOMBKK SQUADRON MKMBKIt Failing to return from an operational flight with the New Zealand Bomber Squadron on Julv is Sergeant-Pilot Alfred .lames 'lliggison. only son of Nurse A. Higgiso'n. of the Papakura mobilisation camp, has been posted as missing. He attended the Mount Albert Grammar School and for several years played for the Auckland Secondary Schools' Association representative football team. At the outbreak of war he volunteered for the air force and after qualifying as a pilot he left the Dominion last December. Sergeant Higgison had been flying on enemy operations for only a month.

l Only son of Mr. A. F. McMurtric. | deputy Director of Education. Pi'.otI Officer A. D. McMurtric. who war I yesterday repo ,'ed missing, attended i the Takapun~Jfc lmol awl the Taka- [ puna Gram 4® School while his | father was an .nspector of schools in the Auckland district. He was a pupil at Wanganui College when Mr. McMurtrie was transferred to IWY.nganui as chief inspector. Leaving New Zealand with the rank of pilot-officer early this vear. he went to England hy way of Canada. Sergeant-Observer J. N. Grace, also reported missing, is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Grace, of 11. Mount Street, city. He has taken part in many raids over Germany. He was the navigator of the aircraft in which Prince llernhard of the Netherlands flew over Scotland. Serjeant Grace was one of the party of New Zealanders who visited the Koyal Family at Windsor Castle early this year. Educated at St.. Patrick's Convent. the Marist brothers' school in Vermont Street, and Sacred Heart College, he was employed by the Health Department and was transferred to Wellington in 1037. In May of last year he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and k-ft for England in October. Sergeant Grace was well known in tennis circles in Auckland and Wellington and was an excellent pianist.