GALLANTRY IN ACTION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23718, 17 August 1942, Page 6

GALLANTRY IN ACTION

—«— NSW ZEALAND AIRMEN DECORATED

CHRISTCHURCH WINNER OF D.S.O.

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. August 15. Official advice has been received by Air Headquarters that 11 more awards have been made to New Zealand air personnel serving overseas. They are: Distinguished Service Order

Wing Commander Minden Vaughan Blake, D.F.C., R.A.F., Christchurch. Distinguished Flying Crosses

Acting-Flight Lieutenant Valentine Allport, R.N.Z.A.F. Mrs A. Allport, Nelson (m.).

Pilot Officer John Edwin Casey, R.N.Z.A.F. Mrs J. E. Casey, French Bay, Auckland (m.). (Pilot Officer Casey lost his life in an aircraft accident.) Pilot Officer Alfred William Gordon Cochrane, R.N.Z.A.F. Mr W. M. Cochrane, Rawene (f.). Acting-Flying Officer George Maxwell Davies, R.N.Z.A.F. Mr S. W. Davies, Dunedin (1). Pilot Officer Peter Stanley Duff, R.N.Z.A.F. Mr A. S. Duff, Hamilton (f.). Acting-Flying Officer David Stewart Gibb, R.N.Z.A.F. Mrs A. A. Gibb, Motunau (m.).

Squadron Leader Raymond John Newton, R.N.Z.A.F. Mr J. K. Newton, Christchurch, (f.).

Acting-Flight . Lieutenant Robert Lawrence Spurdle, R.N.Z.A.F. Mrs Fi M. Spur die, Wanganui (m,). i J Acrihg-Squadron Leader Keith Fred--erick Thiele, R.N.Z.A.F. ■■MmffJjißipaab Thiele, Christchurch <f.). Distinguished Flying Sergeant Kenneth 02S§5f"‘ E.N.Z.A.F. Mr A. J, Law, Cambridge «.).

Win? Commander Blake, a son pf Mr C. M. Blake, headmaster of the HeathcotP School, was awarded the Distinguished Plying Cross in January last yeah He was then a controller of operations with a fighter squadron on the south coast of England, and had shot down five enemy aircraft. Wing Commander Blake was nominated from Canterbury University College for a Rhodes Scholarship in 1936. He was educated at Christchurch Boys’ High School, Wellington College, and Southland Boys’ High School. He was a champion pole-vaulter in New Zealand, and has been the Royal Air Force champion ever since he joined In 1937.

Squadron Leader Newton, who is 25 years of age. is the son of Mr and Mrs J'. K. Newton, of Riccarton. He was educated at Christchurch Boys’ High School and Canterbury University College, and began flying at the age of 18, when he was a member of the Canterbury Aero Club. He left New Zealand as a pilot officer in 1940, and was mentioned in dispatches in the New "Xear Honours list at the beginning of this year. He has been serving with No. 75 (New Zealand) Bomber Squadron, and has been the captain of a Wellington bomber in raids over Europe. Leaving New Zealand in June, 1941, as a pilot officer. Squadron Leader Thiele gained rapid promotion. On arrival in England he was posted to a bomber squadron and since then has made many flights over Germany. He also took part in the Royal Air Force thousand bomber raid on Cologne, He is only 21 years of age and is one of the youngest squadron leaders in the Australian and New Zealand Air Forces.

Before enlisting in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Squadron Leader Thiele was a member of the literary Staff of the "Sta^-Sun.”