BRAVERY IN THE AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 70, 20 September 1943, Page 6

BRAVERY IN THE AIR

NINETEEN DECORATIONS

Nineteen more decorations for New Zealand air personnel serving overseas are announced by the Air Department. They include the Distinguished Service Order to an officer who already holds the. Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, and a Distinguished Flying Cross to a flight lieutenant who Was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal as an n.c.o. ,

Distinguished Service Order: Squadron Leader Desmond James Scott, D.F.C. and Bar; Mrs. J. Scott-Foley, Lower Kokatahi, Westland (m.).

Distinguished Flying Cross: Flight Lieutenant, Hilton R. Hall; Mr. A. W. Hall, c/o the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington (f.). Flight, Lieutenant Lindsay B. Renolds;. Mrs. .D. Renolds, c/o Mrs. A. D". Cairns, R.D., Te-Awa-mutu (m.). ..Flight Lieutenant Arthur E. Umbers; Mr. B. A. Umbers, ,55 North Taieri Road, Abbotsford, Dunedin (1). Flight Lieutenant Thomas A. Stewart, D.F.M;. Mr. L.' Stewart, Mil-lers-Road, Dannevirke (1). Acting Flight Lieutenant Robert C. Munro;

Lady Hunter, 9 Fenton Street, Rotorua (m.). Acting .Flight Lieutenant James B. Starky; Mr. F. B. Starky. Toatoa, Opotiki (f.). Acting Flight Lieutenant Bruce G. Johnston; Mr. W. J. Johnston, 17 Bernicia Street, Port Chalmers (f:). Flying Officer Robert H. • Blyth; Mr. ;J. V: Blyth, P.O. Box 24, No. 1 Line, Wanganui (f.). Flying Officer Clifford F. Benefield; Mr. R. J. Benefield, c/o Chainey Brothers, Manchester Street, Feilding (f.). Flying Officer Ormand W. Wood; Mrs. J. Wood, 31 Taradale Road, Napier (m.). Flying Officer Archibald E. Davis; Mrs. M. M. Davis, 146 Kupe Street, Orakei, Auckland (m.). The late Pilot Officer Bruce C. Dreaver; Mrs. M..M. Dreaver, M.P., Takapuna, Auckland (m.). Pilot Officer Walter D. Smellie; Mr. A. ;W. Smellie, P.O. Box 36, Keri Keri, North Auckland (brother), and Mr. H. N. Smellie, c/o Goulls, Somerville, and Wilkie, 42 Crawford Street, Dunedin. Pilot Officer George Stevens; Mrs;, B. Stevens, Post Office. Rata-(m.): Pilot Officer Gordon R. Hewlett; Mr. A. Hewlett, 377 Hillsboro Road, Mt: Roskill, Auckland (f.). Warrant Officer Gordon L. Kennedy; Miss A. Kennedy, 21 Browning. Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland (sister). ;■ Distinguished Flying Medal: Flight Sergeant Nicholas Matich; Mr. V. Matich, • Ranfurly Street, Dargaville (f.). Flight Sergeant Maurice J. Wells; Mr. A. C. Wells, s'MacMillan Avenue, Cashmere Hills. Christchurch, 5.2 (1). WELLINGTONIANS HONOURED. Acting Flight Lieutenant Robert Cox Munro, who has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, is a son of Lady Hunter, He was educated at Wellesley College, and is now 25 years, of age. He left New Zealand in Janu-i ary, 1941, going to England and afterwards to Malta. Another son of Lady Hunter, Alexander H. C. Munro, was killed in action at; Tobruk, and ;is buried at Sidi Rezegh. He was educated at Wellesley, and Scots Colleges. Squadron Leader Hall, formerly of Wellington, who was awarded the D.F.C. while a flight lieutenant, took!

part in many operational sorties against targets in Germany, Italy, and enemy-occupied territory) states the citation. Prior to his being posted to his squadron as Flight Lieutenant he was engaged as squadron navigator leader, and relinquished that position to return to operational flying. "He has at all times shown courage, determination, and skill," states the citation. "His knowledge and experience of navigation has been a material factor in the success achieved by his crew "

Squadron Leader Hall: passed his astral .navigation course with high marks, and as a result he was made a fellow, of the Royal-Meteorological Society. He is one: of the- few airmen in the British Empire who have graduated from observer to the rank of squadron: leader. In private life he was ari officer of the Bank of I^ew'Zealand in Wellington. He^ was born at Palmerstori North, and educated at Wellington College and Victoria University, and had already > obtained his: diploma in banking and passed as Bachelor of Commerce before joining ,the R.N.Z.A*F. His sporting interests were extensive^ embracing football, cricket,: tennis,' and swimming:'• iWhile ori^ service in;Eng : land he was^married- last year:-to}4he daughter of a ifiying^officer: in thejMast war. His parents.; are?Mr, and ■"Mxs± A;< W. Hall, Thbmpsdh: Street^^ellington;