YOUNG AIRMAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 126, 30 April 1941, Page 8

YOUNG AIRMAN

RAPID PROMOTION. (Press Assn.) AUCKLAND, April 29. News of the promotion of their elder son, Squadron-.header R. C- R. BuckIcy, to the rank of wing-commander, has been received by Captain C. Buckley and Mrs Buckley, ot Auckland. Wing-Commander Buckley is only 30 years of .age and is an old boy of the Wanganui Technical College. Later he attended Canterbury University College, where he obtained the degrees of bachelor of engineering and bachelor of science. After leaving the university lie was granted a commission in the R.A.F. and left for England in 1935. lie is at present engaged in important administrative work. His younger brother is Pilot-Officer Jack Buckley, formerly well-known as a pianist in Auckland. Just prior to the outbreak of war Pilot-Officer Buckley was studying music in Berlin and Leipzig. Wing-Commander M. W. Buckley M.8.E., who has been in charge of a New Zealand bomber squadron in England, is a cousin. Captain Buckley is the senior bandmaster and for some years lived in Wanganui, and after 55 years in the military forces is still doing duty as bandmaster at the Papakura military camp.

DOMINION FLIER’S COOLNESS (Press Assn) WELLINGTON, Apr. 29. Advice has been received by Air Headquarters, Wellington, that the Distinguished Flying Cross has been awarded to acting-Flying-Officer William Davenport Brown (next-of-kin, father, Mr W. R. Brown, 23 Convillo Avenue, Wanganui). The official citation states: “One night in March, 194 Li as the rear-gunner of an aircraft returning from a bombing mission, acting-Flying-Officer Brown sighted a Messer.schmitt 110 some 300 ft below his aircraft. Despite bad visibility ho kept the enemy aircraft in sight. After a few minutes it climbed to the attack, hut by excellent judgment and marksmanship Flying-Officer Brown fired three short bursts and the enemy fighter was seen to dive straight into the sea. On a previous-occasion when he identified an apnroaching aircraft as hostile his instructions to the captain enabled the latter to manoeuvre his aircraft so that the ensuing fire went under the tail. Flying-Officer Brown then, used his fire to drive off the enemy aircraft, which was left in a damaged condition.” Flying-Officer Brown wijs born at Wanganui in 1918 and educated at the Wanganui Technical College.