COMMISSIONS WON

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24132, 26 November 1941, Page 9

COMMISSIONS WON

AUCKLAND AIRMEN TWO AGED ONLY 19 SUCCESSES IN CANADA Advice that their second son, David Gale, has been granted, a commission in the Royal Air Force has been received by Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Gale, of 39 Stanley Point Road, Devon port. Pilot-Officer Gale, who is only 19, was educated at the Stanley Bay School and Takapuna Grammar School and entered Levin elementary flying training school last- May. He was later transferred to Whenuapai for further training and left for Canada in August with the rank of leading-aircraftman. Another Aucklander who has gained a commission is J. I. Weir, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Weir, of Gilfillan Street, Avondale South. PilotOfficer We ir is also 19 and was educated at tlie Avondale School and the Seddon Memorial Technical College. He received his initial training at»Levin and Harewood and also left for Canada last August. His two elder brothers are also serving with the forces overseas. Two Devonport Pilots Two young Devonport airmen have also been awarded commissions. One is Pilot-Officer Sehvyn Latta, second son of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Latta, of 38 Cheltenham Road, Devonport, who is at present with the Coastal Command in Britain. He was trained at Levin and Whenuapai before going to Canada last April. He is a well-known Association football player, having represented the North Island secondary schools on several occasions. He later played for the North Shore senior team. He also represented the Devonport School and Takapuna Grammar School at cricket and Association football. Pilot-Officer Owen Waters, who has also been granted a commission, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Waters, of 44 Cheltenham Road. Devonport.. He went into the Air Force with PilotOfficer Latta and was also trained at Levin and Whenuapai before leaving for Canada. He enlisted at the of 19. Cricket and Football When at the Devonport School PilotOfficer Waters won the Rawlings Scholarship and at Takapuna Grammar School he was captain of the Ist eleven at cricket and later played in the Brabin Cup team. He also captained the junior representatives at Association football in 1935 and later plaved senior football for Abels and cricket for Grafton and North Shore.

Promotion to the rank of pilot-officer has also been gained bv Leading-Air-craftman Arthur E. Bell, son of Mr. and Mrs. K. E. Bell, of 10 Selwyn Road, Epsom. Pilot-Officer Bell, who*is aged 30, recently completed his training in Canada. He was educated at the New Plymouth Boys' High School and was well known in Auckland football circles, having played senior Rugby for College Rifles,

SIGNALMAN PROMOTED RANK OF SUB-LIEUTENANT (0.c.) HAMILTON, Tuesday Cabled advice has been received that Signahnan Donald Colvin Algie, R.N.Z.N.V.R., has been granted the rank of sub-lieutenant. Sub-Lieutenant Algie is the son of the late Mr. C. S. Algie. who was killed during the last war, and Mrs. F. de M. Hyde, of Lake Crescent, Hamilton.

Educated at the Southwell school and the Hamilton High School, SubLieutenant Algie was employed by Messrs. Winstone, Limited, Auckland, before leaving New Zealand in May, 1940. He was a member of the R.N.Z.N.V.R. in Auckland. Since going overseas he has served on H.M.S. Chitral and H.M.S. King Alfred.