AIR FORCE LOSSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24876, 24 April 1944, Page 6

AIR FORCE LOSSES

20 DEATHS PRESUMED men previously missing (P.a.) WELLINGTON, Sunday The following air casualties were announced- to-day. The rank is pilotofficer unless otherwise stated: — MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING Benson, 0. S.—Auckland. PRESUMED DEAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING Cundy, N. E. (Sgt.)—Wellington. Dobson, W. T. <FIt.-Sgt.)—Whangarei. Glenday, L. D. (f lying-Officer)—Christchurch. : Harder, R.—Westport. „ ! Hawkins, W. T., D.F.C. (Flt.-Lieut.)—V. ellington. ! Holms, A. H. (Flt.-Sgt.)—Southland. ' Little, E. G.—-Timaru. ! Rowe, R.—Oliinewai. i Sim, R. J. (Flying-Officer)-—Gisborne. | Spiers, H. I. (Flying-Officer)—Masterton. PREVIOUSLY MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED i Erlcksem, M. A.—New Plymouth. | Fitzgitotoon, R. H.—Culverderi. ! t-uggle, R., D.F.M. —Auckland, i Goldsmith, L. M. (W.O.)—-Wellington, j Harper, L. H. A. (Fit.-Lieut.). K.A.F. —Wellington | Harris, A. D. (Flt.-Sgt.)—Huntly. I Maxwell, N, R." (Flying-Officer)—Auckland. ; Smith, W. B. (Fit.-Lieut.) —Winton. Third, J. —Wellington. ; Thorstensen, F. W. (Flt.-Sgt.)—Dannerirke. KILLED AND MISSING SOLDI KR AND AIRMAN Advice has been received that LienI tenant Orton W. Stratford, aged 24, | husband of .Mrs. Aileen Stratford, of Suva, and only son of Mr. A. J. and i the late Mrs. Stratford, of 3 D'Urviile | Street, Auckland, lias been killed in ! action. Lieutenant Stratford had been

I in the army since the beginning of the i war and was attached to the Fiji forces. | He was educated at King's School and \ the Auckland Grammar School. ,For a j number of years lie was an altar server in St. Paul's Church, Symonds Street. I Flight-Sergeant Leslie Noe! Atkinson, | second son of Mr. and Mrs. N. F. AtI kinson, of Arthur Street, Onehunga, | has been reported missing on air operations. He was educated at the Waiuku | High Schoo] and left New Zealand as | a sapper in the Second New Zealand j Expeditionary Force. However, he volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force while in Great Britain and later transferred to the R.N.Z.A.F. ! HOARDING OF BUTTER COURT FINES SOLDIER £lO | (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Saturday j A case arising from a charge of | hoarding, said to be the first of its kind in Wellington and probably the first in the Dominion, concluded before Mr. A. M. Goulding. S.M. Maxwell Sherwin, a soldier, was fined £lO for buying butter for the purpose of hoarding. The facts revealed at the hearing showed that defendant on September 29, 1943, about a month before butter rationing, purchased 20001b. of butter at a retail price of Is 6d and put it into cold store, where it remained until defendant was interviewed by a representative of the Internal Marketing | Division. Defendant said lie had | bought the butter as a speculation, ex- : pecting an increase in price, but did | not know he was committing an 1 offence. The department did not press for a heavy fine in the case, but rather wished to bring the matter before the public's notice. The magistrate said it there had been any suggestion of blackmarketing he would have sent defendant to gaol. KIWI CONCERT PARTY During a four months' tour of the forward battle areas in the Pacific the Kiwi concert party staged 90 full performances and some score of impromptu shows to a total audience of 75,000 troops, New Zealand and American. The party moved from place to place frequently in open boats and often had to perform in rain and mud. As a consequence the equipment and instruments deteriorated seriously. However, the National Patriotic Fund Board has made available new musical instruments and properties, and the appreciation of the party lias been expressed in a letter from the officer in charge of the entertainers Captain Tt. C. Bowman.