DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS

Camp News (Northern Command), Volume 1, Issue 26, 25 October 1940, Page 1

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS

Award To Christchurch Pilot Cabled advice has been received in Christchurch that the Distinguished Flying Cross has been awarded to Pilot Officer Duncan Harold McArthur, only son of Mrs. J. A. Wall. Lake Terrace Road. Shirley. Details of the exploit for which the award has been made have not been received. , but it is disclosed in letters received by Mrs. Wall from her son that he has recently been engaged in regular bombing raids over Berlin and other objectives in west and central Germany. .Pilot Officer McArthur, who is only 20 years of age, was born in Warkworth and was educated at the Whangarei'High School and privately. He showed considerable athletic prowess, and was known as an outstanding swimmer and keen rifle shot. He was accepted early last year for a shortservice commission in the Royal Air Force, and began his preliminary training at Wigram in June, 1939. after receiving his initial flying tuition at the Canterbury Aero .Club from Squadron Leader G. L. Stedman. Last December Pilot Officer McArthur left for England as a member of a group of 17 pilots who formed the first detachment of New Zealand fighting personnel to leave the country for war service. After receiving advanced training in England, where he passed with distinction in bombing and navigation. he was one of four pilots selected for appointment to the New Zealand squadron of heavy bombers in the Bomber Command. He began flying on active service in March last, and shortly afterward became captain of “his own ship," a Vickers-Wellington bomber. His close friend, a member of the same training course at Wigram is 'Pilot Officer F. H. Denton, who was awarded the D.F.C. for gallantry in bombing the Channel port of .Ostend some weeks ago. Pilot Officer McArthur is a brother of Mrs. George Bagley St. Elmo Courts.