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Page |
foreword |
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vii
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introduction |
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xix
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chapter 1 |
the royal air force and early new zealnd
representation
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1
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Events leading to formation of
RAF—Early difficulties and
achievements—Failure of Disarmament Conference—Belated
expansion—Fighter, Bomber, and Coastal Commands in
August 1939—Respective strengths of
RAF and
Luftwaffe. |
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New Zealanders early with the
RAF—Prominent personalities—Service in many spheres between the wars—
Increasing flow to
Britain from 1936—Various training
schemes—New Zealanders with the
RAF at outbreak of
war—Maori airmen and the Dominion contribution. |
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chapter 2 |
early operations from britain and france
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23
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The war at sea begins in earnest—Early reconnaissance patrols
—Protection for convoys and fishing fleets—Bombers seek
and attack enemy warships—Leaflet raids—Patrols against
German minelaying bases—Origin and formation of No. 75
Squadron. |
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With the
RAF in
France—Early inactivity—The first
combats. |
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chapter 3 |
meeting the german attack
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40
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Denmark and
Norway invaded—British efforts to assist
Norway—New Zealanders take part in reconnaissance,
minelaying, and bombing attacks—Fighter pilots operate
from
Norway—Gain air superiority in Narvik area—The
withdrawal from
Norway. |
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The German attack in the West—New Zealanders in
action with the fighter squadrons in
France—Bombing attacks
from French and English bases—The German breakthrough
—Covering the evacuation from
Dunkirk—Operations over
France during June 1940. |
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chapter 4 |
the battle of britain
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70
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The fateful hour—A short respite is well used—New
Zealanders in Fighter Command—Relative strengths and
tactics of opposing air forces—The German plan—Combats
during the first phase—The main assault begins—New
Zealand pilots in action—The critical period—Enemy attack
switches to
London—Park’s tactics—Further successes by
New Zealand pilots—Change of enemy plan—The ebb of
battle—Comparison of British and German tactics. |
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chapter 5 |
bombing and reconnaissance, 1940
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103
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Early bombing policy—New Zealanders with Bomber
Command—The first bombing raids—The part of No. 75
Squadron—New Zealanders with other units. |
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The work of
Coastal Command—Anti-invasion patrols—
Reconnaissance of the Norwegian coast—Escorting convoys
—New Zealanders among the pioneers of photographic
reconnaissance. |
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Changing strategy of the air war at end of 1940. |
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chapter 6 |
defeating the night raider
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125
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The closing phases of the German assault on
Britain—Scale
of the night attack—British air-raid casualties—Early efforts
to intercept the night bomber—New Zealanders among the
successful pilots—Improvements in the technique of night
interception—
RAF achievement during the spring of 1941—
Virtual cessation of German raids by June but counter
measures continued. |
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The first ‘Intruder’ patrols—New Zealanders with No. 23
Squadron—A promising form of night fighting is developed. |
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chapter 7 |
air war at sea
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140
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German advantages and achievements, 1940—The Battle
of the
Atlantic opens—New Zealanders in air patrol and
attack—Early operations from
Iceland—A U-boat surrenders
—New Zealanders open the first base in
West Africa. |
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The campaign against enemy shipping—Aerial minelaying
—Attacks with bomb and torpedo—The
Bismarck and the
Prinz Eugen. |
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chapter 8 |
early bomber offensive
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161
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Increasing New Zealand strength in Bomber Command—
Prominent personalities—The organisation of bombing
operations—Night raids on
Germany and
Italy during the
second winter—Daylight attacks by the Blenheims—Early
difficulties of night bombing—Some typical experiences—
Growth of the German defences—Operations against
Germany
during 1941—Further attacks on
Italy—The warships at
Brest. |
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chapter 9 |
the part of no. 75 squadron
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183
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The base at Feltwell—New Zealanders with sister squadron
—Operations during the severe winter of 1940—Some
eventful missions—Intensive activity during the spring—
Attacks on the German transport system—Sergeant Ward
wins the VC—Further hazardous flights—Heavier casualties
during the autumn—Bombing the battleships. |
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chapter 10 |
increasing new zealand participation—
formation of nos. 485, 488, and 489 squadrons
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207
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Meeting the demand for trained aircrew—The Empire Air
Training Plan—Its conception and development—New
Zealand’s part—The Article XV Squadrons—Formation and
early operations of Nos. 485, 488, and 489 Squadrons—New
Zealanders in varied roles—Instructors and Medical Officers—
Isherwood leads the RAF Wing to
Russia—Pioneering the
Atlantic Ferry—The development of air transport and reinforcement—The ‘met’ flights and air-sea rescue. |
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chapter 11 |
day fighters, 1941
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224
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Aftermath of the Battle of
Britain—Brief appearance of
the Italian Air Force—Small-scale German raids—New
Zealand pilots in combat—Daylight activity declines—Fighter
Command renews its strength—New Zealanders as leaders
and squadron commanders during 1941—The convoy patrols
—Offensive sweeps over northern
France begin—Intensified
with the German attack on
Russia, June 1941—New Zealand
pilots in action—The part of No. 485 Squadron—Some
varied experiences—Stronger enemy opposition—A change
of tactics—Further episodes involving New Zealand pilots. |
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chapter 12 |
heavier bombing raids—advent of no. 487
squadron
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246
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Allied strategy and the bomber offensive—A shortage of
trained crews—Increasing Dominion representation in Bomber
Command—New Zealanders with No. 2 Group—The formation of No. 487 Squadron—An eventful first mission—
Daylight raids by the heavier bombers—Attacks on the
Scharnhorst and
Gneisenau—The advent of ‘Gee’—Air
Marshal Harris appointed AOC-in-C of Bomber Command—
Heavier attacks on
Germany by night—The ‘thousand
bomber’ raids—The part of No. 75 Squadron. |
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chapter 13 |
pathfinders and raids on italy
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273
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Allied strategy is more clearly defined—Night raids in July
and August 1942—Heavier casualties and the need for better
navigational aids—Formation of the
Pathfinder Force—New
Zealanders amongst the first crews—The early Pathfinder
raids—Some hazardous missions—Successful attacks on
Italy—December raids on
Germany—The part of No. 75
Squadron during the second half of 1942 |
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chapter 14 |
battle of the atlantic, 1942
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291
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A critical period in the war at sea—New Zealanders with
Coastal Command—The convoy patrols—Men and their
machines—The U-boat campaign in the Western Atlantic—
Early Biscay patrols—The first Leigh Light aircraft—
Further improvements in anti-submarine warfare—Enemy
counter measures in the Bay of Biscay—Patrol and attack in
the
North Atlantic—Protecting the North African convoys—
New Zealanders in successful attacks on U-boats—The bitter
struggie in the
North Atlantic continues. |
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chapter 15 |
attacking enemy ships with mine, bomb,
and torpedo
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315
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The challenge to
Britain’s sea power—German ore
traffic from Scandinavia—Laying mines from the air—An
eventful sortie—New Zealanders in bombing attacks on
enemy merchant ships—The early work of No. 489 Squadron
—Torpedo attacks on German warships—Increasing defences
of the enemy merchant vessels—No. 489 Squadron begins
patrols along the Norwegian coast—Successful torpedo attacks
—The development of the first Strike Wing. |
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chapter 16 |
day fighters during 1942
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333
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The changing role and equipment of Fighter Command—
New Zealanders in command of bases, wings, and squadrons
during 1942—Nos. 485 and 486 Squadrons—Intensive
activity on a February afternoon—Renewal of the offensive
over northern
France in strength—A typical mission—Operations during March and April—New Zealand pilots in
combat—The part of No. 485 Squadron. |
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Stronger enemy opposition to sweeps and ‘circuses’
—Covering the Dieppe raid—New Zealanders lead
formations in patrol and attack—Offensive operations during
the closing months—Protection of coastal shipping during
1942—No. 486 Squadron and the ‘tip and run’ raiders. |
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chapter 17 |
night fighters, 1942
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359
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German effort against the
United Kingdom—The British
night fighter force—New Zealand representation—The technique of night interception—Dominion airmen in action. |
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‘Intruder’ patrols are continued—Some successful missions
—Decline of enemy activity by night towards the close of the
year—The German Air Force at the end of 1942 and the
growing ascendancy of Allied air power. |
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appendices— |
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I |
Principal Events of the Second World War (1939–42) with
particular reference to air operations in
Europe |
370
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II |
A Flight to
Italy in November 1940 |
382
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III |
Strengths and Casualties |
388
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IV |
Principal types of British and German operational aircraft
during the first three years |
389
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V |
Glossary |
392
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VI |
Bibliography |
395
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