Godfrey William ALLEN
Known as Bill

Serial Number: NZ404476
RNZAF Trade: Wireless Operater-Air Gunner
Date of Enlistment: 1940
Rank Achieved:Sergeant (in RNZAF), later commissioned in Air Training Corp
Flying Hours:
Operational Sorties:

Date of Birth: 23rd of January 1917
Personal Details: Before the war Bill was the Cambridge district agent for the International Harvester Company.

He set up a hardware and machinery business in February 1944 in the premises once used by the Home Guard in Cambridge. Allen's Hardware became something of an institutiuon in Cambridge, even after Bill Allen had moved on, and it remained a popular hardware shop for nearly sixty years till it closed down this decade.

Bill was married to the late Maxine, father of Greg and Julie, and grandfather of Rachael and Grace.

Service Details: I have not yet transcribed Bill's interview but briefly he joined the RNZAF in 1940 and trained to become a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner.

He served in In England and the Middle East, and was engaged in the ferrying duties of bombers being flown up the Takoradi route from West Africa to Egypt.

In late 1943 or early 1944 he was placed onto the reserve list following three years in the Air Force, and on returning home to Cambridge he was appointed as the officer for the Cambridge Air Training Corp Flight.

Date of Death: 11th of November 2006 at Tauranga; aged 89 years. A funeral was held at Tauranga Park Funeral Home, on Wednesday 15th of November followed by private cremation.

Connection with Cambridge: Bill lived in Cambridge before the war, and after his RNZAF service.

Bill has been interviewed and this will appear here as soon as I get it transcribed into text

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