Brian Oliver Operations

Brian Oliver's Operational Flying with No 2 Squadron, RNZAF

Operational flying in an RNZAF bomber in the Pacific theatre of war was somewhat different from that of bomber flying in Europe. In Europe there were usually set specific targets for each operational mission, such as a particular war weapons factory in a specific city. However in the Pacific war where the battleground mostly consisted of ocean, the major work of the RNZAF Hudsons and Venturas was in anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols. Other forms of work for these Pacific crews involved transporting of troops, escorting fighters and dive-bombers to a target (as the bombers had better navigational equipment), training missions and sometimes the more traditional bombing raid on a set land target.

The following extract from his log books details Brian Oliver's operational flying career, which shows the diverse range of flights he made while in the Pacific region with No 2 (BR) Squadron. This is a complete record of that period; including all flights he made from the ferry flight from New Zealand up to “Buttons” - the code name for the New Hebrides runway from which they operated – till the flight in which he returned to New Zealand.

Date	Aircraft	Mission/Target	Crew	Position	Comments
14 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Ohakea to Whenuapai	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Collie	Captain	Ferry Flight
15 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Whenuapai to Norfolk Island “Hedgehog”	Brian Oliver Crew F/S Wallace	Captain	Ferry Flight
16 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Norfolk Island to Tontuta , New Caledonia	Brian Oliver WYVC Crew F/S Wallace	Captain	Ferry Flight
16 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ453	Tontuta to Espiritu Santos, New Hebrides (Buttons)	Brian Oliver “Blondie” Crew, F/S Wallace	Captain	Ferry Flight
20 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Round The Island	Brian Oliver	Captain	Check ASD and Radio Range
21 Nov 1943	Hudson NZ2087	Anti-Sub Patrol, Convoy	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	.
27 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Buttons to Nausori , Fiji (“entice”)	Brian Oliver Crew American Colonel Brg. Gentry	Captain Passenger Passenger	transporting passengers to Fiji
28 Nov 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Nausori to Buttons (Bomber 1)	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	return trip
10 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	Recalled, of a sub
11 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol on MV (disabled)	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	.
13 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol on Convoy	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	.
17 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4529	Night Flying, Local	Brian Oliver P/O Keys F/Sgt Turner	Captain	.
19 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4519	Anti-Sub Patrol (15 Ships)	Brian Oliver Crew S/Ldr Greenaway	Captain	.
22 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4523	Fighter escort to Cactus (Solomon Islands)	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Melrose	Captain	.
23 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4523	Travel return to Buttons	Brian Oliver Crew Five bodies	Captain	.
24 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4527	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	Returned, engine failure on take off
24 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4527	Anti-Sub Patrol on Convoy	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	No Convoy!
29 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4537	Submarine recognition and Bombing	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain
30 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4537	Anti-Sub Patrol on Convoy	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain	No Convoy!
30 Dec 1943	Ventura NZ4525	Hunter Killer	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	(evening take-off)
1 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4531	Hunter Killer	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	(0230 take off)
2 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4519	Hunter Killer	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
5 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	To Pekoa Field (Bomber II Dogwood)	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
9 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
10 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Hunter Killer	Brian Oliver Crew Captain Hall	Captain .
12 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4523	Hunter Killer	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Dean	Captain .	Landed on Bomber III (Lugan) - was a broken a/c on II
12 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4523	Return to Bomber II	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Dean	Captain .
15 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4525	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
19 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4523	Search for PV1 NZ4520	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
22 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4527	Search and Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	Torpedoed AO
26 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	Returned after engine failure
27 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Aircraft Test	Brian Oliver F/Sgt Turner Cpl Sorrenson	Captain . Flight Mech?	Engine failure again
29 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Aircraft Test	Brian Oliver Cpl Sorrenson	Captain Flight Mech?
31 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Travel to Cactus	Brian Oliver Crew S/Ldr Makgill Plus two	Captain .
31 Jan 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Travel from Cactus	Brian Oliver Crew + 3 bodies	Captain .
7 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Bomber II to Bomber I	Brian Oliver P/O Keys	Captain .
12 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4525	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
15 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4523	Search for missing SBD	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
16 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	(Recalled weather), engine trouble
17 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4525	To Vila ( EFATE , WYVL Tower, Bauer Field)	Brian Oliver Crew plus five	Captain .
11 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4535	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	returned with engine trouble Note, this date is as in log book though seemingly out of order
18 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4525	Anti-Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
22 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4525	Move to Cactus	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Balland F/O Aitcheson	Captain .
22 Feb 1944	Dakota NZ3501	Move to Munda, New Georgia (“Bloodhound”)	Flt Lt Sharp Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
23 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4512	X-Ray Patrol No 1 (“Woodlarks”) New Guinea	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
24 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4515	X-Ray Patrol No 2 (New Britain)	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
25 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4511	X-Ray Patrol No 1	Brian Oliver Crew F/O Dean	Captain .
26 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4507	X-Ray Patrol No 3 (New Ireland – Bougainville)	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
28 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4501	X-Ray Patrol No 1	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	100+ holes in a/c
29 Feb 1944	Ventura NZ4506	Strike Job – Munda to Piva Uncle, Bougainville, then bombed Radar Station at Adler Bay , New Britain . Return to Empress Augusta Bay (Tourakina Strip). Tourakina to Munda	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
1 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4504	To Stirling , Treasury Island and return	Brian Oliver F/O Keys F/O Monks F/Sgt Turner F/Sgt Mason	Captain .
2 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4501	To Piva and strike on Adler Bay Radar. Lead in 12 SBD Crew Dauntless dive-bombers, 6 TBF Avengers and 12 F4U Corsair fighter-bombers	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
3 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4501	Strike and barge hunt. C. Gazelle to Adler Bay and return to Munda	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
4 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4514	To Cactus	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
7 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4514	To Munda	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
9 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4507	Sub Search, East Coast of Bougainville	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
13 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4515	Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew Sqn Ldr Cameron	Captain .
17 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4541	Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
18 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4510	Sub Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
20 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4518	Aircraft Test	Brian Oliver P/O Keys	Captain .
21 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4501	Tourist Patrol to Green Island (Square Peg) – through George Channel to TingwonIsland, round Mathies Is. To Green Is and so to base	Brian Oliver Crew Sqn Ldr Cameron	Captain .	1,400 Nautical mile round trip
23 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4507	To Cactus	Brian Oliver P/O Keys F/Sgt Turner	Captain .
26 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4513	To Munda	Brian Oliver P/O Keys F/Sgt Turner	Captain .
27 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4527	West Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
28 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4521	Sub Search	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
31 Mar 1944	Ventura NZ4515	Channel Patrol and special sub search: C. Lambert – Kalili – Duke of York Island - Rabaul – Land Piva – Base	Brian Oliver Crew Sqn Ldr Cameron	Captain .	1200 nautical miles
2 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4501	East Patrol - dropped package to native Crew village at Choisel	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
3 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4507	East Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
5 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4514	Channel Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
6 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ45??	To Cactus	W/C Greenaway Brian Oliver F/O Turner Sgt Johnston & Others	Captain .
10 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4512	To Munda	Brian Oliver F/Sgt Turner W/O Wilson Sgt Johnston Crew + 3	Captain .
11 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4521	Channel Patrol, land at Torokina & pick up 3 bodies	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
12 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4501	Able Search – bombed jetty and buildings Crew	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
13 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4503	Channel Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	A close up of Rabaul being bombed
16 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4512	Sub Search	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
17 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4512	East Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
18 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4521	Mine Search	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
20 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4505	Sub Search	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
21 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4515	To Cactus	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
24 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4515	To Munda	Brian Oliver F/Sgt Turner Crew + five others	Captain .
26 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4504	To Piva	Brian Oliver F/O Melrose Crew + 3 others	Captain .
27 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4506	Sub Search	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
28 Apr 1944	Ventura NZ4501	Channel Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
1 May 1944	Ventura NZ4516	Able Search, bombed village and gardens	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
3 May 1944	Ventura NZ4513	Sub Search, Scramble	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
4 May 1944	Ventura NZ4507	Channel Patrol	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .
5 May 1944	Ventura NZ4513	Bomb wireless station and strafe Chabar area	Brian Oliver Crew 1 Aussie 1 American 1 Native	Captain .
8 May 1944	Ventura NZ4510	Shipping count at Simpson Harbour & Rabaul area & survivor sweep for SBD & TBF	Brian Oliver Crew	Captain .	Shot at rather much for comfort
9 May 1944	Ventura NZ4521	New Ireland – Tingwon Is - Mussau. Search	Brian Oliver Crew S/Ldr Cameron	Captain .
20 May 1944	Ventura NZ4541	Piva to Guadalcanal	Brian Oliver Crew F/Lt Dean	Captain .	Ferry trip home to New Zealand
21 May 1944	Ventura NZ4541	Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santos	Brian Oliver Crew F/Lt Dean	Captain .	Ferry trip home to New Zealand
22 May 1944	Ventura NZ4541	Santo to Norfolk Island	Brian Oliver Crew F/Lt Dean	Captain .	Ferry trip home to New Zealand (suffered generator fire off Norfolk Is.)
22 May 1944	Ventura NZ4541	Norfolk Island to Whenuapai	Brian Oliver Crew F/Lt Dean	Captain	Ferry trip home to New Zealand (suffered hydraulic failure at Whenuapai)