John CHRISTIE

Serial Number: NZ4212829
RNZAF Trade: Air Observer
Date of Enlistment: 24th of October 1942
Date of Demob: Unknown
Rank Achieved: Flight Sergeant (at least)
Flying Hours: Unknown
Operational Sorties: At least 13 (with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron)

Date of Birth: 12th of October 1923
Personal Details: Nothing is yet known about John Christie's personal life.

Service Details: John Christie enlisted at RNZAF Station Ohakea on the 24th of October 1942, as an Aircrafthand (ADU), as a member of the Aerodrome Defence Unit there. However he was destined to be trained as an Air Observer and so John departed New Zealand onboard the ship Monticello on the 1st of April 1943, headed for Canada.

John trained at No. 5 Air Observers School in Winnipeg,  as a member of Course 76N. He graduated the course on the 29th of September 1943.

It's not certain where John went to next but certainly he went to England as he was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, a heavy bomber squadron, by August 1944, as the navigator in the crew of Pilot Officer John Rees Layton DFC(NZ425914, Captain).

Also in his crew were
Flying Officer Louis Thomas Freidrich (NZ428060, 2nd Pilot)
Pilot Officer Clive Woodward Estcourt (NZ391045, Air Bomber)
Pilot Officer Ta Tio Tuaine Nicholas (NZ425658, Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant David Onslow Light (NZ4212848, Mid-Upper Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Leslie Dixon Moore (NZ421327, Air Gunner)
Sergeant F. Samuel RAF (Flight Engineer)

The operations that John Christie is known to have flown with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, in the crew above, as as follows:

Date	Avro Lancaster	Target	Note
3 Aug 1944	HK575 AA-	V1 Flying BombStore at L'isle Adam, France	Daylight Op
4 Aug 1944	HK756 AA-	Oil Refinery site at Bec-d' Ambres, France	Daylight Op
8/9 Aug 1944	HK600 AA-	Oil/Fuel site at Foret de Lucheux, france	Night Op
9/10 Aug 1944	HK600 AA-	V1 flying bomb launch pads at Fort d'Anglos, France	Night Op
11 Aug 1944	HK600 AA-	Rail marshalling yards at Lens, France	Daytime Op
14 Aug 1944	HK600 AA-	German troop positions at Falaise, Normandy Battle Area, France	Daytime Op
15 Aug 1944	HK600 AA-	St Trond Airfield	Daylight Op
16/17 Aug 1944	ND782	Port and Industrial area, Stettin, Poland - on the border with Germany	Night Op. Engaged Junkers Ju88, Rear Gunner Les Moore claimed it as damaged
29/30 Aug 1944	ND904	Port and Industrial area, Stettin, Poland - on the border with Germany	Night Op
31 Aug 1944	PB418	V2 Rocket Site, Northern France	Daylight Op
8 Sep 1944	PB418	German field positions between Doudeneville and Le Havre	Daylight Op
10 Sep 1944	HK576	German field positions between Le Havre and Montivilliers	Daylight Op
12/13 Sep 1944	PB418	Frankfurt, Germany	Night Op

Died: 7th of June 2013, aged 89

Connection with Cambridge: Apparently from Cambridge prewar

Thanks to: Errol Martyn, Don Simms and Wayne Mellor for helping with information on this airman. Operations and crew information is sourced from the No. 75 Squadron Association History from the chapter compiled by Squadron Leader Ron Macfarlane AFC, RNZAF (retired)
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