Patrick Francis DWAN
Known as Francis

Serial Number: NZ401117
RNZAF Trade: Flight Rigger (and possibly a Drill Instructor)
Date of Enlistment: 1940
Rank Achieved: Unkown
Flying Hours: nil (?)
Operational Sorties: nil (?)

Date of Birth: Born on the 21st of October 1918
Personal Details: Francis came to Cambridge with his family from Grafton, in Auckland, and he lived in Cambridge from 1931-34, attending Cambridge Primary for two years and secondary school one year in that time. He must have returned to the district before the war because he was noted in the local newspaper as being called up from Cambridge.

Service Details: Little information has yet been found on Francis Dwan. The one and only newspaper report I have states in April 1940 he was reporting to RNZAF Station Levin to become a Flight Rigger. It seems after his initial training at Levin he was posted to No. 1 Flying Training School at RNZAF Station Wigram, probably to gain some on-the-job experience while awaiting his trade couse.

He began his Flight Rigger training course at RNZAF Station Rongotai on the 2nd of August 1940.

After this, I have no further information yet; however by 1941 there was a Cpl Dwan at Levin who was a drill instructor so possibly this was him, as it is not a common surname.

Details of Death: 22nd of October 1990, aged 72
Buried at: unkown

Connection with Cambridge: Francis lived in Cambridge for a number of years beofre the war and it seems he got his call up for military service whilst living in the town or district.

Waikato Indepepndent newspaper reports mentioning Patrick Dwan
Report to RNZAF Levin as Flight Rigger 9 April 1940

________________________________________________________________