Theo Farley CUBIS

Serial Number: NZ41534
RNZAF Trade: Aircrafthand (General Duties)
Date of Enlistment: 19th of January 1941
Date of Demob:
Rank Achieved:

Date of Birth: 20th of June 1922
Personal Details: Theo was the son of Bert Cubis Senior and Ada Cubis of Hautapu, Cambridge. Ada died from peritonitis when Theo was just a five month old baby, in November 1922. She was just 31 when she died.

In 1938 while a student at Hamilton Technical High School, Theo and fellow student John Irwin rescued a child, Edward George Morgan, who had fallen into the Waikato River. They had been crossing the railway bridge when they heard his cries, and doubled back and ran aong the riverside path till they fouind the boy clinging to vegetation and close to drowning. They scurried down the bank and pulled the boy to safety.

Theo was married to Dawn.

Service Details: Whilst one source said that Theo had joined the RNZAF to become an Air Observer, all that is known at this time is that he was serving at RNZAF Station Rongotai, at Wellington, as an Aircrafthand (General Duties). He was based there when he was posted to No. 1 Construction Unit at Rukuhia, Hamilton, on the 4th of May 1942. This was a Works squadron that was engaged in building a new runway and hangars and associated buildings at Rukuhia, for wjhat would become No. 1 Repair Depot.

Details of Death: Theo passed away on the 7th ofJanuary 1990 at Tauranga Hospital (after a long illness) aged 67
Cremated at: Tauranga

Connection with Cambridge: Theo had lived in Cambridge before the war

Thanks To: Errol Martyn for some information on this page. Also some information was sourced from here:

_______________________________________________________________