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Guest: Laurence Harcourt “Bunty” Bunt, RNZAF, NZ405799
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 67 minutes, 54 seconds
Topic: Flying Officer Laurence Bunt, NZ405799, known as Bunty to all his mates, is a local legend around the Marlborough region. One of the enthusiastic team of guides at the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, Bunty travels regularly to the AHC from his home in Picton so he can share his passion for aviation with the many visitors passing through.
He has an extraordinary history of his own to tell, having been a Spitfire and Hurricane pilot in the Second World War. He initially served as an erk before training as a fighter pilot in New Zealand and Britain. He then began flying in the defence of Gibraltar, delivering aircraft into North Africa and then to operations in Italy with No. 43 Squadron RAF. He then flew with a fighter affiliation unit in North Africa. He sat down with Dave Homewood on ANZAC Day 2011 in an Omaka hangar to share his memories.
By the way the small music clip comes from Danosongs and is called Magic Ghost
My late Uncle, Derek Deuntzer (F/LT), flew as a fighter pilot with various RAF squadrons, including squadron 43. I have his pilot flying log book from mid 1943 until the end of the war so it covers the squadrons North Africa, Italy and Malta campaigns. When 43 squadron was sent to Naples Derek went back to the UK for further training and then was sent to the US to train pilots. He had flown with squadron 43 from 28/9/1942 to 31/12/1943. I have several photos from Italy and North Africa and have carried out a lot of research to try and find out dates and locations. There is one of a NZ pilot (he had a silver fern pinned on his jacket). The other pilot photo I am fairly certain is of Laurence Bunt – I cant paste or upload the photo here. I would like to find out if indeed it is him
Hi Dinah, very interesting. Please send me the photos at dave_daasnz@hotmail.com and I will take a look. Thank you.