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Cenotaph record

Geoffrey Bentley

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Portrait of Geoff Bentley, (DPR). Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Image kindly provided by Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, Ref: WA-00670-G. No known copyright restrictions.

Portrait of Geoff Bentley, (DPR). Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Image kindly provided by Alexand …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Geoffrey AWMM
  • Surname
    Bentley AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • NZ421889 AWMM
    • F73881 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    10 July 1917 AWMM Huddersfield, West Yorkshire AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
  • Campaign
    Pacific Theatre of War AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Air Force AWMM
  • Service number
    • NZ421889 AWMM
    • F73881 AWMM
  • Military service
    Royal New Zealand Air Force 1949-66. Public Relations AWMM
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) AWMM
      "Squadron Leader Bentley, in addition to his Air Force Public Relations duties, served for some three years as the New Zealand Military Public Relations Officer for the South East Asia Treaty Organisation. He was responsible for the public relations plan for he Military Advisers' Meeting held in Wellington in 1959 and assisted with the similar programme for the Ministers' Meeting. As Director of Public Relations for the RNZAF Squadron Leader Bentley has always been a conspicuous and loyal Service officer much of the excellent relationship that exists between the Service, the Press and the populace can be attributed to his continuous efforts to gain greater mutual understanding and respect for the role of the Air Force in the Cold War and the need for forces-in-being." Hanson, p. 82. MBE. 1964 AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    • WW2 1942 AWMM
    • WW2 1949 AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Husband of Nyra

    Official War Correspondent at the Pacific Islands of Bougainville, Los Negros and Emirau.

    Author of two books on the Royal New Zealand Air Force:- RNZAF - A Short History. Published in 1969 and Portrait of an Airforce. RNZAF 1937-1987. Published in 1987. (Co-authored with M. Conly) AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    30 June 2012 AWMM
    Age 95 AWMM
    Levin, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    Death Notice: New Zealand Herald, 7 July 2012 AWMM
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Geoffrey Bentley by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Geoffrey Bentley

Leave a note

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  • One of the most interesting people I have ever encountered. He once told me a fantastic story of being in the service and helping promote Graham Kerr as the catering adviser for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was very proud of his service to the RNZAF and of course had the best stories of his adventures. An admirable and respected man, he was for sure.
    Public - Michael - Friend - 15 September 2022
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
    • Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
      Hanson, C. (2001). p.81-82 AWMM
    • Bentley, G., & Conly, M. (1987). Portrait of an Air Force: the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1937-1987. Wellington, N.Z.: Grantham House. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
      Death Notice: New Zealand Herald, 7 July 2012 AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
15 September 2022MichaelUpper Hutt, NZFriend

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