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Cenotaph record

Richard Clyde Armstrong

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Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Richard Clyde AWMM
  • Surname
    Armstrong AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • NZ405770 AWMM
    • WWII 405770 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    19 October 1911 AWMM Te Kuiti, Waikato AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Father: Mr A. M. Armstrong, Bute Road, Browns Bay, Auckland Mother: Mrs F. D. Armstrong of Mamaku, Rotorua Line AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Single/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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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
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Son of Albert Harold and Florence Daisy Armstrong, of Brown's Bay, Auckland

      Attended Te Kuiti District High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845607)) AWMM
    • Flight-Sergeant Armstrong joined the RAF 1940.

      Encounters with surfaced U-boats gave the air gunners more opportunities for proving their skill. Typically, one day towards the end of May a Sunderland from No. 228 Squadron sighted a U-boat, which opened fire and zigzagged as the aircraft approached. The front gunner, Flight Sergeant Armstrong, directed his fire with such good effect that several of the German gunners were seen to crumple up on the conning tower. The flak slackened and his captain was able to take accurate aim. As depth-charges exploded the U-boat shuddered violently; soon afterwards it sank, leaving a large patch of oil and some thirty survivors on the surface of the sea. Before joining Coastal Command, Armstrong had flown in the crew of a Wellington bomber in raids on Germany. He had been shot down over the North Sea and picked up by a destroyer an hour later. On a subsequent raid his machine was badly damaged by flak when flying high over Germany. The Wellington went down almost to ground level before the captain could regain control. Armstrong's ears were affected and he was told he could not fly at high altitudes again, but he refused to be repatriated and transferred to Coastal Command Sunderlands, which did not fly at great heights. After taking part in several attacks on U-boats, Armstrong was lost with his crew early in July 1943 when their Sunderland was shot down over the Bay of Biscay after a gallant combat in which the flying boat was heavily outnumbered by enemy fighters. Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 17 April 2019 - Reference/Credit : Chapter 2 Aircraft against U-Boat : NZETC (Victoria University of Wellington - New Zealand).
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    12 July 1943 AWMM
    Age 31 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • Great Uncle - you were often spoken of by your brothers, now sadly all dead themselves, one of them only last year. I knew you died in war but I didn't know that you were 'missing, presumed dead'. I'm easily able to recognise your face as a family member, and that resemblance persists into my own children. I've asked the museum for more information about you.
    Public - Caleb - Other relative - 26 March 2017
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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [Missing - But Presumed Dead on Lapse of Time - Officers, Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845743) AWMM
      Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139. AWMM
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
      Vol.2, p.118; Vol.3, p.67 AWMM
    • This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission. AWMM
    • Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139. AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ab - B. Archives New Zealand (R17845607) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • Please note that the 12 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
19 September 2020Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
17 April 2019JeniferWairarapaResearcher
26 March 2017CalebAucklandOther relative

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