Hector Hugh Crawford
Born 25 Aug 1916 - Died 6 Feb 1942
- Service number
- WWII NZ39904 AWMM
- WWII 39904 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Flying Officer/Military AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 272 Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Hector Hugh AWMM
- Surname
- Crawford AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWII NZ39904 AWMM
- WWII 39904 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 25 Aug 1916 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mr W. Crawford (father), 36 Rimu Street, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Parents: Mr. & Mrs. W. Crawford of New Plymouth AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- 1940 AWMM Battle of Britain AWMM
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ39904 AWMM
- WWII 39904 AWMM
- Military service
- A Licence (Pilot), Civil Reserve March 1938 AWMM
- Royal Air Force, No. 143 Squadron AWMM
- Royal Air Force, No. 272 Squadron AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- PilotPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 12 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.141: Colin Hanson
- Enlistment
- WW2 26 Oct 1939 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM
Customs Department Clerk/Civilian AWMM - Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Mataroa AWMM Pilot Officer AWMM Attached to Royal Air Force AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- WW2
19 Dec 1941-31 Dec 1941 AWMM
Shot down by ground fire AWMM - Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed on air operations AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Flying Officer/Military AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 272 Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- After being captured on 19 December 1941, he escaped and rejoined his squadron on 31 December 1941.
Plane Crash -shot down by ground fire. First buried at Barge.
Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981). The Battle of Britain: 10 July- 31 October 1940. Next of kin details compiled from information in the Casualty lists published in the newspapers.
Attended New Plymouth Boys' High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845609)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 6 Feb 1942 AWMM
Age 25 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya AWMM 6. G. 1. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- Royal Air Force website. Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/battleofbritain70thanniversary.cfm
Further Reference - Battle of Britain Historical Society website.
http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
Further Reference - Air Casualties. Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 39, 16 February 1942, Page 7
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19420216.2.50&srpos
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2063810
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845609
Sources Used - See a list of New Zealanders awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp here (PDF). Compiled with the assistance of Errol Martyn and linked from the NZHistory page produced by Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
Further Reference - Battle of Britain: Allied Pilots, Aircrew Remembered
https://aircrewremembered.com/BattleOfBritainDatabase/battlebritain-alpha-list.html
Further Reference
- Royal Air Force website. Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary.
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
(1998). Vol 1. p. 178; (2008). Vol 3. p. 149 - Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
(Vol. 3, pp. 60-61). - Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
p. 41 - Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
pp. 93-95 - Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2012). New Zealanders serving with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 31 October 1940. [A list compiled by Ministry for Culture and Heritage with Errol Martyn].
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- 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)
- Please note that the 11 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.
- Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
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