Michael James Herrick
Born 5 May 1921 - Died 16 Jun 1944
- Service number
- 33566 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader (Pilot) AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 305 (Polish) Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Michael James AWMM
- Surname
- Herrick AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- 33566 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 5 May 1921 AWMM
Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM - Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
- Mr Edward Jasper Herrick (father), Lindisfarne, Hastings, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Father: Mr. E. S. Herrick, Landesfarne, Hastings AWMM
- WW2 Father: Mr. E. J. Herrick of Hastings AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
- Pre 09 Mar 1939 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- Europe (Air) AWMM
- 1940 AWMM Battle of Britain AWMM
- Pacific Theatre of War AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- 33566 AWMM
- Military service
- Royal New Zealand Air Force, No. 25 Squadron AWMM
- Royal Air Force, No. 305 (Polish) Squadron (Mosquito)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - A Clasp For The Few, p.197: Wynne
- Royal New Zealand Air Force, No. 15 Squadron (P-40 Kittyhawk)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - A Clasp For The Few, p.197: Wynne
- Royal Air Force, No. 25 Squadron (Blenheim & Beaufighter)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - A Clasp For The Few, p.197: Wynne
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC*) AWMM
DFC. 24 September 1940 / DFC Bar. 10 February1944 AWMM - 1939-45 Star (Battle of Britain clasp) AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- Air Medal (USA) AWMM
U.S. Air Medal. Posthumously, July 1944 for gallantry in the Pacific AWMM
- Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC*) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Avro Tutors AWMM
- Airspeed Oxfords AWMM
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- PilotPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.563: Hanson
- Enlistment
- WW2 27 Apr 1940 AWMM
Age 19 AWMM - Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Rangitiki AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed on air operations AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader (Pilot) AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 305 (Polish) Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Michael Herrick was the son of Edward Jasper Herrick and Ethne Rose Herrick, of Hastings, Hawke's Bay.
Pilot Officer 7 March 1940
Flying Officer 4 March 1941
Flight Lieutenant 7 March 1942
Herrick joined 302 Squadron at Lasham, as 'B' Flight Commander. A Polish fighter-bomber unit equipped with Mosquitos.
On June 16 Herrick took off on his first operation into enemy territory during the day. He flew in company with Wing Commander J.R.D. Braham. They split at the Jutland Coast and Herrick went towards Aalborg airfield. He was intercepted and shot down by Lt. Spreckels of JG 1. Herrick and his navigator, Flying Officer Turski, baled out but were too low. Herrick fell into the sea. A German search for his body was unsuccessful, but it was washed up on July 4 and buried two days later. Nine days later Spreckels shot down Braham, who was captured. (Wynn, K.G. 'Men of the Battle of Britain'
Six brothers served in WW2. Three lost their lives Michael James Herrick (33566) and Brian Henry Herrick (42003), Dennis Trevelyan (NZ40974); Terry and Larry served in the Royal Navy. Jasper the eldest brother joined the Army in New Zealand but was refused permission to go overseas by the authorities.
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 Wanganui Collegiate School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845611)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 16 Jun 1944 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Frederikshavn Cemetery, Denmark AWMM Allied Plot. grave 66. AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
Sources Used - National Archives of New Zealand, National Collection of War Art. Portrait.
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22498457
Further Reference - Bravery Award. Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 134, 9 June 1941, Page 9
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19410609.2.98&srpos
Further Reference - 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 - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q89459828
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2271241
Further Reference - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ib - Ly. Archives New Zealand (R17845612)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845611
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 - Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 15). List of World War II aces from New Zealand. In Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_New_Zealand
Further Reference - Flight Safety Network:
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/70687Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - Internet research - Aircrew Remembered:
https://aircrewremembered.com/herrick-michel-james.htmlPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - Internet research
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
- References
- The Weekly News
The Weekly News 1944 - Wynn, K. (1989). Men of the Battle of Britain. Norwich, England: Gliddon Books.
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- 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].
Auckland Museum Armoury Resource Centre, Biographical vertical file - Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
Wynn, K. (1981). p. 197-202 - The parting of the ways : a souvenir record of the triumphs, tribulations and maritime musings of returning draft H.M.N.Z.T No. 217, 'Zealandic'. January 18th, 1919 to February 26th, 1919.
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ha - Hy. Archives New Zealand (R17845611) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- 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.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Deceased New Zealanders (Formerly) serving with RAF [Royal Air Force]. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845760).
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - List of New Zealand Fighter aces with their Scores (Unofficial) December 1944. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845799).
- Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V6,n1,p26 v5,n4,p73 v5,n5,p13
- The Weekly News
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