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John Horace Christiansen

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Portrait from Weekly News; 5 April 1944 - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait from Weekly News; 5 April 1944 - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

  • Title
  • Forenames
    John Horace AWMM
  • Surname
    Christiansen AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • NZ413551 AWMM
    • WWII 413551 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    1 July 1918 RNZAF Biographies (R17845608) Palmerston NorthManawatu-Wanganui RNZAF Biographies (R17845608)
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    • WW2 Father: Mr. A. C. Christiansen, 521 Featherston Street, Palmerston North AWMM
    • WW2 Parents: Mr. & Mrs. A. C. Christiansen, 521 Featherston Street, Palmerston North AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
    Pilot/Military RNZAF Biographies (R17845608)
  • Enlistment
  • 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
    Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • John Christiansen was the son of Albert Christian and Elmina Saraphia Christiansen, of Palmerston North, New Zealand.

    The photographer of the headstone in 1999 was Mr B. Cox whose brother, Flying Officer John Grant Cox (NZ412658), is buried in the same cemetery. He described his visit to Hanover War Cemetery: 'On 29 June we left London 4 am - drove all day via the Channel Tunnel reaching the village of Rimbeck about 100 km south of Hanover by 5 pm. That was where my brother's plane actually crashed, and by 5.30 we were taken by friendly German folk to the Catholic cemetery where the crew of seven were originally interred, and then to a site on a hillside about 1 km away to the spot where the Lancaster crashed. An elderly chap who remembers the incident said that they thought the bomber was going to hit the village. and the following morning, civilians began pillaging the wreckage to get the parachutes for silk but were stopped by soldiers. We were taken back to the first house we called at where we were given a nice meal, outside under a patio, followed by several rounds of German lager, before being taken to the local hotel where we slept before an early morning start for Hanover. In the Hanover War Cemetery all graves are well tended by German gardeners employed by the British War Graves Commission and were quite friendly. There are 46 New Zealand graves in the cemetery.'

    Attended Palmerston North Boys' High School, Palmerston North Technical High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845608)) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    14 January 1944 AWMM
    Age 25 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Hanover War Cemetery, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany AWMM 1. F. 9. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Bo - Cl. Archives New Zealand (R17845608) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • 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
    • 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
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762). AWMM

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