condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Bernard Bryn Goodall

-
Portrait of Sergeant Bernard Bryn Goodall, Auckland Weekly News, 4 November 1942. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19421104-18-47. Image has no known copyright restrictions.

Portrait of Sergeant Bernard Bryn Goodall, Auckland Weekly News, 4 November 1942. Auckland Libraries …

Identity

  • Title
  • Forenames
    Bernard Bryn AWMM
  • Surname
    Goodall AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII NZ411981 AWMM
    • WWII 411981 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    1 April 1919 AWMM NelsonTasman AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mr. & Mrs. K. B. Goodall, 5 Hawrea Street, Whakatane. AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
    Levin. Harewood, Christchurch. Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. 1941 Public - Beverley Frances - Other relative - 25 April 2016 - Military Personnel File, Family history papers
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
    • Pilot AWMM
    • Pilot/Military RNZAF Biographies (R17845610)
  • Enlistment
    • WW2 Dryerman/Civilian AWMM
    • Enlistment, 27 January, 1940, Whakatane.
      Attestation, 19 July, 1940, Whakatane. Public - Beverley Frances - Other relative - 25 April 2016 - Military Personnel File, Family papers
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment
    20 years Public - Beverley Frances - Other relative - 25 April 2016 - Military Personnel File, Family history papers

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

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

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Accidentally killed on active service AWMM

Last known rank

Contribute ›

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
    • Bernard Goodall was the son of Kenneth Bryn Goodall and of Caroline Grace Goodall (nee Macmahon), of Whakatane, New Zealand.

      Attended Putaruru High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845610)) AWMM
    • Bernard Bryn Goodall was born on 1st April, 1919 in Nelson and was the third child of Kenneth and Grace Goodall, who were farming at Tapawera. Bernard attended Brightwater School, 1925 – 1930; Lichfield Primary School, 1930-1932 and Putaruru District High School, 1932 - 1933. His employment history was dairy farm worker 1934-1938; timber worker 1938-1939; dryerman and backtender, Whakatane Paper Mills 1939 -1941 .

      Bernard applied to the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 27 January 1940, and to the Air Force Reserve in July 1940, being was called up for aircrew training on 23/3/1941 at Levin and Harewood where he commenced his flying training.
      On 22/7/1941, he embarked for Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme and was posted to Dunnville, Ontario, where on 7/11/1941 he was awarded his flying wings and promoted to Sergeant. Eventually he went to 58 Operational Training Unit, Grangemouth, Scotland, where he completed his training on Spitfire fighter aircraft.

      On 21/4/1942, he was posted to the distinguished 41 Squadron of the Royal Airforce (RAF), at Merston, Sussex, to replace Battle of Britain pilots who were being rested.

      Bernard flew with the 41 Squadron in Flight A (about 6 aircraft), red section, comprised of 3-4 planes, flying the Spitfire model Mk Vb.

      On July 20, 21, 30th July, 1942, Bernard flew missions over France, recorded in his logbook:
      July 20th , with Rhubarb squadron, Red IV,
      “Near Le Harve. Octerville Airdrome huts and lorries. Bags of flak. At Drome and at Coast.
      Crossed French coast at Cape d’A(n)tifer. Rex and self shot up railway engine. Redge Allan missing.”
      July 21st “65, with Rhubarb squadron, Red IV, “’ attacked Blankenberge (in Belgium) getting badly shot up. 41,71 Escort cover off coast. Jock Wilson hit by flak but OK. A shakey do”
      July 30th , offensive sweep Red IV. “Fighter sweep St O(m)er (France). Zero feet until coast. Climbed to 19 000 FW 1905 (German aircraft) about but not near us”

      In this active duty as a fighter pilot, Bernard flew 312 hours, taking part in 41 operational, mainly offensive patrols, but also including 12 convoy patrols, 2 sector reconnaissance flights, 2 low level attacks on enemy positions in France, shipping reconnaissance and an air sea rescue search.

      On 15 August 1942, Bernard was the pilot detailed to deliver a Spitfire Mk Vb P8607 Squadron Code EB-C, from RAF Station Debden, Essex to RAF Station Tangmere in Sussex to where Squadron 41 was being repositioned in readiness for the Dieppe landings in a few days time. At 5.45pm, presumably due to instrument failure Bernard found himself travelling in the wrong direction, a little to the north west of where he wanted to go. There was no radar in the spitfires then. The southern half of England was covered in low cloud to 1000 ft and it is assumed he was coming down through the cloud to see where he was but got disorientated and dived into the ground. The plane crashed into farmland, near the town of Weston Patrick, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG25, partly burying itself and catching fire immediately. This type of crash was very common in south England in low cloud. The plane which Bernard was flying was Spitfire VB P8607/EB- C and was a presentation plane Palembang Oeloe II.

      Bernard is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Brookwood, Surrey, England, Plot 2A, Row I, Grave 1 on 20th August 1942 at 3pm.

      In 1950, he was awarded posthumously the following war medals:
      The 1939 – 1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, NZ War Service Medal, 1939- 1945
      The Memorial Cross given by the Prime Minister to those who died in the service of their country.

      As part of the 50 years celebration of the end of WW11, a memorial was erected to remember Bernard by the town of Weston Patrick and a short dedication service was held on Sunday 13 March 1994. Public - Beverley Frances - Other relative - 16 May 2016 - Bell, Beverley (2013) Bernard Goodall. Unpublished family history biography, Hamilton, with thanks to George Goodall and Mark Goodall
      Brew, Steve (2012) Blood, Sweat and Valour: 41 Squadron RAF 1942-1945. Stroud, UK: Fonthill Media.
      Brew, Steve. (2013) 41 Squadron observation record book, 41 Squadron Historical Archives.
      Brew, Steve (2015) Blood, Sweat and Courage: 41 Squadron RAF 1939-1942. Stroud, UK: Fonthill Media
    • The plane crashed into farmland at or near Blounce Farm (records state Blunt Farm but is believed to be referring to Blounce), a few miles southeast of the Weston Patrick Hampshire. Public - Sue - Other relative - 10 October 2017 - Martyn, Errol. For your tomorrow: a record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915. Vol One:Fates 1915-1942. Christchurch, Volplane press, 1998.
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    15 August 1942 AWMM
    Age 23 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, England AWMM 2. I. 1. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
    • Brookwood Military Cemetery. Cemetery Reference 2.I.1. Surrey, United Kingdom Public - Sue - Other relative - 14 May 2022 - Commonwealth War Graves Commission https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2666835/bernard-bryn-goodall/
    • St Lawrence Church, Weston Patrick, RG25 2NT, Hampshire, England Public - Sue - Other relative - 14 May 2022 - Personal visit

Roll of Honour

Remember Bernard Bryn Goodall by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Bernard Bryn Goodall

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • References
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. 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
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ea - Gw. Archives New Zealand (R17845610) - 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
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [(New Zealanders Attached to R.A.F. [Royal Air Force]) (Officers), (Europe) - Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845744) AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762). AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
14 May 2022SueRemuera, AucklandOther relative
16 May 2016Beverley FrancesHamilton New ZealandOther relative

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.