Alan Hunter Cachemaille Boxer
Born 1 Dec 1916 - Died 26 Apr 1998
- Service number
- 41545 AWMM
- Also known as
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- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Post WW2 Air Vice Marshal/Military AWMM United Kingdom, Ministry of Defence, Defence Services Secretary AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- Sir AWMM
- Forenames
- Alan Hunter Cachemaille AWMM
- Surname
- Boxer AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
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- Service number
- 41545 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 1 Dec 1916 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
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- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
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- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- 41545 AWMM
- Military service
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) AWMM
KCVO awarded 13 June 1970. AWMM - Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) AWMM
CB awarded 1 January 1968. AWMM - Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
DSO awarded 23 March 1945. Citation: "Wing Commander Boxer has commanded his squadron with great ability for a long period. He has been very keen to fly on all types of operations, irrespective of the hazards involved. By his skill and determination, he has set a fine example to all in his squadron. He has completed several special flights to Poland and others which have involved being airborne for long periods." (Haigh & Polaschek, p303) AWMM - Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) AWMM
DFC: London Gazette, 26 March 1943. Citation: "Within the last 2 months, Squadron Leader Boxer has successfully completed several long-range sorties. On one of them, when some hundreds of miles from base, one engine of his aircraft failed. Despite this, he succeeded in flying the bomber home. Some time later, he completed the return flight from a distant target in similar circumstances. He is a most reliable and determined pilot.” AWMM - 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Air Crew Europe Star AWMM
- Defence Medal AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- Korea Medal (EIIR) AWMM
- United Nations Medal for Korea AWMM
- Virtuti Militari (Poland) AWMM
Virtuti Militari (Poland) awarded 21 Jan 1944. AWMM - Bronze Star (USA) AWMM
Bronze Star (United States) awarded 25 May 1951. AWMM - Air Medal (USA) AWMM
Air Medal (United States) awarded 25 May 1951. AWMM - New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
- Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Initial Officer Training, RAF Depot, January 1939 AWMM
- Course No 15, RAF Staff College, Haifa, August 1945 AWMM
- Army Staff College, 1948 AWMM
- Imperial Defence College, January 1962 AWMM
- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- 1938 AWMM
Age 21 AWMM - Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Pilot Officer AWMM
- WW2 Royal Air Force, No. 161 Squadron AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM - Post WW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM British Commonwealth Forces Korea (Kayforce) AWMM
3rd Embarkation 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
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Last known rank
- Last rank
- Post WW2 1970 AWMM
Retired AWMM
Air Vice Marshal/Military AWMM
United Kingdom, Ministry of Defence, Defence Services Secretary AWMM - Last rank
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Biographical information
- Educated at Nelson College.
Boxer's father died when he was nine years old, and although he held a series of jobs to assist his family, he somehow found the time and money to take flying lessons.
Son of Dr Ernest Augustus Boxer (3/150) and Ruth Ida Dobree Boxer.
He left for England and joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1938, gained a permanent commission in 1939, and was given the post of Flying Instructor with Training Command. He served as Flying Instructor from 1939 to 1942.
In 1942, he was transferred to an operational unit, 161 Squadron, RAF as a Flight Commander.
He then transferred to 138 Squadron as Flight Commander.
In 1943, he transferred back to 161 Squadron as a Wing Commander and Officer Commanding (OC) of the squadron.
In September 1943, Boxer was posted to the Directorate of Intelligence (Research).
In February 1945, he transferred to Headquarters, Bomber Command.
In March 1946, he transferred to the Directorate of Intelligence, Operations.
In 1949, he took part in an exchange program with the United States Air Force (USAF), serving with 92 Bombardment Wing, USAF, 1949-50.
He served in Korea with the USAF.
In 1952, he served with the Central Fighter Establishment.
In 1954, he was one of the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College.
OC of 7 Squadron, RAF, 1956-58.
OC of RAF Wittering, 1958-59
Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal in 1966.
Served as Defence Services Secretary, Ministry of Defence (MOD), UK, 1967-70.
Retired in July 1970. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 26 Apr 1998 AWMM
Age 81 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Cemetery
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- National Portrait Gallery. Portrait, Sir Alan Hunter Cachemaille Boxer
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw110822/Sir-Alan-Hunter-Cachemaille-Boxer
Further Reference - New Zealand in the Korean War. NZHistory online.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/korean-war
Further Reference - RAF Web biography.
http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Boxer_AHC.htm
Further Reference - Kings College London, Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Papers of Senior UK Defence Personnel, 1900-1975. Service biography.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/BOXER1.shtml
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4706225
Further Reference
- National Portrait Gallery. Portrait, Sir Alan Hunter Cachemaille Boxer
- References
- Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors.
- Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-45: New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force, Volume II: European Theatre, January 1943 - May 1945 – by H L Thompson. Wellington: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, 1956 - 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.
V5,n2,p70 - Chamberlain, H. (2013). The New Zealand Korea Roll : honouring those who served in the New Zealand Armed Forces in Korea, 1950-1957. Wellington, N.Z.: Author.
- McGibbon, I.C. (1992-1996). New Zealand and the Korean War (Vols. 1-2). Auckland, N.Z.; Wellington, N.Z.: Oxford University Press in association with the Historical Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs.
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