Excerpts from the Diary of AC-2 Richard P. Perry.

 

Did not keep a diary prior to September 1942.  I did join up right after finishing college in 1942 and was stationed, initially, at Rongotai airfield in Wellington.  Did guard duty on the airfield protecting the ammunition dumps around the perimeter.  From there I was posted to Masterton where I served as batman to a group of airman who had just returned from Guadalcanal flying Brewster Buffalos.  They were converting onto the new “Kittyhawk” aircraft.  These planes had an Allison engine up front, which was a far cry from the radial engines on the Buffalos.  Several of the course were killed flying these planes.

 

Left the Mess at Masterton airfield on Wednesday, 2nd November, collected all my clearances and proceeded to:

 

Rotorua and Brent’s Hotel September 3, 1942

 

First impressions not good.  Had another airman in my room, uncomfortable furniture, had to parade to meals.

 

September 4, 1942

 

Went through a complete medical, issued with flying helmet, boots and gloves.  Went marching but were dismissed for the day when out of sight of the CO.

 

September 5, 1942

 

Talks all morning on security, etc and an IQ test in the afternoon.

 

September 5/6, 1942

 

Paraded in flights.  Lectures in morning, drill in afternoon, PT in the evening.

 

September 7-11, 1942

 

More of same all day.

 

September 12, 1942

 

Wing parade, a complete mess and then march out to a point-to-point in threes with a corporal swearing at us all the way.

 

September 13-15, 1942

 

Lectures as usual. Internal combustion engine.  Pay day, 6 pounds 4 shillings and sixpence.

 

September 16/18, 1942

 

Lectures on both days.  Finished up with an exam in which I got 93% with a course average of 60%.  We were put in the decompression chamber on the 18th.  Very interesting.  As the pressure went down my writing became more and more like a scribble until finally there was nothing at all and all the time I thought I was writing just as usual.  The exercise was to show what happened if we lost oxygen at any height over 15,000 feet.

 

 

September 19, 1942

 

Another Wing Parade and more lectures.

 

September 20/22, 1942

 

More  lectures, drill and PT.  On shooting range in afternoon of 22nd.  Firing 300s at targets.

 

September 23, 1942

 

Medical exam and lectures. 

 

September 24, 1942

 

Exams again.  Did not do as well as the last time.

 

September 25, 1942

 

More lectures

 

September 26/27, 1942

 

Another Wing Parade on the 28th and this time it was our turn to be inspected.  The CO was so busy pulling the front row to pieces that he didn’t have time to get to us.  Same old lectures. navigation, gunnery, engines, airframes, aircraft recognition.

 

September 28/October 8, 1942

 

Lectures, PT, parades, route marches, day after day with spells when I went to visit the Summervilles at their home.

 

October 9/10, 1942

 

Exams all day for two days. 

 

October 14/15, 1942

 

Packed up all my gear, said my good byes to everyone and left by train for Wellington.  50 members of our original course were removed, for various reasons, failed exams, eyesight, health, etc.  I was one of those picked to go on to Harewood in the South Island for further training on Tiger Moths.  We left Wellington on the “Rangatira” on October 15, 1942 and arrived in Christchurch on the same day and were transported out to our new billets at Harewood.