NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1941, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

THREE AWARDED D.F.C.

RECORDS OF VALIANT SERVICE

THE OFFICIAL CITATIONS

,■ ■ By Tele-u'.-wii —Press Association—Copyright > 1 'Received This Dav. 10.35 a.mJ LONDON. February 5. i Throe New Zealander members of 1 the R.A.F. have been awarded the j D.F.C. They are:— i Acting Flight Lieutenant John James ; McKay. Nelson. Flying Officer Geordie Keith Larney, 1 Hamilton. I Flying Officer Kenneth William Tait. Wellington. The official citations say that Flight ‘ Lieutenant McKay has completed 37 I operational missions since the out- ! break of war. Those included I operations over Germany. Italy, France j Norway and tlte Low Countries. Ho i is exceptionally keen and his work as ; a heavy bomber pilot is in the highest i category. His courage and determina- . lion, in pressing home attacks, regard- ■ less of opposition, are outstanding. Flying-Officer Larney was continu- ! ally employed on active operations, at first as pilot and later as captain of an i aircraft. Since the beginning of 1940 I he has participated in 30 major bemb- • ings over enemy and enemy-occupied I territory, in addition to several other i operational missions. He has always i shown the greatest determination in ; locating targets and pressing home ati tacks. He has gained the complete I confidence of his crew, by his effi- ! ciency and devotion to duty. Flying-Officer Tait last August led i a section in an attack against a large i formation of enemy fighters and he succeeded in destroying two. lie has displayed exceptional courage and devotion to duty over a long period in operations both, in France and England. He has destroyed at least six enemy planes.

These awards bring the total of Distinguished Flying Crosses awarded to Now Zealanders to 55. including two with bar. and the total of all awards to 7! since the outbreak of war. Flight Lieutenant McKay was born in Nelson and is 24 years old. Ho was educated at Nelson College and was prominent in many branches of sport, particularly football and cricket. He was selected for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force in 1937. and left in the latter half of that year. He has served with the Royal Air Force since. .At the time of entering the Royal Air Force his next-of-kin was Major James George McKay (father).

Flying Officer Larney was born in Wellington and is 28 years old He was educated at Hamilton Technical High School. He was a flying member of the Wellington Aero Club. He was trained by the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the middle of 1939 was selected for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force. He has since then served with the Royal Air Force. His next-of-kin was Mr. C. B. Larney (father).

Flying Officer Tait was born in Wellington and is 22 years old. He was educated al Wellington College. In sport he was a member of the College first fifteen. He was selected for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force in 1937. and left New Zealand late in that vear, His next-of-kin was Mr W J. Tait 'father'.