RADICAL CHANGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1942, Page 4

RADICAL CHANGES

NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Recent developments and appointments in the Royal New Zealand Air Force were discussed in a statement, issued last evening by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. He said that following the substantial increase in the strength of the R.N.Z.A.F., not only in the South Pacific but also in overseas theatres, and in consequence also of radical changes and developments in the functions and organisation for air defence and operations, more particularly in New Zealand, a number of interesting changes had taken place in recent times in the higher appointments of R.N.Z.A.F. officers.

“In brief,” said Mr Jones, “the R. in New Zealand is now divided into three groups, Northern, Central, and Southern, which are related to the air defence of the whole territory of the Dominion and, in particular, to the principal ports and cities. Group headquarters have been established from which operational control is exercised in co-ordination with the respective military and naval commanders. The three groups are commanded by Group Captain M. W. Buckley, M.8.E., Group Captain J. L. Findlay. M.C., and Group Captain G. S. Hodson, C.8.E., A.F.C., who all hold the rank of acting air commodore. Another group, under the command of Group Captain G. N. Roberts, A.F.C., has for some considerable time been established in Fiji, the headquarters of which has responsibilities extending beyond that group of islands. “The developments have necessitated obtaining experienced senior officers and others to undertake duties which demanded modern experience of air operations,’’ said Mr Jones. “One of these officers is Air Commodore S. F. Vincent, D.F.C., A.F.C., who has a wide knowledge and experience of fighter operations in England, France and the Netherlands East Indies, and who, after completion of a period of special duties in Australia, has been loaned to the R.N.Z.A.F. for a limited period. Till recently he has, as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, been in charge of operational training and developments in New Zealand. That post has now been vacated on his relieving Air Commodore A. de T. Nevill, C.8.E., as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. - Air Commodore Nevill, who for the past five years has been a member of the Air Board, first as Air Member for Supply and latterly as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, is now on his way to London for special duties.”