FO Ian Hutcheson, New Zealand

Sorry to be off-topic, but Errol, do you know if it’s true that NZ miliatary service records from between the world wars were destroyed due to lack of space? My grandfather served in the Waikato Mounted Rifles in 1932-33, but I was told once his records would no longer exist. The lady who told me that said she worked in the service records office in Wellington so must have known her stuff. But I just wondered if they might have been microfiched or microfilmed or something first? Any ideas?

Dave, my Uncle’s file (then located in Wellington as I note above) had been “purged” [a military term? 😎 ] at some stage. I discovered I wasn’t finding things I thought I would find and on asking if there was another file was offered the explanation that because of lack of room all, or anyway many, files had been gone through and thinned out. Quite what the criteria for this had been I do not know. Nor when it happened – but it was said to have been years ago; I have this idea it was in the 70’s or similar but don’t bank on that assertion.

Many thanks for all your replies and thanks to Key for providing this excellent forum. I was contacted by someone from L’Association pour le Souvenir des Ailes de la Victoire de Normandie because of my interest in 137 sqn. They maintain the Typhoon Memorial and on June 10 they are holding a commemoration at the graveside of FO Hutcheson. I can’t make it but if anyone is interested in going, you might want to contact ASAVN through their website: www.asavn.net. They are particularly keen to find relatives or friends of FO Hutcheson.

Thanks Errol. I think the Waikato Mounted Rifles were indeed Territorials in thsoe days. I will have to send off a request and find out if his records did survive or not. We have neevr bothered after hearing what that lady said, but I guess there’s no harm in asking.

Cheers
Dave

Dave,

I can’t give you an absolute answer in respect of your grandfather’s records. It looks to me that his 1932-33 service was as part of the Territorial Force, in which case such records may well not have been retained or even been microfilmed before destruction. If he had been a member of the regular force I would rather expect the record to still survive, though quite probably in a ‘weeded’ form.

The best method of establishing if anything survives would be to simply to fill out a request form for a photocopy of the service record and send it off to NZ Defence Force and see what transpires. A single request per year is free.

Errol

Sorry to be off-topic, but Errol, do you know if it’s true that NZ miliatary service records from between the world wars were destroyed due to lack of space? My grandfather served in the Waikato Mounted Rifles in 1932-33, but I was told once his records would no longer exist. The lady who told me that said she worked in the service records office in Wellington so must have known her stuff. But I just wondered if they might have been microfiched or microfilmed or something first? Any ideas?

Thanks for clarifying that Errol.

RNZAF service records were held in Wellington city until the mid-1990s, when they were moved out to Trentham. Boer War service records were in the last year or two transferred from Trentham to Archives New Zealand in Wellington city, while those for WWI are in the process of also being so transferred. Visit the NZ Defence Force and New Zealand Archives websites for further details if required.

Errol Martyn

All this pre and post 1920 stuff and reference to Trentham puzzles me. I secured information (service record etc.) about my Uncle (RNZAF serving with RAF Bomber Command in WWII) at a defence establishment in Molesworth Street Wellington ~ absolutely not at Trentham. I did this in the early to mid 90’s. DaveM2 – have these records been moved in about the last decade? Charley, I’ll look in my files and if I can figure out where I went – it might be I could do the same for you. cheers Don

Hutcheson was born at Wellington on 4 Aug 16. The family later moved north and he attended Hastings High School. At the time of entering camp at RNZAF Levin on 3 May 41 he was head shepherd on ‘Pourerere’ Station at Waipawa (some 30 miles from Hastings). His parents were Hugh Wilson Hutcheson & Mary Jane Cameron Hutcheson (nee Robertson), Hastings. An appeal through Hastings media (following a google search for newspaper and radio) might bring forth next of kin?

Errol Martyn

The following information comes from an excellent publication by Errol W Martyn called “For Your Tomorrow” Vol 2 – A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915.

Attack on shipping on River Seine between Le Havre and Rouen, France.
Typhoon IB MN803/V took off 1215 and during an attack near Caudebec-en-Caux was hit by flak. The pilot radioed that he was about to bale out but no parachute was seen. It was later learned that his a/c had crashed at Auzebosc. Hutcheson was lost on his 20th op and had previously completed a tour with 3 Sqdn.

HTH.

NiallC , you are correct about the pre 1920 at the NZ Archives, so that can be disregarded.

HUTCHESON, Fg Off Ian Cameron, NZ412694, RNZAF – Typhoon Pilot 137 Sqn, RAF – 27 Aug 1944 (Age 28); France.

I meant to write KIA in 1944 (during the Normandy breakout). Please accept my apologies.

I believe Archives NZ only holds personnel records pre 1920. Records after that date are still held by NZDF at Trentham. In the case of a deceased airman you can apply for a copy of his service record (i.e. you do not have to be next of kin etc as you do in the UK). For one-off requests the service is free.

The form you need is here:

http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/archive-enquiries.htm

In addition to name and rank you will need correct date of death and service number, in this case: 27 Aug 1944 and 412694 respectively.

Good luck

NiallC

I assume you mean 1945? You can try here:

For official files relating to the RNZAF:
Archives New Zealand
PO Box 12050
WELLINGTON
Fax 04 4956210
E-mail: [email]enquiries@archives.govt.nz[/email]

Dave