NZ402844 Flight Sergeant Stuart Corliss Black, 14/12/1914-12/12/1941.

BLACK — Sergeant: Pilot Stuart Corliss, NZ402844, killed in action December 12, 1941, dearly beloved husband of Dorothy Black, Wellington, and elder son of Mr and Mrs, T. M. Black, 33 Meadow street, Mornington, Dunedin: aged 27 years. "He died that we might live.” -Otago Daily Times, 22/12/1941.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin

I am always made a little sad to read an epitaph like "He died that we might live."  Stuart Black's death did not win the Second World War.  His was merely one of the millions which occurred during the conflict.

The NZ Wargraves Project describes his early life:

"STUART CORLISS BLACK born on 14 November 1914 at 115 Stafford St, Dunedin. A clerk, he lived at his parent's residence in Dunedin in 1938. In 1940 Stuart married DOROTHY WYON COLLINS, and joined the State Fire Office in Wellington. They lived in Seatoun. When war broke out, after aircrew training, he joined No. 49 Squadron of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command. (No 49 Squadron, although a line RAF unit, was also described in official records as No 49 (R.A.F.) Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.)"

There seems to be a slight discrepancy in the NZWP details - Stuart and Dorothy were engaged in March 1940 and  were married in 1941.  For what it's worth, Stuart is mentioned as being in the RNZAF at the time of his wedding but not at the time of his engagement.

WEDDING

BLACK — COLLINS.

A wedding of local interest took place at St. George's Church, Seatoun, recently, when Dorothy Wyon, second daughter of Captain and Mrs. F. W. Collins, was married to Sergeant Pilot Stuart Corliss Black, R.N.Z.A.F., elder son of Mr. and Mrs. T. .M. Black, Dunedin. Archdeacon Jermyn officiated. The bride, who was escorted by her father, wore a slim fitting gown of white satin, soft tulle forming a long train. Her beautiful veil of Brussels lace, which had been worn by her maternal grandmother at her own wedding, was held by tiger lilies, which also formed the bridal bouquet. Miss Cicely Collins attended her sister. Her frock was of powder blue taffeta and she carried a posy of flowers in soft pastel shades. Second-Lieutenant Leonard Sharpe, of Dunedin, was best man. A reception was held at the Empire Hotel, the guests being received by Captain and Mrs. Collins, assisted by Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Black, of Christchurch (uncle and aunt of the bridegroom) in the unavoidable absence of his parents. The beautiful floral decorations were carried out by Miss Black, the bridegroom's aunt, and a special feature was the blue bird of happiness formed from hydrangea petals. .Mrs. A. Thomas sang at the church and reception. The bride left for her honeymoon in a smart petrel blue ensemble worn with a brown hat, fox fur, and accessories to tone.  -Evening Post, 8/3/1941.

The Squadron History of No.49  describes Stuart's last flight:

"12 December, 1941; BREMERHAVEN/CUXHAVEN (DAYLIGHT):

Shortly after 10.00hrs, the unit dispatched 2 aircraft for daylight sorties against targets in Germany. The Robinson crew (AD979) of Black, Price and Mossop were detailed to bomb the barracks at Cuxhaven. These could not be located, so the crew then went on to bomb and strafe the local aerodrome.

Facing intense ground fire Sgt Pilot Robinson took his aircraft down to 100ft to carry out the attack. During the assault, one hangar was seen to blow up and 2 aircraft were set on fire on the ground; the town was also machine gunned. Inevitably the Hampden sustained numerous flak hits and was severely shot up. Sadly, F/Sgt Stuart Black RNZAF, was struck by fragments from a cannon shell and killed. The pilot now had to get the battered aircraft back to England. Making landfall over the Norfolk coast, the aircraft made for Bircham Newton, where without the use of hydraulics (rendered useless by cannon shells), he managed a successful crash-landing; timed at 16.35hrs.

F/Sgt Black is buried in Great Bircham Churchyard in Norfolk."

Handley Page Hampden.  A pre-war design lauded by the government as a "fighting bomber" due to its manoeuvrability and a single forward-firing machine gun.  49 Squadron replaced them with the Avro Manchester in 1942.

An interesting detail above is that Stuart, although a pilot, was not piloting the Hampden and was flying as an air gunner.