NZ423456 Flying Officer Norman Kitchener Baird 1918-20/8/1944.

R.N.Z.A.F. PLANES

FOURTEEN ABOARD

ON FLIGHT FROM FIJI: (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, stated to-day that two Lockheed Hudson bomber reconnaissance aircraft, with fourteen members of the R.N.Z.A.F., are reported missing on a transit flight from Fiji to New Zealand. A wide search has been carried out by air in difficult weather conditions, but so far no trace of the missing flyers has been found. The men are:— 

Flight-Lieutenant Wilbur Lange — Mrs. T. Lange, Auckland (wife). 

Pilot-Officer Kenneth Alexander Ross — Mrs. L. Ross. Wellington (mother). 

Flying-Officer Sydney Philip Aldridge — Mrs. S. Aldridge. Auckland (wife).

Flying-Officer Jack Andrew Olsen — Mr. A. Olsen, Auckland (father). 

Pilot-Officer Kenneth Brian Marshall - Mr. W. G. Marshall, Hawera (father). 

Flying-Officer David Oliphant Stewart - Mr. H. H. Stewart, Auckland (father). 

Sergeant George Arthur Bryant — Mrs. M. E. Bryant, Auckland (mother). 

Flying-Officer Norman Kitchener Baird — Mrs. N. K. Baird, Invercargill (wife). 

Sergeant Robert Bruce Gillespie — Mr. R. Gillespie, Auckland (father). 

Warrant-Ofncer Arthur Francis Dunstan — Mrs. L. F. Dunstan, Auckland (wife). 

Sergeant Thomas Bryton Carey — Mr. J. F. Carey, Auckland (father). 

Pilot-Officer Ivan Russell Johnson - Mrs. O. B. Johnson, Auckland (mother). 

Flight-Sergeant Thomas Hartley Ward — Mesdames I. and E. Partridge, Auckland (friends). 

Flying-Officer John Thomson Waugh — Mrs. E. Waugh, Wellington (wife).

Thick Weather Encountered The two aircraft were part of a formation of seven Hudsons which left Nausori, Fiji, at approximately 6.10 a.m. on Sunday. They flew in formation for half the route, when they ran into very thick weather and, in accordance with standard procedure in such conditions, they broke formation and continued individually. Five of the aircraft arrived in New Zealand, landing between 1.30 and 1.52 p.m. 

As far as is known no distress signals were sent from the missing aircraft. They had the maximum fuel capacity, sufficient for flying until 4.30 on Sundav afternoon, and when they failed to arrive at that time arrangements were made for an extensive search. 

At the first light of Monday morning twelve long-range aircraft carried out parallel searches along the likely routes of the missing aircraft, fanning out in the area in which it was assumed the aircraft might have come down, but without success. The search is being continued to-day. In addition to the Hudson aircraft two R.N.Z.AF. Catalina flying boats flew from Fiji to New Zealand on Sunday.   -Auckland Star, 22/8/1944.

Invercargill Cemetery.