Information about Geoffrey Densem's service and death were difficult to discover as my usual "go to" resource, the "Online Cenotaph," had the wrong service number. Not a problem - Air Force details are well served by an number of useful forums. In one, I found an entry by Errol W Martin, author of "For Your Tomorrow - a Record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915." His post reads as follows: Whitley V Z6733/N - took off at 2112 captained by Plt Off J G Brown, RAF, to search for the Squadron’s Whitley V, Z6552/Z, which had suffered an engine failure on patrol earlier in the day and had ditched at 4900N:0650W, south of Land’s End. At 0505 a signal was received that the searching aircraft also was experiencing engine trouble and heading back to base. Last plotted on approach towards Land’s End at 0519, for a time Z6733 appeared to remain stationary at position 4948N:0540W, but nothing further was seen or heard of it. Three bodies were later recovered but the other three, including the 2nd pilot, were lost without trace and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. It was thought the engine problems were probably caused by wood chippings from the camouflaged runways entering the oil cooler and caused overheating. Further post-accident comment suggested that provision of fully feathering propellers and a fuel jettison system might have prevented the losses.
2nd Pilot: NZ41473 Plt Off Geoffrey MacLennan DENSEM, RNZAF - Age 28. 235hrs (150 solo - 99 on Whitley) 1st op(?)
Mr and Mrs R. F. Densem, of Deborah Bay, have received advice by cablegram that their son, Pilot Officer Geoffery MacLennan Densem, has been reported missing as the result of air operations on April 25. Pilot Officer Densem was married in London on April 16, 1942. -Otago Daily Times, 2/5/1942.
PILOT OFFICER AND MRS G. DENSEM.
Officer Densem is the second son of Mr and Mrs Roderick Densem, of Port Chalmers, and has been missing on air operations since April 25, 1942. The best man was Flight Lieutenant Ralph Finch, son of the Rev. Howard Finch, of Levin, and late of Port Chalmers. -Otago Daily Times, 25/7/1942.
Pilot Officer Geoffrey Densem's "missing" status was revised to "officially presumed dead" in January, 1943.
Port Chalmers Cemetery.
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