417113 WO1 George Roney, (1/1/1922-6/10/1944). "saw France liberated"

FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE 

In Memoriam

RONEY. — No. 417113 Warrant Officer George James Roney, of Oamaru, a Spitfire pilot, who went missing on October 6. 1944, over Holland; aged 22 years. 

Sadly missed. 

— Inserted by his father, sister, and brothers.  -Otago Daily Times, 7/10/1946.

OAMARU AIRMAN

CIRCUMSTANCES POINT TO POSSIBILITY 

Special to the Daily Times OAMARU, June 16. 

It is thought by relatives that the cable message from The Hague regarding the finding of a pilot’s body could possibly refer to George James Roney, youngest son of Mr George Roney, Reed street, Oamaru. All other particulars fit in with the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Roney, who was reported missing in October, 1944. It was thought at the time that his Spitfire fell into the sea, but no light could be thrown on the circumstances of his disappearance. He was an ex-pupil of the Waitaki Boys’ High School.  -Otago Daily Times, 17/6/1948.

IDENTITY CONFIRMED

SPITFIRE PILOT'S DEATH

MEMBER OF OAMARU FAMILY 

After a lapse of some months, the identity of the Spitfire pilot whose machine crashed at Schoondijke, Zeeland, Holland, on October 6, 1944, and whose remains were exhumed on June 9, 1948, has been established as that of Warrant Officer George James Roney, Royal New Zealand Air Force, youngest son of Mr G. C. Roney, Reed street, Oamaru. In June, the name was cabled from London as Rodney, but at the time the relatives in Oamaru thought it should have been Roney, as the circumstances fitted in with his being reported missing four years ago.

In a letter to Mr Roney, under date September 10, 1948, the Burgomaster of Schoondijke, Mr F. A. van Rosevelt, reports that the body of his son, killed in action on October 6, 1944, was found on June 9 and was buried on June 12 in the village cemetery. A clergyman, Mr M. W. J. Schopenhouer, conducted the service at the graveside, he states, and the grave was kept by the village of Schoondijke, and would always be in perfect condition. The burgomaster laid flowers on the grave, and the personal effects of the pilot — a pay book, some money and a flute — would be sent to Mr Roney as soon as possible. Photographs of the burial service accompanied the letter.

Mr Rosevelt also informed Mr Roney that on September 9 an officer from the Royal Air Force visited the grave and told him a cross would be placed on it with the inscription: Spitfire IXP.V., 160, 33 Squadron, N.Z., 417113 W./O. G. J. Roney (R.N.Z.A.F.), killed in action, 6/10/44.

Confirmation of the identity of the pilot and of the exhumation and burial is contained in letters from Lieutenant Clem van Delan, commander of a division of Civil Defence of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Holland, who reports that he and his men have adopted the grave, and from Mr Frans Picavet, of the Dutch police force, who undertook the work of exhumation and found the pay book, which gave Warrant Officer Roney’s name, date of birth and occupation. 

Warrant Officer G. J. Roney was born in Oamaru on January 1, 1922, and received his education at the Oamaru North and Waitaki Boys’ High Schools. He was a member of the Methodist Church. On leaving Waitaki he was apprenticed as a motor mechanic to Maude’s Garage, Severn street, Oamaru, and he became a junior and then a senior member of the Druids’ Lodge. He was a member of the Athletic Football Club and of the Oamaru Miniature Rifle Club. As a member of the North Otago Amateur Athletic Association he won the Junior Otago High Jump Championship and tied equal for the North Otago Championship. On joining the territorial cadets, he linked up with the miniature rifle club, and went with the territorials to Harewood, where he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He left New Zealand in January, 1943, went to New York, and on to England, where he was trained as a Spitfire fighter pilot. He was stationed in France and came under the British Army of Liberation, and was engaged in divebombing and straffing enemy positions. He saw France liberated, and was engaged in operations over Holland when he was reported missing, on October 6, 1944.  -Otago Daily Times, 28/9/1948.

The facebook page of the 33 Squadron Association reports that George Roney was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire while conducting an armed reconnaissance of the "Breskens Pocket," a small area of German occupied territory lying on the sea route to the port of Antwerp.  

The port was essential for landing cargo for the continuing Allied advance into Europe and so German forces were ordered to hold out against their enemies at all cost to delay its liberation.

Oamaru Cemetery.