February - March 2022 Newsletter

THE BREVET CLUB (CANTERBURY) Inc
CANTERBURY’S CLUB FOR AIRCREW

C/- AIRFORCE MUSEUM OF NEW ZEALAND, PRIVATE BAG 4739, CHRISTCHURCH 8042
February – March 2022 NEWSLETTER
COMMITTEE
President: Kevin Jones (03) 312 6276
Vice President: Graeme Thomson 021 633 181
Secretary: Graeme Thomson 021 633 181
Treasurer: Peter Foster 384 3744

Graham Bethell (03) 318 1929 Dave Soper 325 7772
Murray Rutherfurd (03) 3139481 John Lay 3410418
Keith Jolly 351 3399
Honorary Padre: The Very Reverend Michael H Brown 377 7275
CLUB PROGRAMME to May 2022
NB: Subject to Covid Lockdown Restrictions
Tuesday 15 February Club Luncheon Club Lounge 1230
Tuesday 1 March Club Social Afternoon Cancelled
Tuesday 15 March Committee Meeting 1230
Tuesday 15 March Club Social Afternoon Club Lounge 1330
Tuesday 29 March Club Social Afternoon Cancelled
Tuesday 12 April Club Luncheon Club Lounge 1230
Monday 25 April ANZAC DAY service and Club Social afternoon
Note: The social after the ANZAC service replaces the social originally set for 26th April
Tuesday 10 May Club Social Afternoon Club Lounge 1330
Tuesday 24 May Club Social Afternoon Club Lounge 1330

PRESIDENTS NOTE

Greetings from the Flight Deck

In my last message I spoke about how Covid19 during 2021 had impacted our social programme and expressed the hope that 2022 would see a return to normal. It was a futile hope. However, we continue to be influenced by the restrictions imposed by our Controller. My main concern is the uncertainty we face when planning our year.

Covid restrictions have also affected operations at the Air Force Museum. It is now a requirement for entry to be at least double vaccinated and have the vaccine passport. Because of isolation requirements in the event of a Covid outbreak, Museum staff have now been split into two groups and only one group will be on site while the other group will be working from home. Meantime, we press on maintaining our routine where possible, starting with a members’ lunch in the Brevet Lounge on 15 February.

At this early stage of 2022 I must remind all members that our Club will only be as successful as we individually make it. We do have an ongoing programme but for that to be successful it requires participation.

If any member has a suggestion how we can make things better, then please discuss your thoughts with me or a committee member. Meantime stay well and enjoy this newsletter.

Kevin J
President

P.S. There has been a clash of bookings at the Museum and we will be unable to hold our Tuesday social afternoons on 1 and 29 March.

SURPRISING VISIT TO WIGRAM IN JUNE 1943

I am curious that this visit to Wigram was not widely known. Few that I have spoken to knew anything about it at all. The purpose of the visit was to raise money for the war effort and the New Zealand target of 5,000,000 pounds was oversubscribed. Not a bad result from the dropping of thousands of leaflets encouraging participation. The Lancaster pretty well covered most of the country over a period of several days. Certainly the visit created a lot of interest, the boys of Auckland Grammar School Cadets were drilling on the top of Mount Eden and they were thrilled to observe the leaflet drop over their school, from above! When they landed at Wigram the number of spectators and the level of enthusiasm was likened to the turnout for Kingsford-Smith in 1928.

Queenie’s visit to New Zealand was a complicated exercise. She had come off the production line at A.V.Roe’s factory in Manchester, England as Lancaster Mk III UK number ED930/AustralianA66-1, one of a batch of 247 Lancasters built between March and June 1943. Brand new, she was flown to Prestwick in Scotland and from there her journey to the Antipodes began. Isaacson, his crew and Queenie then made seven giant hops across the world: On 22 May Prestwick to Montreal Canada, the longest leg of the trip taking 15 hours and 45 minutes; Montreal to Toronto, the shortest leg of the trip, taking 2 hours and 20 Minutes: Toronto to San Francisco USA; San Francisco to Honolulu; then to Canton Island; and on to Amberley near Brisbane; then to Sydney; finally to Ohakea on June 11 1943.

The only other Lancaster to call must be the one now at MOTAT when it was gifted from France.

Lancaster Q-Queenie IV
after landing at Wigram, Port Hills in the background

The crew of Q-Queenie VI, with pilot Flt Lt Peter S. Isaacson centre

THE JOYS OF AGING

Without coffee, I’m always walking into rooms and forgetting why I am there. With coffee, I still don’t remember, but at least I have something to sip while I try to figure it out.

So I was at the bar last night and the waitress screamed - “Anyone know CPR?”
I said “Hell, I know the entire alphabet”
Everyone laughed ….. Well everyone except one guy.

Laughing at your own mistakes lengthens your life.
Laughing at your wife’s mistakes shortens it.

Out of town members may be interested to note the following article which appeared in this week’s edition of the STAR:

Keith Jolly, Editor
The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance