Some letters from Ted sent to his parents give a real insight into his life then and help show the lack of appreciation for the real danger they were in. (Some of the comments are tongue in cheek and it seems there was a rivalry between NZ & Australia even back then.)

C/- Air Force House

Sydney

Monday 14^th July 1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

     We were told in Wellington that our boat journey was going to be a long and slow one.  They were correct. As you can see from the above we are still in the little village of Sydney.

     Last Sunday night a week ago we entered the harbour but anchored in the stream, berthing the following morning.

     You people in New Zealand do not appreciate the beauty of the Sydney Bridge.  It’s nothing short of marvellous. I can’t describe it, as it has to be seen to even appreciate it.

     We finally pulled out of Wellington on the Wednesday at 12.30 midday and after what seemed weeks we eventually saw the lights of Sydney about 6.00pm on the Sunday night. I was quite seasick on the way over but soon got used to it.

     Since our arrival here there have been many efforts to entertain us, the most successful being by those of the N.Z. Auxiliary War Unit.  One opinion I have gained is that the Aussies do not want to see us so mutually we do not wish to see them. 

     The RAAF to me appears to be a bit of a mess-up in common with their army. Apparently their army made a bit of a name for themselves in the last war and since then they are still feasting on the fact. As you know there is no conscription over here and so the army is very much spoon-fed.

     We used to think the Aussies were foolhardy and tough; they may have been once but I have my doubts about now.

     We have seen quite a few of their local aerodromes, which make me feel quite proud that I am a New Zealander.  There is a sad lacking of general efficiency here.  The RAAF is an independent organisation of Australia whereas in New Zealand the Air Force is run largely by the RAF at home.  Their training schools are like aero clubs with a few more people hanging around. 

     However, perhaps I am prejudiced but we all have the same opinion here.

     The population of Sydney alone exceeds that of the whole of N.Z. and things in general are much cheaper.

     One good thing I will say about here is that the Wharfies do hop onto the job better than in NZ. Apparently the companies have their own men working the cranes etc.

     Well Mum & Dad I am more or less writing this against time and I think I will have another crack at writing tomorrow so Cheerio.

                                                                        With love from         Ted

...................................................

NZ405269 Sgt Pilot Hewitt EB

Kallang

R.A.F. Far East Command

Singapore.

September 18^th 1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

     Well by gee it certainly is a long time since I last wrote to you.  I don’t exactly know why I have not written more often but you know the old story of letting things slip day after day.

     Since last writing, about 3 or 4 weeks ago, I have moved quarters a bit so that I am now at the address shown above and have been here about 3 weeks, this being the unit to which I will be permanently attached and I might say, a crack fighter squadron outfit; the best in this part of the world.

     We were at an Australian unit previous to that undergoing a conversion course, which only lasted about 6 to 8 hours each.  We do a fair bit of flying and of course enjoy every minute of it. Our planes are very much faster than we had ever previously flown and it was a great thrill taking her off for the first time.  No dual on her first as these planes are single seaters, we were very proud pulling off the first circuit and bump. Since then life has been worth living. About a week ago I had my first dogfight with our flight-commander. I don’t think it is necessary to describe to you the fun we have and how much we enjoy it.

     If I have time after this I’ll write to Alf Boynton and tell him what I can about over here, which won’t be much as one has to remember that there is such a thing as censorship restrictions.

     We start work about 7.30am and finish at 4.30pm which is still a long day due to the heat. Wednesday and Saturday are both half days here and Sunday of course is a full day off.

     I don’t know what happens to all the money that is collected for patriotic purposes back home as there is very little seen for it in N.Z. and nothing here.  There is no such thing as Y.M.C.A. amongst the troops here, in fact there is not the slightest bit of any of that here and if it’s numbers that count well there are stacks of troops here. To me that seems strange; of all the hundreds of thousands of pounds collected back home and yet not a penny of it shown around here. But then perhaps we are the poor forgotten troops in the East.  It is not so bad for us as we can afford to go to town and pay for things, but some of the ground staff get very low wages due to very high allotments and deferred pay in England.  Again if it’s numbers that are necessary where else would you find a greater permanent concentration of troops than here.  You know what I think? I think that those patriotic societies collecting back home are either working some quick ones or shall I say having some quick ones put across them.  I hope you don’t give anything.

     Remember me telling you about all the troubles and diseases over here, well I am now recovering from what most seem to contract here – ringworm.  I really should be very grateful that that is all I have after looking about and seeing what other chaps have.  No wonder they desire the fittest as the unfit wastage would be, or is tremendously high in comparison. You see 3 or 4 pilots with Singapore ear half a dozen or so with other troubles like eye, throat or nose trouble etc. etc. means a serious wastage in a way.

     Out of 12 pilots who came over together, 4 of whom were strangers to us, there are only 4 of us here on fighters the others being on other types of planes at other stations.

     You probably remember me talking of Williams, well he became a father of a baby girl a while ago much to the amusement of us all.

     If there is anything in the line of shopping you want just let me know.  Most things are fairly cheap here compared with back home, especially in the line of clothes etc.

     At present there is a rumour going around that pilots after being here 12 months are sent back home for a spell.  We sure hope this is true and will soon see as some here now have been just about a year.

     Over at the mess I am rooming with a motor-transport Sergeant from England who has been here only 3 months and has seen all the air raids etc. in England or Blighty as they call it.

     Some of the pilots here have been in action with quite a few planes to their credit.  This makes us take a bit more notice of them and think twice about what they say.

     Well I think I shall close now so until next time I write I’ll say cheerio.

                                                                                                                                    Ted

P.S. One of the 10cent notes used everywhere here, value – 3d.

.....................................................

R.A.F. Mingaladon

Via Rangoon

Burma

19^th Nov 1941

Dear Mum & Dad,

     The weeks are slipping by and here I am again sitting in the flight office and writing this letter.

     On Sunday Williams and I again went to the Kokine Lakes, hired a yacht for the afternoon and had a good time for our money.  You’ve no doubt heard of the Seaman’s Mission well they are from whom we hire the boats.

     We hardly ever go to Rangoon now as there is nothing of interest to us and things that are, like pictures or ice creams are extremely dear and even then are no good.  If and when we do go in we have to stay for dinner, which will cost between three and four Rupees and a rupee is two shillings here.

     Well I wrote the above yesterday morning and since then a fair bit has happened.  We were sent up to do attacks and I had to make a precautionary landing on the drome from 40 miles away, due to an oil-leak in the airscrew hub and all my engine oil was running out.  Luckily I just made the drome.  After that 5 of us had to go on a long cross-country to a station where there are two American fighter squadrons waiting to go to China.

     I have never seen such a shambles before.  All along both sides of the runway are crashed Tomahawks, some have had parts taken off, others with their props all busted up and out of the 80 Tomahawks only about 6 are in the hangar.

     By gee some of the country is wild and mountainous with very thick jungle. One drome I am going soon for a trip is only a half hours flying from the Yangtze Kiang River which starts away back in the Himalayas.

     Then all our aircraft were picketed out last night at dispersal points and all day long the planes are at readiness with full war loads on.  We have to stay in the dispersal tents from where I am now writing this letter.  Our ground crews are ready by the planes which are warmed up every 15 minutes as we stand by here we are in constant communication with the operations room by radio telephony.  Sometimes a practice Blenheim comes in to bomb the aerodrome.  Word comes from the spotters to the operations room and from there we get our instructions.  In less than a minute we are in the air.  Our parachutes we leave on the tail-plane and as we run we grab these, clip it on, by which time our engines are running and we move down the strip.  As we get airborne we do up our straps and put on our helmets.  Then we have the time of our lives.  No rules or regulations when we catch him, the enemy.  Just hell for leather.

     Well this letter is certainly in bits and pieces.  This is now the following day – midday Wednesday and this afternoon is our day for letter posting so I’ll have to have this finished soon to catch the chaps going to Rangoon.

     Yesterday there arrived a big swag of mail.  I received your letter and two parcels so thank you very much indeed.  That coffee and milk is a jolly fine present, most of the chaps get their friends to send them a tin of that every so often. Apart from it being as good coffee as I have tasted it is the easiest to prepare here.  The cake I am keeping for a few days till the other chaps are all eaten.  We have been having a cake a day lately in the pilots room but I doubt whether it can keep up much longer.

     There is a N.Z. lady here from Otago and Nelson married to an English doctor, a major in the army.  Mrs. Russell is her name and she is a jolly good sort and a fine cook.  She sends down cakes regularly for us to eat which is very good of her.  I went with a party of chaps to her place not long ago and we are going again tonight.  Last time we were there she was supposed to be drinking lemonade and lime juice but the chap next to her got the glasses mixed later and took a swig of what he thought to be a shandy but turned out to be whisky straight.  The joke was on her alright.

     Lately I have been really beginning to enjoy life.  On Sundays we go to the lake and also Saturday and Wednesday afternoons.  What with the swimming I am probably as fit now as I have ever been in my life and there is this dispersals business still on.  It’s the best fun I have ever had in my life.  The invading Blenheims got through us this morning as our section had received incorrect information as to it’s whereabouts; but Red section sure got him.  Although live rounds are not fired the Blenheims are prevented from getting to our drome by sheer head-on attacks.  The Blenheim crews are all English personnel and reckon we don’t play fair but being fighters we use every trick we can think of.

     When I go into Rangoon next I’ll see if I can get some stockings for Naida and Joy so you can tell them to expect some soon.

     I know I should send Henry & Vida something as they gave me £5 when on final leave but as yet I have found nothing suitable but I will send something even though it will be well after Christmas when they get it.

     Well I’ll close now and thanks very much for the parcels; you know I appreciate them.

                                                                                    Cheerio       Ted

P.S. Am very sorry to hear of Dad’s sore finger and hope it gets better as when the N.Z. farmer stops working his utmost the war will peter out.

     By the way, ask him if there is or is not going to be a damned war over here.  One day the paper says there definitely is and the next day it says it’s all off.  We have had Jap planes over doing a spot of photography but I suppose we can’t squeal when we stop to think that we do the same to them.

................................................

This last paragraph is especially poignant.  On Xmas Day, 25^th December 1941 Ted was shot down and killed by a Japanese Fighter plane.

From the book, "For our Tomorrow" Volume I, page 164:

"Thu, Christmas Day 1941           FAR EAST          Interception

67 Squadron, RAF (Mingaladon, Burma - 221 Group)

Buffalo I W8248 of "B" Flight - took off in the late afternoon as one

of  three in "Green" Section to intercept two incoming raids of about 60

aircraft each headed for the airfield and the nearby city of Rangoon.

During the ensuring (sic) combats all three Green Section pilots were

shot down and killed.  The body of the pilot of W8248 was recovered and

buried in the Mingaladon Cantonment Cemetery.  However, as it was not

possible for the authorities to move or maintain the grave post-war he

is also commemorated on a memorial in the Taukkyan War Cemetery,

 21 miles north of Rangoon.

Pilot: NZ405269 Sgt Edward Bertram HEWITT, RNZAF- age 19."

Chas Nielsen relates that on the day, Gordon Hewitt was up the back of the farm and experienced a sharp pain, which he related as being to do with Ted. Abba woke up on Xmas morning, having had a dream in which she saw Ted falling.  A Christmas greetings telegram received later that day, which Ted had sent before going on the mission, brought hope, which was shattered the next day by the notification that he was missing.

Copies of official letters contained within the war records state:

From: O.C. “A” Flight, 67 Squadron.

To:     O.C. No. 67 Squadron

Date: 26^th December 1941

ACTION RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF SGT. MACPHERSON

          At approximately 11.30 hours on 25/12/41, I was patrolling at 1700 feet ten miles east of Rangoon with six aircraft in pairs line abreast and two aircraft weaving 2000 feet above.

          The flight passed under a formation of bombers 2000 feet above that had bombed Rangoon.  I saw two weaving aircraft attack these bombers and several Japanese fighters were flying behind them. I turned to pursue the bombers but then saw a larger force over Mingaladon and started climbing to a position on the sunward side of them.  As we climbed I was told on the R.T. by Red 4 that there was a fighter on my tail.  I turned sharply to port over Red 2 who was Sgt. Macpherson. Red 3 – P/O Sharp – reports that he next saw Red 2 being attacked by a fighter and as I was taking evasive action I saw a Japanese fighter firing at a Buffalo, almost certainly Red 2, away on the starboard.  I fired a short burst at it and it disappeared under my wing.  I was attacked again and after turning a complete aileron turn I saw a Buffalo gliding away to the north with white smoke from its engine. I imagined that the pilot would make a normal forced landing.  I was then attacked again by two fighters and when next I had an opportunity to look I saw an aircraft burning on the paddy fields.

About five minutes later, after getting rid of the two fighters I flew low over the aircraft and saw that it had burned out and there was scant chance of anybody inside being alive.  There was no one nearby.

                                                                        (Signed) D.J.C. Pinckney   F/Lt.

....................................................

                                                                                                            R.A.F. Station

                                                                                                              MINGALADON

                                                                                                                   BURMA

                                                                                                       31^st December 1941

CIRCUMSTANTIAL REPORT

Sir,

     I have the honour to report that at 11.30 hours on December 25^th 1941 I was orbiting base at 12,000 feet, leading Blue Section with F/O Lambert leading Green Section viz. Sgts. Hewitt & McNab immediately astern of me.

     On sighting the enemy formation approaching from the North-East I positioned them over the R/T for the both section.  I put my Nos. 2 & 3 into line astern and was about to order Green Section to carry out converging attacks on the bombers, when the enemy fighters escorting the bombers dived on us from a height of about 21,000 feet.  I turned towards them and fired a burst hitting No. 2 of the enemy fighters.  I fired from maximum range.  I was tending to spin so I broke away and started climbing again.  I then saw no other aircraft except the enemy bombers making towards Mingaladon a good 6,000 feet above me.

     No. 3 of Blue Section states that when we turned towards the fighters he looked back and saw several fighters diving astern of him about 200 feet above him obviously firing at aircraft astern of him. 

                                                                                    I have the honour to be,

                                                                                                Sir,

                                                                                    Your obedient Servant,

(Signed:  J. BRANDT.  F/Lt)

.........................................................

After the war, a fellow Airman, who said that he had seen the confrontation, visited Abba and Gordon and told them he had observed Ted bail out of the plane, only to be strafed on the way down by the Japanese plane (not a Zero at that time, but one that looked similar.) "Although in the early part of the war most Japanese fighters were called Zeroes (Mitsubishi A6M), in fact the enemy fighters in Burma were all Japanese Army machines, the Ki27 and the Ki43. The Ki43 looked quite like a Zero." (Neil Frances)  The Brewster Buffalo was an outdated aircraft, quite unsuited to conflict with the faster Japanese planes.  Gordon must have written to the R.N.Z.A.F. at some stage, requesting information regarding Ted’s death, as a letter from the Air Ministry was sent to him as follows:

21^st April, 1950

Mr. G. Hewitt,

Waimana,

BAY OF PLENTY

Dear Mr. Hewitt,

     Further to my previous correspondence concerning your son Sergeant Edward Bertram Hewitt, Air Ministry now advise that in spite of extensive searches in the area in which your son’s aircraft was reported missing, no trace whatsoever can be found of the aircraft, or of your son’s burial place.

     The only known details are that your son’s aircraft was one of a formation of Buffalo’s which was detailed to attack a group of enemy bombers over Mingaladon, Burma, at 11.30am on the 25^th December, 1941.  Your son’s aircraft was not seen again after the ensuing combat, and on account of enemy activity further searches were impossible at the time.

     Under the circumstances Air Ministry are compelled to close this case, and to record your son as having ‘no known grave’.  Arrangements are being made to commemorate your son’s name on a memorial to be erected to those of our airmen who have ‘no known grave’, and when the nature and location of this memorial has been decided by Air Ministry, you will be further advised.

     I am fully aware of the distressing nature of these details Mr. Hewitt, at the same time I am sure you would prefer to be given all the information received by this Department.  Once again on behalf of the Air Board, I desire to express my deepest sympathy in your great loss.

                                                                                                Yours faithfully, 

                                                                                                (Signed)  T. Burrow - Air Secretary

Across this is handwritten “CASE CLOSED”   File 21/4/1950

..........................................................

However, for Ted’s father and mother the “case” was never closed!!!  Gordon took to his bed for three days after Ted’s death, deeply depressed. Abba carried on as best she could, with family staying in the house for the Xmas holidays and farm chores to attend to.  I was told that it was only due to the fact that Kay (my sister, then aged 2 years) and I (4 years) were staying at that time, that Gordon rallied and got out of bed to continue living.  Up until that time he had been a vigorous, active farmer, involving himself in community affairs in the district and from the time of Ted’s death he dropped all his outside community activities and although he worked tirelessly around the farm and helping neighbours, the stuffing had been knocked out of him.

Abba received a War Pension allotment, approved by the Accounts Branch of the Air Department on 11 February, 1942.  Ted’s rate of pay overseas had been thirteen shillings per day, Sterling.  The allotment payable to his mother was five shillings per day Sterling from 25/12/41 to 31/3/42. My calculations make this to be about Twenty-Four Pounds five shillings. Not a lot of comfort I would think to a mother on the loss of her son.

Even now Ted is remembered with affection by all who knew him.  His cousin, Allen Bell, arranged a reunion of some surviving members of 67 Squadron on 6 – 8^th December 1991 at Whakatane and seven attended; Vic Bargh, Featherston; Peter Hanan, Morrinsville; Ken Rutherford, Kaiapoi; Geoff Sharp, Gisborne; Clyde Simpson, Whenuapai; Gordon Williams, Taupo and Al Corston from Ontario, Canada.  Lyall and Ramon Bell (cousins) still treasure memorabilia relating to Ted.  His sister Naida still mourns and finds Xmas Day difficult to celebrate and her family has lived with her sorrow.  Nephew Michael Bates, Naida’s son, bears a strong family resemblance to Ted, so much so that when he called on Abba (his grandmother) unexpectedly, after an absence of some years, she nearly fainted on the spot, as I can bear witness, having walked up to the house with her after feeding the chooks to find 19 year old Michael standing outside the house. Although Michael never knew the history of Ted until recent years when I shared my knowledge with him, he has had a history of depression on Christmas Day for many years, which he finds very disturbing.  Lyall Bell on visiting Michael in Sydney was also shaken by the resemblance.

Although I was very close to Abba and shared many of her confidences, I was never told that they knew where Ted was buried but Chas Nielson said that they did know about the recovery of Ted's body and burial in Mingaladon. It is certainly not contained in the official War records.

Ted’s death is commemorated at the Taukkyan Memorial, Myanmar, which is situated within the Taukkyan War Cemetery, outside of Yangon (formerly Rangoon). This memorial commemorates 44 servicemen of both wars who fell in Burma and whose graves could not be maintained. 26 of these men died in 1939-1945 war.

In loving memory of

Edward Bertram Hewitt

Sergeant

405269

67 (R.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal New Zealand Air Force

who died on

Thursday, 25^th December 1941. Age 19.

__________________________________________________________________