William Vernon Crawford Compton - the early years

[keith A]

I confess that finding that this pilots grandfather was from my home town of Edinburgh has awakened an interest in him. So I am posting a hopeful mail to our antipodean members. I have found that he left New Plymouth Boys High School in 1930 after just eighteen months, and went to work. In 1938 he left New Zealand with some friends to sail to the UK.

My questions are, what did he do from 1930-38 (I assume he was a joiner/carpenter but most sources give "working in a local store"). My assumptions are based on the evidence that he signed aboard a tramp steamer as a carpenter to come to the UK in 1939.

Also. Why did he decide to go to the UK in 1938? Was it to pursue a military career, again I have seen sources that indicate he was assuming he'd be an Aircraftsman rather than a pilot.

regards

Keith