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  #1  
Old 29th May 2018, 13:38
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Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hello there Gentlemen,

in "Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth" by Andrew Thomas a guy named Donald Ayson is mentioned. He piloted a Lookheed Ventura whose crew was credited with 3 kills and 2 probables on 24Dec43. Can anybody tell me if any further kills were credited to him and his crew on other missions ?

Cheers,

Michael
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Old 29th May 2018, 13:59
Col Bruggy Col Bruggy is offline
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hello,

AYSON, Flight Lieutenant Donald Fraser. DFC.
NZ402538 & 133909; Born Mosgiel, 9 April 1915, RNZAF 9 July 1940 to 4 June 1947. Res. to April 1970; Pilot.

Citation Distinguished Flying Cross (Immediate) (22 February 1944); [1 Sqn RNZAF (Ventura)].

On 24th December 1943, Pilot Officer Ayson was the Captain and Pilot of a Ventura aircraft returning from a patrol in the vicinity of Bougainville Island and New Britain. The aircraft was suddenly attacked by nine Zero fighters. In spite of skilful evasive action taken by Pilot Officer Ayson, the fire controller was wounded and the intercommunication system was wrecked. Pilot Officer Ayson continued to take such evasive action as he could until another member took over fire control and was able to give him intermittent reports of enemy attacks. During one attack his rudder controls were shot away, and it was only by his courage and determination and his coolness in handling a crippled aircraft in the face of strong enemy opposition that he succeeded in bringing his crew safely back to base. By his skilful manoeuvring of the aircraft during the action Pilot Officer Ayson contributed materially to the certain destruction of two Zeros and probable destruction of three more and damage to two others.

Two other members of the crew were also decorated for their part in this action. A DFC was awarded to W/O William Noel Williams DFM RNZAF, and a DFM to F/S George Edward Hannah RNZAF. Member RNZAF Contingent Queen's Coronation Parade, London June 1953. Died Auckland, 14 February 1981.

See:
By Such Deeds: Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1923-1999.
Hanson,C.M. RNZAF G/C (Ret.)
Christchurch:Volplane Press,2001.
pp.64-5

Col.

Last edited by Col Bruggy; 29th May 2018 at 15:29.
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  #3  
Old 29th May 2018, 14:45
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hello Col Bruggy,

thanks for your post.
Have Ayson and his crew scored further kills on other dates ?

Have a pleasant Tuesday,

Michael
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Old 3rd June 2018, 12:12
RodM RodM is offline
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hi Michael,

no, they did not...

According to author Chris Rudge in his book, "Air-to-Air. The Story Behind the air-to-air combat claims of the RNZAF", confusion and misunderstanding exists between the official reports of the incident and the later award recommendations and newspaper reports.

On 24 December 1943, two patrolling PV-1 Ventura bombers of No. 1 Squadron RNZAF had significant air combats with Japanese fighters between Bougainville and New Britain.

The ACTUAL claims submitted by the two crews, as interpreted by Rudge from the text of the original individual Combat Reports and combined Summary of Enemy Losses:

Ventura NZ4509 - P/O D.F. Ayson (pilot)

1 x Zeke DESTROYED (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner))
1 x Zeke DESTROYED (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner) shared with W/O W.N. Williams DFM (Nav))
3 x Zekes "POSSIBLY DESTROYED" [sic] (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner))


Ventura NZ4507 - F/O R.J. Alford (pilot)

2 x Zekes DAMAGED (Sgt A. Whiting (Air Gunner))


According to Rudge, using the correct RNZAF terminology from the period, the claims should read:

Ventura NZ4509 - 2 x Zekes DESTROYED, 3 x Zekes DAMAGED ("POSSIBLY DESTROYED" was not an accepted term)
Ventura NZ4507 - 2 x Zekes DAMAGED

Rudge quotes a congratulatory message from COMAIRSOLS, (American) General R.J. Mitchell on 25 December: "Mitchell says to Fox Obe and crew quote for single handedly bugger is up finish two Nips and three damaged. A mighty well done and Merry Xmas X Unquote"

Because the claims involving both Venturas were summarised on a combined report for both series of air combats, confusion later arose when award recommendations were written for P/O Ayson's crew. The writers totalled the claims for both Ventura crews and prescribed them solely to P/O Ayson's crew. The writer of F/Sgt Hannah's recommendation gave him credit for one destroyed, one shared destroyed, and five damaged [sic]. As can be seen in a previous post, the writer of P/O Ayson's recommendation gave the crew credit for two destroyed, three probably destroyed, and two damaged [sic]. Such was the confusion wrought by the recommendation writers misinterpreting the original Combat Report and the use of ambiguous and non-standard terminology ("possibly destroyed") in the Combat Report.

Rudge also reproduces a photo of P/O Ayson sitting in the cockpit of NZ4509 with three kill markings painted just under the cockpit window, and states that surviving RNZAF records do not tally with a total of three victories.

Cheers

Rod

Last edited by RodM; 3rd June 2018 at 13:17.
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Old 4th June 2018, 17:37
Nick Hector Nick Hector is offline
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Quote:
Originally Posted by RodM View Post
Hi Michael,

no, they did not...

According to author Chris Rudge in his book, "Air-to-Air. The Story Behind the air-to-air combat claims of the RNZAF", confusion and misunderstanding exists between the official reports of the incident and the later award recommendations and newspaper reports.

On 24 December 1943, two patrolling PV-1 Ventura bombers of No. 1 Squadron RNZAF had significant air combats with Japanese fighters between Bougainville and New Britain.

The ACTUAL claims submitted by the two crews, as interpreted by Rudge from the text of the original individual Combat Reports and combined Summary of Enemy Losses:

Ventura NZ4509 - P/O D.F. Ayson (pilot)

1 x Zeke DESTROYED (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner))
1 x Zeke DESTROYED (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner) shared with W/O W.N. Williams DFM (Nav))
3 x Zekes "POSSIBLY DESTROYED" [sic] (F/Sgt G.E. Hannah (Air Gunner))


Ventura NZ4507 - F/O R.J. Alford (pilot)

2 x Zekes DAMAGED (Sgt A. Whiting (Air Gunner))


According to Rudge, using the correct RNZAF terminology from the period, the claims should read:

Ventura NZ4509 - 2 x Zekes DESTROYED, 3 x Zekes DAMAGED ("POSSIBLY DESTROYED" was not an accepted term)
Ventura NZ4507 - 2 x Zekes DAMAGED

Rudge quotes a congratulatory message from COMAIRSOLS, (American) General R.J. Mitchell on 25 December: "Mitchell says to Fox Obe and crew quote for single handedly bugger is up finish two Nips and three damaged. A mighty well done and Merry Xmas X Unquote"

Because the claims involving both Venturas were summarised on a combined report for both series of air combats, confusion later arose when award recommendations were written for P/O Ayson's crew. The writers totalled the claims for both Ventura crews and prescribed them solely to P/O Ayson's crew. The writer of F/Sgt Hannah's recommendation gave him credit for one destroyed, one shared destroyed, and five damaged [sic]. As can be seen in a previous post, the writer of P/O Ayson's recommendation gave the crew credit for two destroyed, three probably destroyed, and two damaged [sic]. Such was the confusion wrought by the recommendation writers misinterpreting the original Combat Report and the use of ambiguous and non-standard terminology ("possibly destroyed") in the Combat Report.

Rudge also reproduces a photo of P/O Ayson sitting in the cockpit of NZ4509 with three kill markings painted just under the cockpit window, and states that surviving RNZAF records do not tally with a total of three victories.

Cheers

Rod
Love the use of Solomon Island Pidgin in the message: "him bugger up finish"
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Old 4th June 2018, 17:55
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hello Rod,

thanks for the excellent clarification of that issue.
Would you say that no Ventura pilot was ever credited with more kills in that plane type than John Harshberger and Frank Schwable (4) ?

Kind regards,

Michael
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Old 5th June 2018, 04:27
RodM RodM is offline
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hi Michael,

technically, Ayson was not specifically credited with any aerial victories as I understand it, he simply piloted the aircraft. The crew manning the guns made the claims.

According to Chris Rudge's book, the only subsequent claim made in an RNZAF Ventura in the Pacific after 24 December 1944 was a Zeke damaged by No. 2 Squadron on 28 February 1944.

Off the cuff, the only instance of an RNZAF Ventura pilot claiming an enemy aircraft that comes to mind was S/L Len Trent during the ill-fated Amsterdam raid on 3 May 1943. He fired at a Bf109 using the fixed forward-firing machine gun. Needless to say, because Trent became a PoW during the raid, his claim is not included in the official Bomber Command lists of aerial victories awarded (Bomber Command did award one Fw.190 destroyed to the gunner(s) of Ventura AE916 - the only one of eleven Venturas to return from the raid). S/L Trent's "claim" came from his post-war debriefs and appears in his VC citation.

Again, off the cuff, here is an official Bomber Command list of awarded aerial victories involving Ventura aircraft of that command between January and May 1943:

3/02/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/G
11:05h, 5 mi N. Calais Marek, 9,000ft
1 x FW 190 DESTROYED

13/02/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/H
16:07h, 3 mi W. Ijmuiden, 7,000ft
1x FW 190 PROBABLY DESTROYED

13/02/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/R
16:07h, 3 mi W. Ijmuiden, 7,000ft
1 x FW 190 DAMAGED

5/04/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/K
17:45h, over Brest, 6,000ft
1 x FW 190 DAMAGED

5/04/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/K
17:45h, over Brest, 6,000ft
1 x FW 190 DAMAGED

5/04/43 Day 2 Grp, 21 Sqn
Ventura/U
17:54h, near Brest, 5,000ft
1 x FW 190 DESTROYED

3/05/43 Day 2 Grp, 487 Sqn
Ventura/C
17:35h, 10 mi S. Ijmiuden, 12,000ft
1 x FW 190 DESTROYED

(I don't have the lists for the period prior to January 1943, and, of course, 2 Group transferred out of Bomber Command at the end of May 1943)

Cheers

Rod

PS - slightly off-topic but for anyone interested in the air war over the Solomon Islands and South-West Pacific, I highly recommend Chris Rudge's very well-written book...


Air-to-Air. The story behind the air-to-air combat claims of the RNZAF
Chris Rudge (with forward by F/O G.B. Fisken DFC)
Adventure Air, Lyttelton, New Zealand, 2003
ISBN 0-473-09724-9
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Old 6th June 2018, 21:17
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

Hello Rod,

your Ventura knowledge is impressing.

I wish you a pleasant Thursday,

Michael
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Old 24th June 2023, 10:32
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Re: Donald Ayson, Lockheed Ventura

I've acquired this one:
https://www.amazon.de/Ventura-Harpoo...s%2C100&sr=8-1
It includes (p73) a rather short account of the deed of the Ayson crew.

Have a good weekend,

Michael
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