WONZ 299 – Bomber Memories

Guests: Arthur Joplin (No. 617 Squadron pilot) and Ron Mayhill (No. 75 (NZ) Squadron bomb aimer), with Peter Wheeler of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association. Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 29th of August 2013 Published: 26th of February 2024 Duration: 40 minutes, 46 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood dips into his archive and pulls out a 2013 recording that he made when he and Peter Wheeler (of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association) visited Arthur Joplin and Ron Mayhill at Arthur’s retirement village home in Remuera. The recording was made during a social visit, when Dave and Peter got Arthur and Ron to tell some of their memories. This is an edited version to pull out the most interesting highlights from the conversation. Arthur was an RNZAF veteran who served as a Lancaster pilot with No. 617 Squadron RAF during WWII. He was one of the pilots that attacked the German battleship Tirpitz twice, sinking it in November 1944. Ron was an RNZAF bomb aimer, who flew with New Zealand’s heavy bomber squadron, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, during the latter part of 1944. He wrote the absolutely brilliant memoir Bombs On Target, which is a must read. He also served several years till his death as President of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association. Ron passed away in 2020, and Arthur died in 2023, so these memories and stories are precious reminders of these great men and the things they did during WWII. Quick Links:• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association • The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page • The Tirpitz The Lancaster artwork from Ron Mayhill’s marvellous book Bombs On Target. Above: Arthur Joplin, in later life, and right during WWII. (NZBCA Archives) Above: Ron Mayhill, in later life, and right during WWII. (NZBCA Archives) The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud