P/O. Alan Richard Stewart
Royal New Zealand Air Force 221 Squadron
from:Invercargill, New Zealand
(d.8th Nov 1943)
Alan Stewart enlisted on 21st of December 1940, at Harewood, Christchurch, NZ and was initially employed on ground duties, as an Aircrafthand 2nd Class. He was posted on 25th of May 1941, to Initial Training Wing, Levin, NZ and on 26 May 1941, was promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftman. On 5th of July 1941 he was posted to to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri, Dunedin, NZ to commence flying training. He embarked on 4th of September 1941 for Canada to complete flying training under the Empire Air Training Scheme and was posted on 1st of October 1941 to No. 6 Service Flying Training School at Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. 2nd of January 1942 he was awarded the Flying Badge, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Alan embarked on 11th of January 1942 from No. 1 Y Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for the UK Arriving on 10th of February 1942 at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth and transferred on 24th of March 1942, to No. 3 (P) Air Flying Unit, at South Cerney, Gloucestershire to commence advanced flying training. He was then posted on 7th of August 1942, to No. 3 (C) Operational Training Unit at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire where he completed his Wellington bomber pilot training. He was posted in late October 1942, to No. 1443 Ferry Training Flight, at RAF Harwell, Berkshire and then via Gibraltar and Mersa Matruh, Egypt. He arrived on 5th of December 1942, at a landing field in the Western Desert, before completing a torpedo course at No. 5 Middle East Training School, Shallufa, Egypt. Posted on 23rd of April 1943 to 221 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command at RAF Luqa, Malta, He was promoted on 1st of May 1943, to Flight Sergeant. He received his Commission on 16th of September 1943, as Pilot Officer. Alan flew from both Luqa, Malta, and Protville in Tunisia, he undertook 24 operational flights, 14 anti-submarine & escort flights, and 10 enemy shipping strikes. He lost his life on 8th of November 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea, out from Malta, aged 22. He was awarded posthumously the 1939/45 Star, Italy Star, Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 clasp Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and NZ War Service Medal.
