Sqn.Ldr. Arthur Percy "Perc" Gainsford DSO DFC AFC.
Royal New Zealand Air Force 150 Squadron
from:Rotorua, New Zealand
On arrival in the UK Percy Gainsford trained with 27 OTU at RAF Lichfield (Fradley) and on 28th of August 1941 completed his first raid dropping two 250lb bombs on Evreux in France. Percy joined 150 Squadron at RAF Snaith as a Sgt Pilot on 8th of September 1941 and completed his first tour in Aug 1942 after completing 34 operations over enemy territory. During his time at Snaith he was promoted to Flt Sgt and then to WO. Not long after leaving Snaith, he was commissioned and awarded the DFC. The picture of his crew is the one photograph I have of his WW2 service. Unfortunately within a couple of months of Percy moving from Snaith all the other crew members were dead. Between Aug 1942 and July 1944 he served as an instructor at 25 OTU, 30 OTU, 82 OTU and 86 OTU during which time he flew another enemy raid.
In July 1944 he returned to front line duties flying the Lancaster as part of 166 Squadron RAF Kirmington. His crew included F/O F G Kitson (RAF) Flt Eng, Flt.Sgt. J H F Rowe (RAF) A/Bomber, Sgt W R Williams (RAAF) Nav, WO. F E Barrett (RAF) W/Op, F/O. H G Cook (RCAF) Mid Gunner and Sgt G H Davidson (RCAF) Rear Gunner. This crew stayed together and moved on to 550 Sqn at North Killingholme in Sep 1944. By this time Percy had been promoted to Sqn Ldr and became Flight Commander of C Flight 550 Squadron. At this point he had completed a further 20 Ops on the Lancaster. At this stage he could have withdrawn from flying as it constituted 2 complete tours. However, he decided to stay with the crew a little longer as his good friend and Flt Eng F G Kitson was close to finishing his tour as well. The story goes that no NZ pilot had survived a tour on 550 Squadron so C Flight 550 Squadron was moved to Fiskerton to re-form 150 Squadron and Percy was appointed A Flight Commander. The Squadron subsequently moved to RAF Hemswell and Percy completed his second tour and a total of 62 operations.
Percy was repatriated to New Zealand in early 1945 and had a long career with the RNZAF. He retired from duty as an Air Commodore in 1967. Unfortunately he passed away 1973 aged 60.
