Biography

Michael was born in 1915 to Maurice Earle and Dorothy Christie.

From Newspaper Clipping in Family Collection: Michael was a foundation pupil of St George's School in Wanganui, later attending Wanganui Collegiate from 1932-4.^[1] Michael had a distinguished World War II record with the Royal Air Force. He was Wing Commander with No. 38 Bomber Squadron and later with Transport Command. He originally joined the RAF on a short service commission in 1935. His RAF service number was 39164. The day war was declared (one week before his term ended) he flew over Berlin dropping leaflets.^[2]

He completed his flying training at the Western Federated Flying Club, New Plymouth^[3] and sailed for Southampton in March 1936 on the Mataroa along with his mother.^[4]

1936: Made Acting Pilot Officer with effect from and with seniority of 12th Oct. 1936: — Michael John EARLE.^[5]

1937: In May, flying out of No.5 FTS at RAF Sealand, he crashed a Hawker Audax K4386 into the Marine Lake at West Kirby, on the Wirral (then) in Cheshire, (now) in Merseyside. The F1180 (Aircraft Accident Form) has a written description of the accident which occurred during night flying practice: "Forced landing (lost). Landed by aid of promenade lights at W. Kirby. Beach selected for landing but a/c landing in Marine Lake in about 3ft of water, turned up on nose & later was blown over onto back." (Acting Pilot Officer M.J. Earle.) ^[6] From the Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 19 May 1937, p.11: Pilot-Officer Earle, of Sealand Aerodrome, had a narrow escape when night flying over the Wirral last night. He crashed into the West Kirby Marine Lake, and the machine turned turtle. The pilot managed to scramble to safety. He was uninjured.^[7] A video of the plane upside down and being recovered can be seen (approx. 1m43secs in) on YouTube.^[8]

Upgraded to Pilot Officer 30th June 1937: - Michael John EARLE.^[9] and posted to to No. 148 (Bomber) Squadron, No. 3 (Bomber) Group, Scampton. Photo of 'A Flight', Stradishall, 1938 (M.J. Earle second from right, with signature).^[10]

1939: Promoted to Flying Officer. Flying Officer M.J. Earle posted to Royal Air Force Station, Feltwell on completion of training for qualification as 1st Pilot on Wellington aircraft.^[11]

1940: Promoted to Flight Lieutenant 3rd Sept. 1940: - Michael John EARLE (39164).^[12]

He was an Instructor for the 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF / 311th Czechoslovak bomber squadron.

According Miroslav Pajer's book Ve stínu slávy (ISBN 8085280108, 1992) he was listed amongst others as being awarded the Czechoslovak Military Cross 1939 (War Cross 1939). F/Lt Michael John Earle along with F/Lt Thomas Gresham Kirby Green (RNZAF) F/Lt Richard Denis Barry McFadden, DFC.^[13] This award was never conferred, so it is unclear where Pajer got his information from. Perhaps he was recommended for the award, but did not receive it.

In October 1940 he was on board a training flight of an Anson Mk.I (R9649) as one of two British instructors. The plane crashed at Elton near Peterborough following an on-board fire, caused by the negligent discharge of a Verey-Light Pistol, which some sources state was the fault of the wireless instructor, RAF Sgt George Powis.^[14] Sgt GO Powis died, F/Lt MJ Earle saved, P/O Němec, Ludvík - was rescued after parachuting to safety, Sgt (pil.) Valošek, Oskar - KAS, P/O (nav.) Slovak, Josef - KAS, P/O (nav.) Kula, Jaroslav - saved after parachuting to safety, P/O (wireless op/gunner). Skutil, Jaroslav - KAS, Sgt (wireless op/gunner) Koukol, František- KAS.^[15]

When wounded, he was looked after by his father Maurice's old Wanganui friend Arthur Porritt, later the 11th Governor-General of New Zealand.

On 23 Feb 1941 he was aboard an Avro Anson Mk.I (R9648) along with Sgt Adolf Musálek, Plt Off. Jiří Engel, Plt Off. Otakar Černý and Plt Off. Jaroslav Zafouk. The incident was caused by the Perspex cover in the middle of the cockpit's ceiling, which served as an emergency exit in case of a crash-landing, blew open, smashing the aerial.^[16] There was "quite a cracking sound. The pilot, Flt Lt Earle, apparently became unnerved and let the plane go into a dive. He later tried to explain that he had done so to test the controls...Plt Off. Engel thought things to be too dangerous and baled out...the plane...proceeded without further troubles to Sealand. Engel was... mistaken for a German and stopped by a man with a shotgun." ^[17]

In 1941, he was transferred to Transport Command in the Middle East, flying many VIPs or carrying out many varied missions, including part of the Italian campaign. He was involved in trials over the Red Sea to "modify the Wellington aircraft into a torpedo-bomber. The Wellington, slow, unwieldy, and fabric-covered, was too vulnerable a target by day, but possessed the necessary long range for night operations. Throughout the early months of 1942, pilots, among whom were Squadron-Leader M. J. Earle...flew tirelessly over the Red Sea formulating tactics, and a new and interesting series of operations ensued."^[18]

1945: Promoted to Acting Wing Commander: - M. J. EARLE (39164), R.A.F.O.^[19]

Toward the end of the war he was appointed controller of the Lydda Airport (now Ben Gurion Airport) in Palestine during the huge influx of European Jews into what was to be Israel. He finished his active service by being commanding officer of troopships carrying Italian and other prisoners from Australia and other places to their homelands.^[20]

In 1947 he piloted a Mohawk M12, picture here of him^[21], flying for a J.E. Coxon in the 1947 Folkestone Aero Trophy race. The Mohawk had an amazing history, having being built for Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh in 1936. It was donated to the RAF by Lindbergh in 1940. Between 1941 and 1944, the aircraft was used by the RAF as a liaison aircraft and in 1946 privatized as G-AEKW of Southern Aircraft. After being flown by Michael in the Folkestone trophy race, the aircraft was sold to Spain to be found in December 1973 by Wilson 'Connie' Edwards, in terrible condition, at a junkyard near Tablada Air Force Base. After years of restoration, it was in 2000 given to the RAF Museum. It was then fully restored in RAF Museum Cosford and installed at the RAF Museum Hendon in August 2008.^[22]

This was likely a fun side project as at that time he was working for British Air Transport Ltd^[23] as Air Charter Operations Manager. BAT were based at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey.^[24] He was living at 9 Station Rd.^[25]

In 1952 he became a naturalized British citizen.^[26]

He returned to New Zealand in 1955.

In 1957, 1963 listed on NZ Electoral Rolls as living in the Hutt, Wellington. In 1969, 1972, 1978 listed on the NZ Electoral Rolls as living in Island Bay, Wellington. Michael managed the Wellington United Services Officers' Club. Later, a customer liaison officer for visiting VIPs with Air New Zealand. A long time friend and flat-sharer of comedian Jimmy Edwards, who came to New Zealand several times.^[27]

By 1981 living back in his birth town of Wanganui. He died at his home in Wanganui, aged 76yrs.

Sources

1. ↑ WANGANUI COLLEGIATE SCHOOL REGISTER 1854 - 1947 A - J [website], compiled by Christine Clement (née Ward), accessed by Nicola Sherrock 26/12/18, https://www.sooty.nz/wcollegiateA-J.html
2. ↑ Newspaper clipping (title of paper and date not kept but probably 1992) of Michael's Obituary from family collection/album, courtesy of Julie Earle, Auckland, New Zealand
3. ↑ Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23451, 4 October 1941 [Papers Past] - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19411004.2.61
4. ↑ Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 54, 4 March 1936 [PapersPast] - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19360304.2.19.2
5. ↑ London Gazette, 27 Oct 1936 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34335/page/6840/data.pdf
6. ↑ Royal Air Force Commands Forum: General Category, accessed 23/12/2018 by Nicola Sherrock
7. ↑ British Newspaper Archive digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved - https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19370519/295/0011
8. ↑ Wirral - Memories of the 1940s and 50s (YouTube video posted 10 Dec 2008 by MerseysideDVDs, accessed 23/12/2018 by Nicola Sherrock) - https://youtu.be/g2DfUQyXH5k
9. ↑ London Gazette, 5 Oct 1937 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34441/page/6150/data.pdf
10. ↑ '148' A Squadron's History 1918 to 1965 [PDF doc] by David Waters 1998, pg 5, accessed by Nicola Sherrock 26/12/18 - https://sites.google.com/site/148squadronspecialduties/file-cabinet?fbclid=IwAR2wrkgWRlIJOiRS8RaVukrl12DpnYCLvPqGJ-OhaiZ5isoaBOZQ0Otyfy8
11. ↑ https://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/no-75-bomber-squadron-1939/ 75(NZ) Squadron RAF - website accessed 23/12/18 by Nicola Sherrock
12. ↑ London Gazette, 5 Oct 1937 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34986/page/6395/data.pdf
13. ↑ Royal Air force Commands Forum Archived Message Thread: RE: Czech Awards, Author: David Sumerauer (Guest), Time Stamp: 16:13:22 13 April 2003, accessed 24/12/18 by Nicola Sherrock (http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/20111.php)
14. ↑ Free Czechoslovak Air Force: 311 Sqn Never Regard Their Numbers – Bomber Command, website accessed 23/12/18 by Nicola Sherrock
15. ↑ Valka.cz Forum: 311 PERUTNINA RAF [1940-1946=No. 311 Squadron RAF Losses, accessed 23/12/2018 by Nicola Sherrock
16. ↑ Gellner, John. Moonlight flyer : diary of a Second World War navigator. [Oxford, England] : Fonthill Media, c2016, p.208
17. ↑ Gellner, John. Moonlight flyer : diary of a Second World War navigator. [Oxford, England] : Fonthill Media, c2016, p.59
18. ↑ Malta Airmen — by J. A. Whelan. The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945 (Vol.2: Episodes & Studies), accessed via "The New Zealand Electronic Text Collection" 23/12/18 by Nicola Sherrock - http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2Epi-c5-WH2-2Epi-e.html
19. ↑ London Gazette Supplement, 1 Jan 1945 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36866/supplement/63/data.pdf
20. ↑ Newspaper clipping (title of paper and date not kept but probably 1992) of Michael's Obituary from family collection/album, courtesy of Julie Earle, Auckland, New Zealand
21. ↑ PPRuNe: Aviation History and Nostalgia Forum, orig. posted by PinkHarrier on 9/8/10, accessed by Nicola Sherrock 23/12/18 - https://vb4.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/423531-some-old-scanned-pix.html?styleid=18#post5857345
22. ↑ https://www.militaria-fundforum.de/forum/index.php?thread/69549-r-a-f-museum-hendon-london/&postID=1860681#post1860681/ Militaria Fundforum: RAF Museum Hendon, London, accessed 23/12/18 by Nicola Sherrock (orig in German, translated to English by Google)
23. ↑ “British Air Transport.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, August 2, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Air_Transport
24. ↑ Ancestry.com. Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910-1950 [database on-line]. Certificate No. 23211. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
25. ↑ Ancestry.com. Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962 [database on-line]; Reference: CC802/58/7. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013 - https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=4829&h=80961148&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=gSB169&_phstart=successSource
26. ↑ HO 334 - 1948 British Nationality Act: Duplicate Certificates of Registration as Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies, Certificate Number: R1/9107 (Ref: HO 334/462/9107). National Archives, Kew - http://http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C15087517
27. ↑ Newspaper clipping (title of paper and date not kept but probably 1992) of Michael's Obituary from family collection/album, courtesy of Julie Earle, Auckland, New Zealand

• Birth is listed on father's Military Service History Sheet (digitised, see Archway record EARLE, Maurice Mason - WW1 3/2570 - Army at https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/)
• NZ BDM Death Registration 1992/34207