Project Patron

Wing Commander Johnny Checketts 

DSO, DFC, US Silver Star, Polish Cross of Valour

Johnny acted as the Patron and was an inspirational force behind the project. Sadly he passed away on 21st April 2006 before he could see the completed aircraft in the markings of his "mate" Al Deere. With the kind permission of his family, he will continue his role of Patron to the project "from above"

On war - "It is destructive. Everything about it is to destroy and I don't think human beings are brought into this world to destroy things. They are brought into the world to preserve." — Johnny Checketts.

Biography

John Milne Checketts, Distinguished Service Order (DSO) Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), US Silver Star and Polish Cross of Valour, was born at Invercargill on February 20, 1912 and died in Christchurch on 21st April 2006 aged 94. A motor mechanic by trade, he was educated at Invercargill South School and Southland Technical College.

``I love Southland. I am a Southlander and Southland will never leave me,'' he once told a reporter. His interests included rowing and sailing, but both were overshadowed by his love of motorcycles. To those who knew him in later life he was an unassuming man who never considered his war service anything special. ``We were just ordinary people just doing a job,'' he told NZPA in February 2002.

He joined the air force as a 28-year-old in mid-1940 but a broken leg while training at Wigram, Christchurch, meant he was later into action than could have been the case. The Battle of Britain was long over by the time he reached England.

After the war Mr Checketts returned to New Zealand and served with the air force at Wigram, then Taieri near Dunedin, and in Fiji. He was aide-de-camp to two governors-general, Bernard Freyberg and Charles Norrie. In 1955 he retired from the military to operate his own top-dressing business in Dunedin, but sold it in 1958.

He also took a great interest in conservation and received a citation from the Nature Conservation Council for bringing public awareness to effects of water pollution. Mr Checketts was appointed manager of the Otago Acclimatisation Society in 1961 before joining the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society in Christchurch about 1970 and retiring five or six years later. He lived in the Christchurch suburb of Bryndwr for many years.

But it was for his distinguished war service the he was best known. Mr Checketts who flew Spitfires for 611 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and 485 (NZ) Squadron, emerged as one of New Zealand's best fighter pilots of the war. ``I had very good eyesight. I could see an enemy aircraft at a great distance and it gave me the opportunity to put myself in a position to win a victory or shoot him down.''

His favourite plane: a Spitfire mark IXb which ``...had the legs on the Hun''. Twice Mr Checketts was forced to bail out of stricken Spitfires. The first time he landed in the English Channel in 1942 -- the attack had come without warning while Mr Checketts stalked another German fighter. ``The channel was bloody cold. I was wounded in the leg but I was picked up after an hour in the water by His Majesty's naval air sea rescue launch number 139. ``I couldn't have lasted the night. I was very lucky to have been rescued.''

In July and August 1943 Mr Checketts bagged eight enemy fighters, including three Messerschmit Bf109s on August 9 near St Pol in France for which he won the DFC. He was a Squadron Leader of Biggin Hill-based 485 Squadron the second time he was shot down, this time after a dogfight over France on September 6, 1943, involving some 20 Focke-Wulf 190s. With no ammunition left, Mr Checketts had no chance and his Spitfire was soon belching flames through the cockpit.

Badly burned, he parachuted to safety and was looked after and hidden by the French for several weeks until he and 12 other escaping servicemen were crammed into a small fishing boat and smuggled across the channel back to England. His experience as an injured Allied pilot shot down over France, led to a deep affection for the French. ``The French are lovely, lovely people. They saved my life, they nursed me and cared for me.'' He had burns to his face, legs and arms and was wounded in both legs, knees and arms. ``My injuries weren't terminal but were painful and took a long time to heal.''

Mr Checketts said he had no regrets about serving even though war was unpleasant. ``It is destructive. Everything about it is to destroy and I don't think human beings are brought into this world to destroy things. They are brought into the world to preserve.''

After Mr Checketts got back to England he was promoted Wing Commander, leading a wing of three squadrons for the D Day invasion of France.

Abbreviated from NZPA

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