Did young Winston have sights set on St Serf’s Island?

Winston Vernon Stark was born to Eliza Florence and George Harry Stark on February 15, 1923 in Masterton Wairarapa, on the North Island of New Zealand.

When he left school, his first job was in a flax mill in Levin.

But Winston’s father George was remembered reflecting on his only child’s future objectives: as long as George could remember, Winston had yearned to be a pilot.

Teenage Winston decided that signing up to aid the war effort was a feasible way of gaining his pilot’s licence.

As his parents originally came from Leicestershire,

Winston also hoped he might get a chance to visit their birthplace and meet some of his cousins in Barrow Upon Soar.

Winston was under 21 years of age, so he needed parental permission to take this bold step. With the papers reluctantly signed by his parents, he left New Zealand at the end of October 1941, aged just 18, to join the Fleet Air Arm, the flying arm of the Royal Navy.

Young Winston duly went off to undertake his pilot’s training.

He initially trained on the HMNZS Philomel in Auckland, an‘old lady’of a war ship, used as a static training base by the

Royal New Zealand Navy.

He then transferred to HMS St Vincent, a training establishment for officers of the Fleet Air Arm located in Gosport.

Winston joined the No9 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit. This unit was formed at RAF Hullavington on February 14, 1942 with Masters, Hurricanes, Albacores and Fairey Swordfish aircraft.

Winston moved to RAF Errol with the unit on August 1, 1942.

The function of the unit was to instruct pilots who had gained their wings in more favourable flying conditions from across the world. They were given the most up-to-date training regarding the latest radio and radar navigation aids, as well as night flying training.

Winston was then based at HMS Jackdaw in Crail.

The base was used as a training school for aircrew and maintenance personnel who were to man torpedo bomber reconnaissance aircraft in the naval air squadrons that embarked in aircraft carriers.

Winston’s last day was a Sunday in early March. He took his Hurricane aircraft on a training mission over Loch Leven.

The MOD record states the cause of this tragedy to be ‘unauthorised low flying’. One of the important features of Winston’s training was the ability to make firm, pin-point landings which would be necessary to land on an aircraft carrier.

Perhaps Winston had been trying out his skills, with St Serfs Island in the Loch as his target?

The records also show he had only completed a couple of hours flying time in this type of aircraft.

The bleak telegraph to his mother Eliza heralded the horrific news. It simply stated: “Deeply regret to inform you that your son Temporary Midshipman (A) Winston

Vernon Stark has been reported killed.

“The prime minister desires me to convey to you on behalf of the Government deepest sympathy in your loss.”

George and Eliza Stark were later able to visit Winston’s grave at Murie cemetery in Errol and also Loch Leven.

He was only 20 years of age when he died.

Winston was posthumously awarded the New Zealand War Service Medal and is recognized at Auckland War Memorial Museum, Levin RSA (Returned and Services Association) and the Cenotaph at Havelock North.