First Māori airman and his wakeup call
A man of many talents, Bluff’s own George West was destined for great things when his life was cut short.
It was not until 1935 that the rules regarding acceptance into the air force were relaxed.
Everyone in the Royal New Zealand Air Force who heard George West playing the bugle loved it. All but one, that is. As the young Ma¯ ori man from Bluff played the reveille each morning with what was said to be ‘‘a bit of a swing’’, most enjoyed this early morning wakeup call.
However, the chief disciplinarian Squadron-leader J E Duncan, known as The Bull, objected outwardly, though many suspected he secretly enjoyed the performance from the man others often described as popular and delightful.
West was clever, too. He soon discovered he could set an alarm for 6.25am, climb out of bed, raise the window, lean out with his bugle, play the reveille and then go back to bed.
In 1936, West was the first Ma¯ ori to be accepted into the Royal New Zealand Air Force, when he joined as an aero engine fitter.
West was born in Bluff on March 17, 1914, to a family of Nga¯ i Tahu descent.
As a boy he went to Bluff Public School and later Southland Technical College, where he was one of the first to win a scholarship entitling him to a free flying tuition at the Southland Aero Club. This also entitled him to train as a pilot in the air force.
But it was not until 1935 that the rules regarding acceptance into the air force were relaxed and the 21-year-old was finally allowed in.
Up until that point, according to Imperial British law, no man other than of purely English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh blood could be a member of the Empire’s air forces.
However, Prime Minister Joseph Savage decided that as far as New Zealand was concerned, Ma¯ ori and Pa¯ keha¯ stood on equal ground and the rule was pushed aside.
West was talented in several areas – music being one of them. He joined the Ma¯ ori Methodist Missionary as a pianist and he loved to sing.
But his passion lay in the skies and he hung about until he was able to fulfil his dreams.
Sadly, West’s promising career would come to an abrupt end. He died on May 11, 1939, after a night-flying exercise went awry at Flight Training School at the Wigram airbase. He was taking the flight for air experience with a pilot and instructor, both of whom also died.
The Vickers Vildebeest III NZ110/B6 took off at 7.15pm and, on approach at 8.15pm for a third landing, undershot and struck two trees 150 yards from the airfield’s southern boundary.
Pilot Reginald McCrorie, 22, was killed in the crash, while his instructor William Dawson, 20, of Balclutha, died of his injuries the following day. West, 25, died at 6.10pm on May 12.
West’s death hit the small Bluff community hard. His body was carried by train down the east coast to the seaside town for a funeral and burial.
More than 50 cars joined the procession behind the hearse, while many from Southland openly mourned West. He was buried at the Bluff cemetery.
Although West only served three years in New Zealand’s air force, he made quite an impact – so much so that in 2012 a neighbourhood in Christchurch’s Wigram Skies subdivision was named after him. More than 280 lots were sold.