15 Facts About Geoffrey Fisken

Geoffrey Fisken is credited with shooting down 11 Japanese aircraft.

Geoffrey Fisken was born in Gisborne, in New Zealand, on 17 February 1916.

Geoffrey Fisken was the son of a farmer, and entered that profession himself, farming sheep at Masterton.

In September 1939, at the outbreak of World War II Geoffrey Fisken volunteered for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, but was initially barred from enlisting.

At the time in New Zealand, farming was a reserved occupation as it was considered vital for the war effort, and therefore it was not until early 1940 that Geoffrey Fisken was able to enlist, after convincing his employer to release him for service.

In February 1941, Geoffrey Fisken was posted to Singapore to join No 205 Squadron RAF which was flying Short Singapore flying boats at the time.

When he arrived he discovered that these machines were being transferred to No 5 Squadron RNZAF, so Geoffrey Fisken was instead sent to complete a fighter conversion course on Royal Australian Air Force CAC Wirraways, and Brewster Buffaloes.

The all-metal monoplane Buffaloes that equipped these squadrons were an advance on the biplanes that Geoffrey Fisken was used to, as well as the Wirraways he had flown during his fighter training.

In October 1941, as fears of Japanese aggression increased, No 67 Squadron moved to Mingaladon, Burma, but Geoffrey Fisken was posted back to Kallang to join No 243 Squadron.

Geoffrey Fisken was flying one of two Buffaloes to arrive at the sinkings first, describing the scene as "a grey metal bow sticking out of the sea, surrounded by an oil slick and many bodies".

Geoffrey Fisken nevertheless shot one down, but only narrowly escaped the other, being injured in the arm and leg by a cannon shell before the dogfight ended.

Geoffrey Fisken was evacuated to New Zealand shortly before Singapore fell.

In September 1943 Geoffrey Fisken was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Geoffrey Fisken was later employed by the Egg Marketing Board after selling his farm before eventually retiring in 1976 after another period farming, this time at Te Puke.

Geoffrey Fisken died on 12 June 2011 at Lara Lodge in Rotorua where he had lived for 31 years.