64 Facts About Johnny Checketts

Johnny Checketts returned to No 485 Squadron in August 1943 as its commander but two months later was shot down over occupied France.

Johnny Checketts was returned to the United Kingdom by the French Resistance.

Johnny Checketts later commanded a wing carrying out operations in support of the D-Day landings and escorting heavy bombers on raids into Germany.

Johnny Checketts remained in the RNZAF after the war, commanding air bases in New Zealand and Fiji.

John Milne Johnny Checketts was born in Invercargill on 20 February 1912, the first of three children, to Ernest and Mary Jane Johnny Checketts.

Johnny Checketts's father was a carrier, transporting loads around Southland, and he kept animals.

Johnny Checketts was educated at the Invercargill South School and then Southland Technical College, where he studied engineering.

Johnny Checketts graduated in 1928 but continued to study engineering at night school while undertaking an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic.

Johnny Checketts was interested in aviation; he had seen his first aeroplane, an Avro 504K, when he was eight years old, and was among the crowd that greeted Charles Kingsford Smith when Smith arrived at Invercargill's Myross Bush aerodrome in the Southern Cross.

Johnny Checketts took his first flight in late 1937 or early 1938, as a passenger in a de Havilland Puss Moth.

In October 1940, with the Second World War well underway, Johnny Checketts was called up to the RNZAF.

Johnny Checketts underwent flight training at No 1 Elementary Flying Training School, near Dunedin, soloing on 17 December 1940 in a Tiger Moth.

Johnny Checketts completed his flight training in June 1941 and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RNZAF.

Johnny Checketts was posted to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force.

Johnny Checketts departed from Auckland on 22 July 1941 aboard the Dominion Monarch.

At the RAF's No 56 Operational Training Unit, in Lincolnshire, Johnny Checketts learned to fly the Hawker Hurricane and was assessed as an above-average pilot.

At their first encounter, Johnny Checketts was depressed; he had struggled on his orientation flight in a Spitfire and was concerned that his squadron commander would transfer him on account of his poor performance.

Soon becoming familiar with the Spitfire, Johnny Checketts began flying missions, his first being on 7 January 1942.

In March 1942, having already attacked an E-boat earlier in the flight, Johnny Checketts had his first dogfight with German aircraft while escorting Douglas Boston bombers on a mission to Le Havre.

Johnny Checketts was shot down and bailed out over the channel.

Johnny Checketts was rescued from his inflatable dinghy by a rescue launch of the Royal Navy.

Johnny Checketts's injuries were minor and he returned to operational duties, carrying out interception and low-level strafing missions, escorting bombers, and undertaking fighter sweeps, within three days of being shot down.

Johnny Checketts was promoted to flying officer in June 1942 and was posted to "Sailor" Malan's Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge, in Lincolnshire.

Johnny Checketts soon became friendly with Malan, the two going hunting together, and he spent a month improving his aerial marksmanship.

In mid-August 1942, having accumulated 220 operational flying hours in nine months, and in need of a rest, Johnny Checketts was sent to Martlesham Heath to serve as an instructor in fighter gunnery, specialising in deflection shooting.

Johnny Checketts was flying offensive operations with the Spitfire Vb, escorting a bombing raid to Abbeville on 13 January 1943, during which he engaged and damaged a Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

In June 1943, Johnny Checketts was promoted to flight lieutenant and received an honorary commission as a pilot in the Free French Air Forces.

Since the start of the year, Johnny Checketts had recorded 196 flying hours and completed 100 missions; as it happened, he was to remain at Biggin Hill.

Johnny Checketts had accounted for two of the four German aircraft shot down by No 485 Squadron that day.

On 31 July 1943, Johnny Checketts claimed a Bf 109G while on a bomber escort mission to Tricqueville.

Johnny Checketts quickly destroyed three of the Bf 109s and damaged another while the other pilots in the section destroyed one each.

Johnny Checketts has invariably displayed great keenness to engage the enemy and has destroyed two enemy aircraft and damaged several more.

Johnny Checketts probably destroyed a Bf 109 but as he did not see it go down, he claimed it as damaged.

Johnny Checketts shot one down but was then attacked by several others and his aircraft was set on fire.

Johnny Checketts landed 10 kilometres from Abbeville in a field where he was approached by a French boy who helped him on to his bicycle and then wheeled him to nearby woods.

Johnny Checketts underwent an intensive debriefing to confirm his identity and to eliminate the possibility that he was a German spy before returning to No 485 Squadron, which was now based at Hornchurch.

Johnny Checketts requested a return to operational duty but this was denied; he was advised by the commander of No 11 Group, Air Vice Marshal Hugh Saunders, that he needed a less stressful role.

Johnny Checketts was posted to the Central Gunnery School as an instructor, ending his tenure as commander of No 485 Squadron.

Johnny Checketts has taken part in a very large number and has proved his skill in many combats, having destroyed at least 11 aircraft; he has caused the destruction of 2 E boats.

Johnny Checketts carried out four sorties on D-Day, logging seven hours and 35 minutes of flight time.

Johnny Checketts was attacked by an Me 163 but managed to evade it.

Johnny Checketts was later awarded the Silver Star for this work.

Johnny Checketts was the eighth most successful New Zealand fighter pilot of the war, based on enemy aircraft destroyed.

In October 1944, Johnny Checketts was posted to the Central Fighter Establishment at the RAF base at Wittering, near Peterborough.

Johnny Checketts specialised in the analysis of short-range high altitude fighters, discussing and writing about the tactics of using these types of aircraft.

Johnny Checketts returned to France to visit the various people who had helped him evade capture there after being shot down.

Johnny Checketts was distressed to find that at least one had been arrested by the Germans and later died in captivity.

Johnny Checketts arrived back in New Zealand on 1 October 1945, having travelled there via Canada, the United States and Fiji.

Johnny Checketts reaffirmed his desire to serve in New Zealand, notwithstanding the comments of Walter Nash, the Minister of Finance, to expect a cut in pay.

Nash's comments greatly angered Johnny Checketts, who pointed out that the government was quite prepared to pay more when pilots' lives were at risk serving their country in wartime.

On 10 November 1945, in Christchurch, Johnny Checketts married Natalie Grover, whom he had first met during training at Wigram in 1940.

Johnny Checketts soon lost his rank of acting wing commander, reverting to squadron leader but this was restored in February 1947.

In November 1947, with his wing commander rank made substantive, Johnny Checketts was appointed commander of the RNZAF Station at Laucala Bay in Fiji.

Johnny Checketts then held a short posting with British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany before returning to New Zealand in April 1951.

Johnny Checketts was appointed officer commanding the RNZAF Flying Wing based at Ohakea in May 1951.

Johnny Checketts was responsible for introducing the de Havilland Vampire to form No 14 Squadron, the RNZAF's first jet squadron.

Johnny Checketts became commander of Taieri Station in December 1952, training flyers for the New Zealand Territorial Air Force.

Johnny Checketts resigned from the RNZAF in protest, considering the outcome unjustified.

Johnny Checketts became a salesman of agricultural chemicals, working for his former business partner, Wright.

In 1963, Johnny Checketts was the successful applicant for the position of secretary-manager for the Otago Acclimatisation Society.

Johnny Checketts's role required him to liaise with hunting and fishing organisations, which were often in conflict.

Johnny Checketts was already an honorary member of the No 1 Officer's Mess at the RNZAF base at Wigram.

Johnny Checketts died of cancer at his home in Christchurch on 21 April 2006, aged 94.

Johnny Checketts was survived by two sons and a daughter, his wife having predeceased him by several years.