The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Mark Hillier

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 6th of January 2026

Released: 13th of January 2026

Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 35 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood speaks with Mark Hillier, who is a recreational pilot, a historian, an author and he is Head of Operations at Spitfires.com, the adventure rides company based at Goodwood Aerodrome, Westhampnett, in West Sussex, UK.

Mark discusses his background in aviation, and talks about Spitfires.com and their fleet of aircraft. That includes three two-seaters plus the Silver Spitfire that flew around the world. He also talks about his passion for aviation history, the many books hat he has written, and the veterans he has met along the way.

And he talks about his close connection to the late RAF groundcrew veteran Joe Roddis, who served on No. 485 (NZ) Squadron through that unit’s whole existence. No. 485 (NZ) Squadron’s time based at Westhampnett is also detailed, and also a little history of other squadrons based there and at the nearby RAF Tangmere, which Westhampnett was a satellite airfield to.

Quick Links:

• Mark Hiller’s website

• Spitfires.com

• Mark’s books on Amazon

• Mark’s books at Pen and Sword

• Goodwood Aerodrome (Formerly RAF Westhampnett)

• RAF Westhampnett on Wikipedia

Above Left: The late Joe Roddis. Centre: The book by Joe and Mark. Right: Mark with his RAF Tangmere 100 Objects book.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Warrant Officer Raymond William Tocker 73469 (18 June 1931 to 24 September 2015)

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 11th of February 2013

Released: 6th of January 2026

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 32 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood pulled another previously unpublished older interview out of the archives. The recording is with the late Ray Tocker, who was a good mate of Dave’s. On a visit to Ray’s place, a couple of blocks from Dave’s, Ray began telling stories of his RNZAF service so Dave gained permission to pull his recorder out of his rucksack and hit record.

The result was a great conversation with Ray telling some wonderful and often very funny stories about his days in the RNZAF in the 1950s. The conversation was heavily focused on his days at RNZAF Base Ohakea working in the maintenance hangar on Mosquitoes, Devons, a Grumman Avenger, and more. And he also talks about some adventures when he was a Flight Engineer on the Short Sunderland flying boat, including the incident where he was aboard Sunderland NZ4113 when it scraped its belly along the new runway at the opening of Wellington Airport, and how he repaired the hole to save the aircraft.

Ray was awarded a medal for his actions in saving the aircraft. From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999:

TOCKER, Warrant Officer Raymond William, (cvsa).
H73469; Born Ohakune, 18 Jun 1931; RNZAF 14 Apr 1949 to 27 Apr 1973; Engine Fitter, then Flight Engineer.
Citation Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air (QB1960): Not available. The following is an extract from a letter to the then Sgt Tocker from the CAS – “This well earned award recognises your personal efforts in enabling the Sunderland damaged at the opening of Wellington Airport [on 25 Oct 1959] to carry out a safe landing on its return to Hobsonville.”

Quick Links:

• Ray’s autobiography Adventures of a Kiwi Airman on Amazon For any inquiries into this book, contact Ray’s daughter Ali, email: [email protected]

Ray Tocker (cvsa) in the centre, representing the Cambridge RSA during an ANZAC Day. Note his Mosquito lapel pin.

Ray Tocker in the centre wit his hand on his heart during a special ceremony that marked the 70th Anniversary of the Amiens Prison Raid held at the Cambridge Cenotaph. You can hear more about this and Ray’s speech in the Amiens Raid episode HERE

Above: Five photos come via Antonio McDonald of that hangar fire at Ohakea that Ray talks about.

Here is an Archives NZ film about that Rongotai Airshow for Wellington Airport’s opening, showing the unfortunate incident for the Sunderland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPXcByce_hY

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Flight Lieutenant Wilfrid Leopold “Buck” Pound NZ427559 – 21 October 1922 to 27 January 2021

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 29th of June 2013

Released: 31st of December 2025

Duration:  53 minutes 23 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood interviews WWII RNZAF bomber pilot ‘Buck’ Pound. He spent a short time in the Army in Tauranga after WWII broke out, before getting into the RNZAF. His initial training was at Rotorua, and he began flying training at Ashburton on de Havilland Tiger Moths. Next he progressed onto flying Airspeed Oxfords at Wigram.

Upon passing out with his flying badge, Buck was posted to England where he flew more Oxfords, and then onto Vickers Wellingtons at No. 11 Operational Training Unit at Westcott. He and his crew, and his best mate Robbie who was another pilot with his own crew, volunteered to got to Italy. They joined No. 104 Squadron at Foggia, flying Wellingtons in the night bombing role. He talks about some of the experiences he had including a terrifying night when the Wellington was struck by lightning and they lost all their instruments.

Following the tour in Italy, Buck was sent to by converted onto Mosquitoes. And he ended up flying Mosquitoes from Malta in a specialist target marking role.

After the war Buck got into banking and finance. Buck was a member of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association. He passed away on the 27th of January 2021.

Quick Links:

• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association

• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page

Photos from Wilfred ‘Buck’ Pound’s collection, via The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud

Guests: Reg Mitchell – No. 488 (NZ) Squadron
Keith Boles DFC – No. 109 Squadron PFF
Harold “Bunny” Burrows – No. 487 (NZ) Squadron, and No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, and
Martial “Sonny” Gaspard – No. 75 Squadron RNZAF

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 2nd of March 2013

Released: 25th of November 2025

Duration:  1 hour  19 minutes 23 seconds

To mark the 85th Anniversary of the first flight of the de Havilland Mosquito, which took place on the 25th of November 1940, Dave Homewood has pulled an old but never before heard interview from his archive he recorded in 2013 with four Kiwi Mossie veterans.

They are pilots Reg Mitchell and Keith Boles DFC, and navigator-wireless operators Harold “Bunny” Burrows and Martial “Sonny” Gaspard. The recording was made at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, and the guys share memories and tell stories from their days flying one of the greatest aeroplanes of all time. As well as war stories, Keith and Bunny also talk about ferrying Mosquitoes to New Zealand after the war. You will also hear Peter Wheeler ask a question too, as he sat in on the interview.

Sadly these four wonderful gentlemen have all since passed away.

Quick Links:

• The de Havilland Mosquito on Wikipedia

• The Museum of Transport and Technology

Above, from left to right: Keith Boles, ‘Bunny’ Burrows, Reg Mitchell and Sonny Gaspard in front of the MOTAT Mosquito. Dave Homewood photo.

Above Left: Sonny, Reg and Bunny. Above Right: Sonny and Bunny. In the background is the late Peter Wheeler of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association, who sat in on the interview. Dave Homewood photos.

Above: Bunny Burrows receiving his brevet in 1942. NZBCA Collection.

Above: No. 487 (NZ) Squadron crews. Bunny Burrows on the right and his pilot F/O Kassler on the left.
NZBCA Collection.

Above: No. 109 Squadron Kiwis at Little Staughton , Keith Boles is front left. NZBCA Collection.

Above: Keith Boles’ special 100th birthday gift , a Mosquito made from recycled Mosquito timber. Peter Wheeler Photo.

Above: No. 488 (NZ) Squadron night fighter aircrews at readiness. Reg Mitchell photo. Reg Mitchell collection.

Above: Above: Reg Mitchell at RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 1941. Reg Mitchell collection.

Above: Reg Mitchell, left, with his navigator. Reg Mitchell collection.

Above: No. 1 Navigators course. RNZAF Station Wigram. L-R: Back; Leans, Martial “Sonny” Gaspard, Stevens, Lafferty. Front; Collins, Campbell, Williams, Miller. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.

Above: Left to Right – No. 75 Squadron aircrew Bob Scott, Bill Annand, Nelson Bright, Colin Hanson, Dave Cohu and Sonny Gaspard, preparing to sink the stricken vessel Lutterworth (not the Shuttleworth, as Sonny remembered). Dave Cohu collection.

Above: No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Mossie crews, left to right: Colin Hanson, ‘Joe’ Mace, Ernest Gartrell (75 CO), Cyril Waters, Owen Staple, Ted Arundel, ‘Mac’ McBean, Noel Fraser, Sonny Gaspard, Tony Williams, Rod Dahlberg, Mitch Mitchell, Gordon Shearer. RNZAF Official Photo.

Music: The tune is the 633 Squadron theme by Ron Goodwin.
Thanks to: The late Peter Wheeler of the NZBCA, and MOTAT.

Guest: Squadron Leader Geoffrey Maurice Rothwell, DFC+Bar, BC Clasp, CDeG1940 + Palme(Bel), COdLeoll + Palme(Bel), LdH (Fra).
RAF 42726, RNZAF. WWII. POW#5865
3 April 1920 to 5 November 2017

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 4th of March 2015

Released: 9th of November 2025

Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 56 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood interviews the remarkable WWII veteran Geoff Rothwell, in this recording from the archive, recorded a decade ago.

Geoff was an RAF bomber pilot. He joined in July 1939 after working for the construction company that was building RAF Station Benson and watching the Fairey Battles there. He trained on de Havilland Tiger Moths and Avro Ansons, before converting onto the Vickers Wellington. Once training was complete he joined No. 99 Squadron at RAF Newmarket Heath, and flew Wellingtons during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain.

Following his first tour, Geoff became an instructor on Wellingtons for a period. He was then sent to the USA to do instructing work there in Alabama for RAF trainees who were being trained by American instructors and needed teaching the British methods they’d need when they reached operations. He was also expected to act as an ambassador for the RAF, giving educational talks based on his operational experiences to all sorts of groups in the USA about how the war really was.

When posted back to Britain Geoff was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron as a Flight Commander, again at Newmarket. He was not there for long however before he was removed from the squadron dure to a policy that Flight Commanders and Squadron Commanders on New Zealand squadrons had to actually be Kiwis.

He took his New Zealand crew, and moved to No. 218 Squadron. They completed their second tour with that squadron.

Geoff’s next posting was to No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, tasked with air dropping SOE Agents and supplies for the Resistance people in Europe. He completed 70 operational sorties, but on the 71st he was brought down in his Stirling over enemy territory and became a prisoner of war.

Geoff was also previously featured telling his story in the television documentary series Kiwis At War. He passed away on the 5th of November 2017.

Huge thanks to Stuart Russell for his assistance in rescuing the original recording, which had audio issues that he magically removed.

Quick Links:

• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association

• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page

• The 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog Page on Geoff Rothwell

• Buy the book “Last Man Standing – : Geoffrey Rothwell, Survivor of 71 Missions, POW and Last of the SOE Pilots” by his widow Gabrielle McDonald-Rothwell on Amazon

“Rothwell’s Ruffians”, just after the crew had left No. 75 (NZ) Squadron and moved onto No. 218 Squadron RAF. Left to right: ‘Ginger’ Negus (Mid Upper Gunner), Mac McGrevy (Flight Engineer), Jock Howat (Rear Gunner), Jacky Drawbridge (Navigator), Geoff Rothwell (Pilot), ‘Whistle’ Entwhistle (Wireless Operator) and Wal Fielding (Air Bomber).

Photos from The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive via the late Peter Wheeler.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud