Eric Quinn Biographies

MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-010001.jpg
MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-010002.jpg
MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-020001.jpg
MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-020002.jpg

Title

Eric Quinn Biographies

Description

Two biographies of Eric.

Date

2019-12-24

Temporal Coverage

Language

Format

Four typed sheets

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Contributor

Identifier

MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-010001,MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-010002, MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-020001, MQuinnEJ4210077-200209-020002

Transcription

KC/NF

4210077: Flight Sergeant Eric James QUINN.
PARENTS: Mr. & Mrs. H.J. Quinn of Wellington.

Eric Quinn was born at Wellington on the 29th February, 1924, and received his secondary education at Wellington College, where he was successful in passing the Matriculation examination, also in gaining the Higher Leaving Certificate. He furthered his education by studying at the Teachers’ Training College and at night classes at Victoria University College for his Bachelor of Arts Degree. At the time of his making application for enlistment for aircrew training on the 1st May, 1942, he was employed as a student teacher by the Wellington Education Board.

Flight Sergeant Quinn was enlisted on the 22nd August, 1942, at the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua, for training as aircrew and on the 10th January, 1943, embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Flt/Sgt. Quinn arrived in Canada on the 29th January, 1943, at No. 3 “M” Depot, Edmonton, Alberta and was posted on the 21st February, 1943, to No. 7 Air Observers’ School, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where on the 9th July, 1943, he was awarded the air navigator’s badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 9th January, 1944. Meanwhile on the 20th July, 1943, he had proceeded to No 1 “Y” Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

F/Sgt. Quinn arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 12th August, 1943, and was posted to No. 4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, West Freugh, Scotland, on 14th September, 1943, where he remained until posting early in November to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire. At this unit and its nearby satellite airfield at Oakley, he crewed up and completed his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. Early in May, 1944, F/Sgt. Quinn was posted to No. 1651 Conversion Unit,

[inserted] FILE 6/6/19 [signature] [/inserted]

[page break]

E.J. QUINN.

2.

Wratting Common, Cambridgeshire, for converting to Stirling bomber aircraft and thence in June to No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, Norfolk, where he trained on Lancaster bomber aircraft. On 26th June, 1944, F/Sgt. Quinn was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at Mepal, Cambridgeshire, where, as navigator of Lancaster bomber aircraft, he took part in 8 operational flights, including 3 raids on V.1 weapon sites in France; the marshalling yards at Shalons sur Marne and Aulnoye, in France, and a raid on a Panzer Unit at Cagny, in France.

F/Sgt. Quinn was the navigator of a Lancaster bomber aircraft which took off on the night of 20/21st July, 1944, to attack the target of Homberg, in Germany and failed to return to its base and all the members of the crew, including F/Sgt. Quinn, were classified as missing. No further news was heard of F/Sgt. Quinn and subsequently his death was officially presumed as at 21st July, 1944.

5/2/15521 AS2
335 hrs. as navigator.

Mr. [deleted] A [/deleted] [inserted] H. [/inserted] J. Quinn
207 Hanson St.,
[underlined] WELLINGTON. [/underlined]

[inserted] FILE. 6/6/19 [signature] [/inserted]

[page break]

FLIGHT SERGEANT ERIC JAMES QUINN
RNZAF 75 SQUADRON
NZ4210077

[black and white head and shoulders photograph of Sergeant Quinn wearing his uniform]

Born 29th February 1924 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Parents Mr and Mrs H J Quinn 207 Hanson Street Wellington, New Zealand.

Education Attended Wellington College, gaining the Higher Leaving Certificate and passing the Matriculation examination. He continued his education at the Teacher’s Training College and at night classes at Victoria University College for his Batchelor of Arts degree. At the time of his Application for aircrew training on the 1st May 1942 He was employed as a student teacher by the Wellington Education Board.

Military Service Eric Quinn enlisted on the 22nd August 1942 at the Initial Training Wing Rotorua, for training as aircrew and on the 10th January 1943 embarked for Canada to continue his training Under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Quinn arrived in Canada on the 29th January 1943 at No 3 “M” Depot Edmonton, Alberta and was posted on the 21st February 1943 to No 7 Air Observer’s School, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where on The 9th July 1943 he was awarded the air navigator’s badge and promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was again promoted on the 9th January 1944 to the rank of Flight Sergeant. Meanwhile on the 20th July 1943 he had proceeded to No 1 “Y” Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Flt/Sgt Quinn arrived at No 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 12th August 1943 and was posted to No 4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, West Freugh, Scotland on 14th September 1943 where he remained until posting early in November to No 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire. At this unit and its nearby satellite airfield at

[page break]

Oakley, he crewed up and completed his training on Wellington Bombers. Early in May 1944 Flt/Sgt Quinn was posted to No 1651 Conversion Unit, Wrattling Common, Cambridgeshire for converting To Stirling bombers and then in June to No 3 Lancaster Finishing School, Feltwell, Norfolk where he trained on Lancasters. On 26th June 1944 Flt/Sgt Quinn was posted to No 75 (NZ) Squadron at Mepal Cambridgeshire, where as a navigator on Lancasters he took part in 8 operational flights and completed 335 hours which included three Raids on V1 weapon sites in France; the marshalling yards at Shalons Sur Marne and Aulnoye and a raid on a Panzer Unit at Cagny.

Flt/Sgt Quinn was the navigator of Lancaster III ND8000/J captained By P/O Kenneth McIndoe RNZAF which took off at 2320 from Mepal to raid an oil plant at Homberg, Ruhr, Germany and was lost without trace with all members of the crew posted as missing.

All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Flt/Sgt Quinn Is on panel 264.

MS/24.12.2019

Collection

Citation

“Eric Quinn Biographies,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed December 12, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/34608.

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