P/O Croydon Jelfs Edinburgh Chamberlain RNZAF received a short service commission with the RAF in October 1937 (one of the first in a group of 21 RNZAF airmen to be offered a commission) and was already in Britain when war broke out. I am not sure whether he was with 59 Squadron at this time but he was with them in France in support of the BEF upon his death on the 13th of May 1940 - (reported missing, presumed dead on 14th May 1940). Richard Los makes mention of Chamberlain in a squadron photo in Poix, France 1940. read more His obituary appeared in the New Zealand Herald the day following his death. This portrait of P/O Chamberlain appeared in the Weekly News. He was educated at Pukekohe High School.

Poix, 1939. The photograph taken from the memoirs of Richard Los.

Croydon is back row, second from the right.

Flight Global dated March 2nd 1939, notes that Chamberlain was confirmed in his rank as P/O with the RAF.

P/O Chamberlain is honoured on the Auckland Museum Cenotaph (muse.aucklandmuseum.com)

P/O Chamberlain is honoured on the CWGC Debt of Honour Roll (www.cwgc.org)

Update Nov. 2012: Max Lambert, author of Night After Night - NZers in Bomber Command (2005) and another last year on NZers in Fighter Command, sent in the following details:

"Chamberlain was in the 4th (4th) group of 12 and sailed on 30 Oct 1937. a total of 41 (41) SSC youngsters had sailed before Chamberlain's group. Chamberlain served with 16 Sqn (Lysander) from 29 April 39 until joining 59 just a few days before the start of the war. KAO 14 may 40... Wylie was in the 14th (14th) group of 18 and sailed on 19 Nov 1938. "