Robert Sim

These notes are RNZAF official.

Robert Sim was born at Gisbourne on the 28th June 1919 and received his secondary education at Gisbourne High School attaining matriculation standard. Outstanding in sport he played both Rugby and Cricket for his school fifteen and first eleven respectively. After leaving school he accepted an appointment as clerk with the Cook hospital board, Gisbourne. His application was for service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was made on the 29th September 1939.

It was the 26th October 1940 when he enlisted at the Ground Training School Leyin, and after completing a short ground training course was posted on the 23rd November to No 3 EFTS, Hareswood to commence his flying training. From here he proceeded on the 17th January 41 to No 2 SFTS Woodbourne where on the 3rd March he was awarded his flying badge and on the 12th April received his promotion to Sergeant. Later when serving in England on the 1st November 1941 he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant and on the 1st June 1942, to Warrant Officer. On the 29th October 1942 he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and on the 29th 1943 promoted to Flying Officer. Meanwhile after completing his course at the SFTS on the 29th April 1941 he embarked for the UK.

The journey was made by way of Canada and it was the 29th June 1941 when F/O Sim arrived in England and reported to No.3 Personnel Reception Centre Bournemouth, remaining here on attachment until posted on the 15th July to No58 OTU Grangemouth Stirlingshire Scotland, for operational training on Spitfire fighter aircraft. At the end of this part of his training he was retained at the OTU for duty as a staff pilot. He remained here until the 17th September 1941 when he was posted to No. 130 Sqn then at Portreath Cornwall and later at Harrowbeer, Devon and Warmwell Dorset. Commencing operational flying with this Squadron he took part in 29 operations comprising 18 convoy patrols, 4 fighter sweeps and 7 enemy aircraft interception flights. This tour of operations completed he embarked on the carrier HMS Eagle on the 23rd February 1942 to proceed to the Middle East on posting to 249 Sqn Takali Malta. When approximately 800 miles off Malta he took off in his Spitfire to arrive 4 hours later at Takali. As during his flight his aircraft was liable to be intercepted by enemy aircraft this counted as an additional operation. Incidentally this was the first occasion on which a Spitfire has been flown off an aircraft carrier. With no 249 Sqn he carried out a further 8 operational flights, his total now being 38 operations. These additional operations comprised 7 enemy aircraft interception flights and one bomber escort flight. He was next posted on the 6th April 1942 to No 185 Sqn stationed at Hal Far also in Malta and with this Squadron he carried out 38 enemy aircraft interception flights, one air sea rescue flight and one armed patrol, his total of operations now standing at 79. During these additional operations he had destroyed 2 ME 109F's and a Junkers 88 and damaged another JU88 and his Squadron Leader endorsed his log book.

"Recommended that this pilot be recommended for D.F.C when he has destroyed one more enemy aircraft. A very reliable section leader.

On the 23rd July 1942 F/O Sim left Malta by air to return to England where he arrived on the 29th July and after a brief period of leave was posted on 20th August to No. 52 OTU, Aston Down Gloucestershire, for duty as an instructor. He remained with this unit until the 5th May 1943 when he resumed operational flying with No. 616 Squadron, Ibsley Hampshire, taking part in 9 fighter sweeps, 4 shipping strikes, three armed patrols, one convoy patrol and one enemy aircraft interception flight. These operational flights brought his total to 97.

On the 15th June 1943 F/O Sim was pilot of a Spitfire fighter engaged on a shipping strike off the Channel Islands. During the course of this operation his aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire and was last seen gliding down toward the sea. When he failed to return to his base he was classified as missing and after due time had elapsed his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 15th June 1943 as the result of air operations and that he lost his life at sea.

These details were kindly provided by Ian Le Sueur of Jersey who is part of a group studying aircraft losses in the sea around the Channel Isles. He in turn got them from the RNZAF Museum. I have reproduced them in full not only to provide Robert Sim's service history, but to show the depth of detail the RNZAF can provide. My thanks to Ian for pointing out this additional source of information.

The Squadron O.R.B. gives more details:

June 15. 8 aircraft led by S/L Lucas rendezvous with 4 Whirlibombers & 8 aircraft of 504 as escorts...
5 M Class minesweepers were seen... Yellow section [inc. Sim] took the "port" ships. The attacks were pressed home to a point blank range and strikes were obtained on the ships by all pilots. During the attack F/O Sim flying as Yellow 3 was heavily hit by a Bofor shell and his aircraft was seen to catch fire. He pulled away from the formation and was last seen at 300 feet with his arcraft on fire and a dead propeller, going down towards the water in a shallow dive. No one saw him 'ditch' nor yet to bale out. One of the 4 Whirlibombers was hit by flak and blew up. No claims are made by the remaining 3 Whirlibombers although it is believed that the pilot of the whirlibomber that was destroyed, registered a hit on one of the vessels. Throughout the attack there was intensive and accurate flak from all five ships.