Date of birth:

February 20th, 1912 (Invercargill/Southland, New Zealand)

Date of death:

April 21st, 2006 (Christchurch/Canterbury, New Zealand)

Service number:

NZ 403602

Nationality:

New Zealander

John Checketts joined the RNZAF in October 1940 when he was 28 which was relatively old for joining the air force. He received his wings in june 1941, sailed for the UK and was posted at No. 485 Squadron which was equipped with Spitfires.
On February 12th, 1942 he took part in the attacks on the Scharnhorst and Gneusenau who sailed from Brest to Hamburg.
On 4 May 1942 Checketts was shot down over the Channel. He managed to bail out though and spent som anxious hours in his dinghy before he was rescued by the Royal Navy. After a rest at the Gunnery School he was posted to No. 611 Squadron.
Early 1943 he started scoring against German fighters resulting in his first confirmed victory in May. In July 1943 he was made CO of No, 485 Squadron and began scoring heavily by shooting down 8 German aircraft over July and August.
On September 6th, 1943 he was shot down over Serquex/France and managed to bail out, though wounded and burned. Helped by a French boy, he was put into contact with the Resistance. Checketts and 12 other escapees were taken across the channel in a fishing boat on October 121st, 943.
After a posting as instructor he was given command of No. 1 Squadron which was by now equipped with the Hawker Typhoon but after six weeks was promoted to Wing Commander to lead 142 Spitfire Wing.
In 1945 Johnny Checketts was appointed Wing Commander Tactics at the Central Fighter Establishment.He destroyed 14½ enemy aircraft, had three probables and damaged 11. After the war he returned to the RNZAF, and became Station Commander of RNZAF stations Wigram, Lauthala Bay (Fiji) and Taieri (Dunedin). Checketts was appointed officer commanding 75 Squadron in 1951 and at Ohakea was responsible for introducing the de Havilland Vampire to form the RNZAF's first jet squadron. He retired in 1955 to take up aerial topdressing

Promotions:
June 1941: Pilot Officer
June 14th, 1942: Flying Officer
April 1943, Flight Lieutenant
July 1943: Squadron Leader
May1944: Wing Commander

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 485 (RNZAF) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

August 17th, 1943

Citation:
"This officer has led the squadron and, on occasions the wing, with great skill. He has invariably displayed great keenness to engage the enemy and has destroyed 2 enemy aircraft and damaged several more. In addition he has destroyed 2 Eboats and successfully attacked military installations."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 485 (RNZAF) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

December 3rd, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Wing Commander

Awarded on:

April 17th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "FRANCE AND GERMANY" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36135 published on the 13 August 1943
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36271 published on the 30 November 1943
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37036 published on the 13 April 1945
  - New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum
  - The Pro Patria Project