The names on the Kaiparoro bridge (4)

The three names on the right hand side of the memorial plaque (1939-1945) commemorate local people - one of them a woman - who served and died in World War Two.

Photo: Sue Pearce

The first name is that of W.E. Kewley.

William Edward Kewley was born on 10 May 1918. He was a fighter pilot in Royal New Zealand Air Force and was killed in action on 27 April 1944, aged 25, when he was  shot down over Germany. He is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Bad Tolz, Bayern, Germany.

This is William Kewley's entry on the Auckland War Memorial Museum's Online cenotaph website. 

These newspaper articles (from the Press, 12 July, Press, 14 July 1944 and  the Evening Post, 9 December 1944) trace what was known of him, from missing on air operations, to believed killed in action to presumed dead. You can hardly imagine how awful it must have been for his family - and so many other families throughout the war -  waiting, and waiting, and not knowing, 

Pilot Officer William Edward Kewley - No known copyright restrictions

The next name that appears is M.O.McAnulty VA.

Margaret Olive McAnulty was born on 10 February 1916. She was a telephone exchange operator and signed up in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Medical Division. Margaret McAnulty was killed in action on 21 October 1943, aged 27, in a traffic accident. She is buried in Moascar War Cemetery. Egypt. This is her entry on the Online cenotaph website. 

The traffic accident (in which two other nurses and  a Medical Corps corporal were also killed) caused much shock and distress. This article from the Press on 28 October 1943 describes the accident and funeral. 



The last name is that of B. C. Minett, and he is the one I have been able to find out the least about.

Brian Charles Minett  enlisted in 25 Infantry Battalion.  He was killed in action on 27 November 1941, aged 25 and is buried in an unknown grave in Egypt or Libya. His name is on the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.