Johnny Checketts, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Johnny Checketts

New Zealand flying ace

Date of Birth: 20-Feb-1912

Place of Birth: Invercargill, Southland Region, New Zealand

Date of Death: 23-Apr-2006

Profession: flying ace

Nationality: New Zealand

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

John Milne "Johnny" Checketts, (20 February 1912 – 21 April 2006) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Second World War, who was credited with the destruction of ?14 1/2 enemy aircraft, three probably destroyed and 11 damaged. Born in Invercargill, Checketts worked as a mechanic before joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in October 1940.
After completing his flight training he was sent to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force.
From January 1942, he flew with No.
485 (NZ) Squadron before being posted to No.
611 Squadron.
He returned to No.
485 Squadron in August 1943 as its commander but two months later was shot down over occupied France.
He was returned to the United Kingdom by the French Resistance.
He later commanded a wing carrying out operations in support of the D-Day landings and escorting heavy bombers on raids into Germany. After the war, he remained in the RNZAF, commanding air bases in New Zealand and Fiji.
Returning to civilian life in 1954, he set up an aerial topdressing company and later did conservation work.
He died in 2006, at the age of 94.