Geoffrey Fisken

Singapore and Malaya

In February 1941, Fisken was posted to Singapore to join No. 205 Squadron, a Royal Air Force (RAF) unit which was operating flying boats at the time. When he arrived, however, he discovered that these machines were being transferred to the RNZAF's No. 5 Squadron, so Fisken was instead sent to complete a fighter conversion course on Brewster Buffalo fighters. He was then posted to the RAF's No. 67 Squadron.^[5] This was in the process of forming at Kallang using Buffaloes on lend lease from the United States, and became operational in June. Then, in October, it was sent to Burma.^[6] Fisken did not go with the unit and instead was posted to join No. 243 Squadron.^[5] This was another fighter squadron based at Kallang and, like his previous squadron, was equipped with Buffaloes and tasked with the aerial defence of Singapore.^[7] The all-metal monoplane Buffaloes were deemed not fit for service in Europe and were sent to Singapore for second-line duties by the RAF. Heavy, underpowered and equipped with a manual fuel pump system that had to be operated by the pilots, it was not comparable with the modern fighters used by the Japanese.^[8]

The Japanese invaded British Malaya on 8 December and two days later No. 243 Squadron was involved in the unsuccessful defence of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. Fisken was flying one of two Buffaloes to arrive at the site of the sinking of the ships, describing the scene as "a grey metal bow sticking out of the sea, surrounded by an oil slick and many bodies".^[1] On 12 December, Fisken was part of a small detachment from No. 243 Squadron to briefly operate with an Australian squadron, No. 21 Squadron, flying from Ipoh,^[9] and returning to Singapore a few days later.^[10]

As the Japanese advanced down the Malay Peninsula, Singapore came under an increasing number of bombing raids, and No. 243 Squadron became increasingly committed to the defence of the city, often engaging formations of a hundred Japanese aircraft.^[1] On 12 January 1942, Fisken shot down a Nakajima Ki-27 fighter over Singapore. He claimed another fighter shot down two days later; initially deemed as probably destroyed, it was subsequently confirmed. On 17 January, he shot down two Mitsubishi G3M medium bombers, with a third probably destroyed, and four days later destroyed another fighter. In the intervening period he damaged another bomber.^[5]

By late January, No. 243 Squadron had lost the majority of its pilots and virtually all its aircraft. As a result, it was merged with the Australian No. 453 Squadron, which continued to operate, along with the RNZAF's No. 488 Squadron, against the Japanese in Singapore. Fisken claimed the destruction of another fighter on 1 February but he was injured in the arm and leg by a cannon shell before the dogfight ended. Unable to lower his undercarriage when he returned to Kallang, he crash landed on the airfield. He was evacuated to New Zealand shortly before Singapore fell. Fisken was subsequently commissioned as a pilot officer.^[1][5]

Solomon Islands campaign

In April the RNZAF formed No. 14 Squadron at Ohakea, using as its core flying and ground personnel who had served in Malaya with No. 488 Squadron. Employed in the home defence role, the squadron were initially equipped with North American Harvard trainer aircraft, while awaiting delivery of Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighters. These duly arrived at the end of the month.^[11] By this time Fisken, recovered from his wounds, had joined the squadron. He named his Kittyhawk Wairarapa Wildcat.^[5] By 1943 the RNZAF's focus in the war effort was supporting the advance of the United States forces in the Solomon Islands; its fighter squadrons began to move forward from New Zealand in April 1943.^[12]

No. 14 Squadron was posted to Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides, where they were tasked with the island's defence and carried interceptions of unidentified aircraft.^[13][14] On 11 June, it moved forward to the front line at Kukum Field on Guadalcanal, replacing No. 15 Squadron, which had been based there for the previous six weeks.^[15][16] The following day a large formation of Japanese fighters and bombers was detected and the squadron scrambled to attack the incoming aircraft. During the resulting engagement, Fisken destroyed a pair of Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters. On 4 July, Fisken was leading a patrol over Munda, New Georgia, when they were attacked by several Zeroes. He managed to evade his attackers and destroyed two of them. Then, while trying to rejoin his flight of aircraft, he spotted a Mitsubishi G4M medium bomber and shot this down.^[5][17][18]

In late September Fisken was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in "recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy in the Solomon Islands."^[19] However, by this time he was back in New Zealand; increasingly troubled with poor health, he had been repatriated the previous month. Fisken, who by this time held the rank of flying officer, was formally released on medical grounds from the RNZAF in December.^[4][5] The investiture for his DFC was held at Wellington the following year.^[20]