In Loving Memory
- WGCDR Scott 1921–1993
PLTOFF Alastair Scott
Tasked with hunting down Japanese boats in the Pacific during World War Two, Wing Commander Alastair Scott’s legacy to the Royal New Zealand Air Force is captured here by his daughter.
By Jenny Scott, WGCDR Scott’s Daughter
On 14 August 1945—when the announcement of the end of the war in the Pacific was made—24-year-old Flight Lieutenant Alastair ‘Scotty’ Scott was Adjutant of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No 6 Squadron, operating PBY-5 and PB2B-1 Catalina flying boats from Halavo Bay in the Solomon Islands.
The announcement brought with it operational priorities for the men of No 6 Squadron, including providing new Search and Rescue (SAR) cover for aircraft returning Servicemen to New Zealand, and closing the Base pending the Squadron disbanding.
No 6 Squadron had been flying Operations from Halavo Bay since Christmas Day 1943, including anti-submarine patrols and SAR cover for Kiwi and American aircrew attacking the Japanese stronghold at Rabaul.
When No 6 Squadron moved out of Halavo Bay, FLTLT Scott was responsible for closing the Base and repatriating personnel. During this process, FLTLT Scott recovered a collection of photographic negatives and prints that, in the rush to return to peace-time conditions, were at risk of being discarded.
The memories of Halavo Bay—the mosquitoes, rations, and distance from loved ones—were recent enough that few gave priority to photographs that recorded the men and activities of the Squadron. But FLTLT Scott, in his methodical way, did. He ended up carrying these precious ‘time capsules’ with him from Halavo Bay to Fiji, Shelly Bay, Whenuapai, Ohakea, Wellington, and on retirement in 1971, to Adelaide.
In 1991 Scotty was diagnosed with heart disease and as his health deteriorated, I got out the old photos and started asking questions—questions I knew had some urgency. Together, we wrote to former No 6 Squadron colleagues attempting to identify the men in the photos and collect memories of Halavo Bay.
Current technology such as Flickr provided a new opportunity to provide access to the photos and I began the process of scanning and uploading the photos in the hope that members of No 6 Squadron and their children would find them.
Thanks for the memories, Dad, you are not forgotten.
WGCDR Scott’s RNZAF Resume
WGCDR Alastair Scott joined the RNZAF in 1940 serving as:
- Assistant New Zealand Liaison Officer with the Air Ministry London (1940–1943)
- Chief Manning Officer RNZAF HQ Wellington (1943–44)
- Administration Officer No 6 and No 5 F/B Squadrons Solomon Islands, New Hebrides and Fiji (1944–46)
- Chief Manning Officer Wellington (1946–49)
- Officer Commanding School of Administration (1950–55)
- Inspector of Administration (1955–57)
- Senior Administrative Officer Ohakea (1957–62)
- Director of Personnel Services (1963–65)
- Chief Personnel Staff Officer (1965–68), and
- RNZAF Representative on Armed Forces Personnel Study group (1968–71).
WGCDR Scott retired from the RNZAF in 1971.
Photographic memories of No 6 Squadron are available on the following websites: