Antonio Dini
Antonio Dini | |
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| Birth name | Antonio Simmons Dini |
| Born | 7 January 1918 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 31 May 1940 (aged 22) near Folkestone, England |
| Buried | Hawkinge Cemetery, England |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–1940 |
| Rank | Pilot officer |
| Service number | 40609 |
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars |
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Antonio Simmons Dini (7 January 1918 – 31 May 1940) was a New Zealand
Born in Christchurch, Dini joined the RAF in 1938. After a period of service on loan to the Fleet Air Arm and then flying with No. 66 Squadron, in early May 1940 he was posted to No. 607 Squadron. Flying a Hawker Hurricane fighter, he destroyed a number of German aircraft during the Battle of France. After returning to England later in the month, he was transferred to No. 605 Squadron. He was killed when his aircraft crashed near Folkestone shortly after taking off for the flight to join his new unit.
Early life
Born on 7 January 1918 in Christchurch, Antonio Simmons Dini was one of seven children of Pietro Antonio Dini and his wife Minnie née Moorhouse.[1][2] Of Corsican descent, he was educated at Christchurch Technical College after which he found employment at the Post & Telegraph Department.[1]
Royal Air Force
Dini made a successful application to join the Royal Air Force (RAF) on a short service commission with the serial number 40609, leaving for England in December 1937. Dini started flight training early the following year at the de Havilland flying school at Hatfield Aerodrome, proceeded to the RAF station at Uxbridge, and then on to No. 3 Flying Training School at South Cerney.[1][3]
After gaining his
Second World War
By the time of Dini's return to active duty after recovering from the injuries arising from his crash, the
Battle of France
No. 607 Squadron saw little activity for much of its time in France.[9] However, once the Battle of France commenced on 10 May, Dini was promptly in action. At around 4:15 am, he and two other pilots from his squadron engaged Heinkel He 111 medium bombers that were attacking the airfield at Vitry. He damaged one of the bombers. Dini made three more sorties that day; in the afternoon, he shared in the destruction of a He 111, had sole credit for another shot down He 111 and on his last flight of the day, damaged yet another He 111.[8][10]
Dini helped shoot down another He 111 on 11 May northeast of Brussels and then two days later destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter close to Diest. He engaged and claimed to have shot down a Dornier Do 17 medium bomber on 16 May, although this could not be conclusively confirmed. The next day, Vitry was raided again and Dini's Hurricane was damaged during the attack, forcing his return to the airfield. Despite this, later in the day he destroyed a Do 17 bomber east of Cambrai and then shot down two He 111s near Binche, in Belgium. He may have shot down another two Do 17s the following day, but this was unable to be verified.[10][11]
By 22 May, No. 607 Squadron had been withdrawn to England and was reassembling at
According to aviation historians Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, Dini is credited with destroying five enemy aircraft, and shared in the destruction of two more, two damaged, and three inconclusive.[10]
Notes
- ^ a b c d Lambert 2011, pp. 54–55.
- ^ a b "Casualty Details: Antonio Simmons Dini". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d Martyn 2008, p. 165.
- ^ "No. 34592". The London Gazette. 24 January 1939. p. 546.
- ^ "English Channel Tragedy: Dominion Officer Escapes". New Zealand Herald. No. 23369. 10 June 1939. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Memory Blank: Sequel to Air Crash". New Zealand Herald. No. 23435. 26 August 1939. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ Rawlings 1976, pp. 163–165.
- ^ a b Lambert 2011, pp. 56–57.
- ^ a b Rawlings 1976, p. 488.
- ^ a b c Shores & Williams 1994, p. 222.
- ^ a b Lambert 2011, p. 58.
- ^ Rawlings 1976, pp. 486–487.
- ^ Martyn 1999, p. 82.
References
- Lambert, Max (2011). Day After Day: New Zealanders in Fighter Command. Auckland: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86950-844-9.
- Martyn, Errol (1999). For Your Tomorrow - A Record of New Zealanders Who Have Died While Serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services Since 1915 - Volume One: Fates 1915–1942. Christchurch: Volplane Press. ISBN 0-473-06311-5.
- Martyn, Errol (2008). For Your Tomorrow – A Record of New Zealanders Who Have Died While Serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services Since 1915 – Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices. Christchurch: Volplane Press. ISBN 978-0-473-12829-6.
- Rawlings, John (1976). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: MacDonald & James. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
- Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-898697-00-0.