Wigram

Wigram is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. Technically called Wigram Park, the second half of its name is never used. The suburb lies close to the industrial estates of Sockburn and the satellite retail and residential zone of Hornby. It is seven kilometres to the west of the city centre.

Until 1993 Wigram was the home to one of the country's main Royal New Zealand Air Force bases, but this was closed after cutbacks in military spending. The Wigram Aerodrome still exists, and is now used by several private businesses. The airport has now been de-commissioned, and is now being subdivided for housing by Ngai Tahu under the name of Wigram Skies. The Canterbury Agricultural Park is located in Wigram.

Coordinates: 43°32′59″S 172°32′50″E / 43.5496°S 172.5472°E / -43.5496; 172.5472

New Zealand

New Zealand (/njuːˈziːlənd/ new-ZEE-lənd, Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses – that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu – and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long isolation, New Zealand developed a distinctive biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.

Somewhere between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that were to become New Zealand, and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the British Crown and Māori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant.

Johnny Checketts

Wing Commander John "Johnny" Milne Checketts, DSO, DFC (20 February 1912 - 21 April 2006) was a New Zealand World War II Flying ace, who destroyed 14½ enemy aircraft, had three probables and damaged 11. He was shot–down twice – once over the English Channel, when he was rescued from the sea by the Royal Navy, and once over occupied France, when he was returned to the United Kingdom by the French Resistance.

Early life

Checketts was born in Invercargill on 20 February 1912 and was educated at the Invercargill South School and Southland Technical College, where he studied engineering before undertaking an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic.

World War 2

Checketts joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in October 1940, at the age of 28. He graduated from his flying course in June 1941 as a Pilot Officer and was posted to the United Kingdom. After converting to Spitfires, Checketts joined 485(NZ) Squadron in November 1941. On 12 February 1942 the unit took part in operations over the English Channel during the German Operation Cerberus, when the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau made a high–speed dash from Brest to reach safety in German ports.