Squadron Leader Robert Hamish Balfour

'Jimmy' Balfour, born on 19 April 1917 in Waimate, worked as a stock and station agent with Pyne, Gould and Guinness in South Canterbury before the war.

He joined the RNZAF in 1940 and after graduation as a Pilot Officer on the 26th October 1940, served for two years as an instructor at various centres in New Zealand. 
 
By late 1942 the RNZAF had received a number of Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighters and commenced training for the move from New Zealand to the battle front in the Pacific. Balfour was posted to 18 Squadron RNZAF and in October 1943, by now a Flight Lieutenant, he commenced his first tour in the Soloman Islands with this unit based at New Georgia. 
 
The landing operations at Empress Augusta Bay on the morning of 1st November 1943 were co-ordinated with naval and air bombardments of the enemy airfields in the north and south of Bougainville. A patrol of eight aircraft from No. 18 Squadron was on station early in the morning and the pilots saw the initial landing. Shortly before eight o'clock they were vectored on to a large formation of enemy aircraft which had been picked up by radar. Balfour led his flight to a position 16,000 feet over Cape Torokina. A formation of 50 to 60 Mitsubishi Zero's were then seen flying down the middle of the island towards Kahili. They were flying in three Vs in good formation and their steady direction suggested that they were not interested in, and possibly were not aware of, the landing in Empress Augusta Bay. The New Zealanders immediately attacked, and in the next few minutes shot down seven of them and probably destroyed another. Jimmy Balfour accounted for two of these. 
 
On the 22nd November Balfour shot down another Zero and shared in a second over the same area - this time his formation numbering four and the enemy forty. Balfour continued the fight until the enemy retired. During this period 18 Squadron were also involved in attacks on anti-aircraft sites and shipping. 
 
Jimmy Balfour was awarded the DFC early in February 1944. During his second tour, based from Bougainville, he shot down a Japanese Navy Zero on the 13th February over Vunakanau - the main Japanese airfield near Rabaul. 
 
Promoted to Acting Squadron Leader in April 1944, Balfour was given command of 18 Squadron the following month. Now equipped with Vought Corsair aircraft the squadron were fully occupied in the ground attack and fighter bomber role. Staying in command until July 1944 Jimmy Balfour was awarded the American DFC (only the second New Zealander to receive this award) the same month and returned to New Zealand to resume instructing. 
 
Demobilised in 1945, he returned to his pre-war occupation.  
 
Jimmy Balfour died in Christchurch on 27th June 1996.