Captain Euan Dickson

Euan Dickson was born in Sheffield, England on 31 March 1892. Details of his early life are not known, but it is understood that he emigrated to New Zealand in about 1912 and worked for an engineering firm in Thames. Early in 1916 he left again for the United Kingdom, obtaining his RNAS commission in July.

After the usual period of flying instruction at RNAS training establishments, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Dickson eventually received his call for service overseas and went to France in March 1917. Posted to the Sopwith Triplane-equipped 10 Squadron, RNAS, he spent only a few weeks with this unit, scoring no victories, before being transferred to 5 Squadron, RNAS at the end of April. This was a bomber unit flying Sopwith 1½ Strutters; within a few weeks it would be converting to the excellent DH4. 
 
Dickson remained with 5 Squadron (which became 205 Squadron, RAF on 1 April 1918) for well over a year, finally departing for Home Establishment in August 1918. He flew numerous sorties as a bomber pilot, and also as a fighter escort on bombing raids; in the course of these he scored fourteen victories (two shared), credited either to his front gun or to those of the several observers who flew with him. 
 
It was a score which ranked Dickson as one of the two most successful bomber pilots in the British air services, and all of his claims were made against enemy fighters, a tribute to the DH4’s ability to defend itself in combat. Seven of his victories were scored prior to 1 April 1918, making him New Zealand’s top-scoring pilot in the RNAS. 
 
Nevertheless, the destruction of enemy aircraft was very much a secondary concern for Dickson; his main task was that of accurately delivering bombs to a target and his Combat Reports tended to reflect this. An account of a victory over a Pfalz Scout on 27 March 1918 gave only the barest detail: "After one burst of 30 rounds from front gun the back guns opened fire and after 120 rounds the EA was lost sight of under our tail, and when next seen was below us with left wing folded back, spinning out of control and seen to crash." His outstanding performances as a bomber pilot and leader earned Dickson the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. One recommendation from his Commanding Officer, dated July 1918, said of him: "He has set a fine example to his formations by his gallantry and cool leadership under heavy barrage fire and attacks from Enemy Aircraft and always displayed the greatest dash and initiative." Dickson had been promoted to Flight Commander in March 1918 and finished the war with the rank of Captain. Following the Armistice there was little for him to do except await repatriation to New Zealand, but his transfer to the Unemployed List of the RAF did not occur until 15 November 1919. 
 
In becoming the first pilot to fly across Cook Strait, on 25 August 1920, Dickson accomplished a feat which brought him lasting fame in New Zealand aviation circles; indeed, the development of civil aviation in this country during the 1920s and 1930s owed much to his personal contribution. 
 
Euan Dickson died in Auckland on 10 March 1980, aged 87.