Robert Spurdle

Shortly after his award of the DFC was announced, he took part in the Dieppe Raid. During the operation, No. 92 Squadron was tasked with targeting German vessels that could disrupt the landings being made by the Canadian forces. Spurdle flew four patrols during the day. By the end of the month, he was very fatigued and was shifted to No. 116 Squadron, which was involved in less strenuous work: radar and anti-aircraft cooperation duties. He was then loaned to the RNZAF, returning to New Zealand in December 1942.

Solomon Islands Spurdle was tasked with establishing a Camera Gun Assessing School, based at the RNZAF's base at Ohakea, a duty that he performed from January to May 1943. He was then posted as a flight commander in the RNZAF's No. 16 Squadron. At the time, it was operating Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks and based at Woodbourne, preparing for service in the Solomon Islands campaign.

By the end of June, it was operating from Espiritu Santo, carrying out anti-submarine patrols and intercepting Japanese aircraft. The following month, it shifted to Guadalcanal where its main role was to be acting as escort to American bombers. Although the Japanese fighter aircraft were carrying fewer offensive operations by this time, Spurdle shot down a Hap, a variant of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, on 13 August. A Zeke fighter, another Zero variant, was destroyed nearly two weeks later. During its time at Guadalcanal, the squadron also searched for Japanese barges transporting supplies to isolated garrisons in the Solomons. On one such mission, Spurdle and his wingman damaged a barge at Choiseul Island and also destroyed three Japanese patrol boats. In mid-September, the squadron ceased operations on Guadalcanal and returned to New Zealand.

Return to Europe After a period of rest, Spurdle ended his attachment to the RNZAF and returned to England aboard the steamer Umgeni. He was posted to No. 130 Squadron in April; it operated from Lympe and flew Spitfire Vbs in bomber escort missions. His time with the squadron was brief for the following month, he was sent to No. 80 Squadron, based at Hornchurch. It was flying offensive operations to the continent, in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. A flight commander by the end of May, on D-Day, the squadron was originally held in reserve. Towards the end of the day, it escorted Short Stirlings that were towing gliders and during this mission, Spurdle and his flight attacked a German tank.

He was given command of the squadron two months later. Now an acting squadron leader, he oversaw his command's conversion from Spitfire IXs to the Hawker Tempest. He led the squadron during its support of the parachute landings at Arnhem, targeting the German flak guns.

Afterwards, and now flying from Holland, No. 80 Squadron joined No. 122 Wing. Originally tasked with defensive work, protecting bridges and airfields from attacks by the Luftwaffe, in December the squadron switched to offensive operations. Soon afterwards, he was credited with damaging two Junkers Ju 188 bombers. He was stood down from operations in early January 1945, on account of being fatigued from his extensive war service, and was sent to serve at the headquarters of No. 83 Group. Later that month, his award of a bar to his DFC was announced. He was invested with the DFC in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace later in the year.

Tiring of his headquarters role, Spurdle volunteered for duty as an air-support controller. Having received training in radio duties, Spurdle participated in Operation Varsity, the second airborne crossing of the Rhine. Attached to the British 6th Airborne Division, he was commander of three RAF radio teams. Landed by glider at Wesel on 24 March, his teams were tasked with handling of air-support for the ground forces involved in the action. For his work on this occasion, he was mentioned in despatches. He was later attached to the 11th Armoured Division, working in a similar role co-ordinating fighter activities in support of the British forces as they advanced to the Elbe, where he finished the war in May 1945.

Spurdle, now a wing commander, flew 565 operational sorties, including his glider flight with the 6th Airborne Division, during the course of the war, and was credited with destroying ten enemy aircraft, two, and a half share in another, probably destroyed and nine damaged. The aviation historian Mike Spick gives similar totals for Spurdle, although credits him with eleven damaged rather than nine.

Later life In July 1945, Spurdle was sent to the Central Gunnery School at Catfoss. He was to take an instructor's course there but a few days after his arrival, his service with the RAF ended and he was transferred to the RNZAF. This required him to give up his commission in the RAF. He was repatriated to New Zealand in November, sailing aboard the RMS Rangitata. He was transferred to the reserve in April 1946, after a period of leave.

Returning to civilian life, Spurdle established an engineering business in Wanganui. He became interested in maritime pursuits, taking up diving and going on a sailing cruise for four months around the South Pacific. Following this, he constructed a catamaran, the Whai, an endeavour which took four years. Once completed, he sailed the Whai to Japan. His account of the construction of the catamaran and its subsequent voyage to Japan was published as Into the Rising Sun in 1972. Moving to Whitianga, he completed a second catamaran in 1978. He later wrote his memoirs, The Blue Arena, published in 1986. He died on 5 March 1994 at Whitianga and his remains were interred at Mercury Bay cemetery. With his wife, Shirley, he had three children.