HMNZ Achillies: Crew Member Information Required

[vividvanuatu]

warm good morning from Vanuatu.

I wonder if any body out there could help me please.

I am trying to find out any information on the following member of the crew from HMNZS Achilles.

HUTCHINS, Terence A T, Petty Officer, 1207 (RNZN), Achilles (RNZN), 22 May 1942, illness, died

Mr Hutchins is buried in the Port Vila cemetery here in Vanuatu and with ANZAC day approaching we would like to find out a bit more info on him.

Many thanks from here.

Andrew

[John Brown]

Andrew

I have moved your post from the 'Battles and Events' section to here as I think it is more appropriate and so should receive a beter response.

The following information appears in the CWGC records......

Petty Officer TERENCE ARTHUR THOMAS HUTCHINS

1207, Royal New Zealand Navy
who died age 25
on 22 May 1942
Son of Arthur and Edith Hutchins; husband of Violet Myrtle Hutchins, of Auckland City, New Zealand.
Remembered with honour
PORT VILA MUNICIPAL CEMETERY

Which may be just a little more info than you already have.

Also...here is brief account of the movements of the Achillies in May 1942 taken from naval-history.net which may be useful to you.

May

4th Arrived at Vila with convoy.

5th Joined US Task Force 17 with HMAS AUSTRALIA and HMAS HOBART for the support of

US amphibious operations in SW Pacific.

20mm Oerlikon guns fitted (Ex HMS LEANDER).

6th Commenced series of night patrols off New Hebrides.

25th Escorted US ships to Wallis Island.

29th Deployed for further escort of US ships to Wallis Island.



Good luck with your research.


Regards...John

[Old Salt]

The RNZN historian has sent me the following :

QUOTE: I am now able to advise further on the cause of death. I have a death certificate that indicates he died in French Hospital, Villa, New Hebrides. The cause of death is shown as "following operation for acute appendicitis." What happened here is that he fell victim to appendicitis and they operated on him but it seems as if it was too late to save him and he died after the operation. Given the medical standards of 1942 I am sure all that was possible was done. A tragedy in time of war.

Please note that although he died in hospital, his death is officially recorded as on active service given that he was serving in HMNZS Leander. UNQUOTE

Brian