A New Zealand veteran of the Battle of Britain has died in Nelson at the age of 96.
Alan Gawith, who was born in Wairarapa, joined Britain's Royal Air Force a year before World War II started and eventually reached the rank of wing commander.
When hostilities began, he flew in twin-engined Blenheim bombers that had been converted for night-fighting.
Besides attacking German planes over Britain, he flew protection for Allied bombers attacking across the English Channel.
Wings over Wairarapa airshow director Tom Williams says Wing Commander Gawith not only attacked German planes over Britain but launched raids across the channel.
Mr Williams says one of them, against a German communications base in the Netherlands, earned him a medal.
"They would seek out targets of opportunity, communications systems or aerodromes, and he got the DFC for bombing the communications centre at Eindhoven. His bombs wrecked the entire communications system of the German bomber command."
Wing Commander Gawith returned to New Zealand after the war and worked as a lawyer in Masterton.
His death leaves two New Zealand Battle of Britain veterans: Bernard Brown, who lives in Tauranga; and Keith Lawrence, who lives in Britain.