New Zealand Memorial Cross: Pilot Officer Clement Neville Buist, No. 58 Squadron, RAF

Sterling silver New Zealand Memorial Cross (Geo VI). Impressed reverse 'RAF42590 P/O N.C. BUIST'. In original case of issue.

Awarded to the next of kin of Australian born 42690 Pilot Officer Clement Neville (Neville) Buist, No. 58 Squadron, RAF who was killed in action on 19 June 1940 in Germany. He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Born in 1919 to Clement John and Gladys Buist, Neville was largely raised by his aunt, Miss Beatrice Buist, who referred to her nephew as her adopted son. In his teens Neville moved to New Zealand to live with another aunt, Mrs A Esam, where he attended St Patrick's College in Wellington. In 1939, intending to join the Royal Air Force, Buist travelled to England, arriving there in July. He trained as a pilot and joined 58 Squadron RAF, flying Whitley bombers.

At 2115 hours on 18 June 19140 Whitley MK V N1460 GE-R took off from Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire, to take part in a bombing raid on Castrop-Rauxel in the German Ruhr Valley, with Buist as second pilot. The aircraft was shot down and crashed near Neukirche-Vluyn, 10 kilometres north-west of Krefeld, early in the morning of 19 June. There were no survivors.

The New Zealand Memorial Cross has been awarded to the next of kin of all New Zealand servicemen and women who were killed while on war service or operational service overseas, or who subsequently died of wounds received while on war service or operational service overseas, since the beginning of the Second World War.