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VALE FRED SAWYER: Tatco. NZ

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Old 21st Feb 2009, 02:06
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Retired Tiger pilot
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VALE FRED SAWYER: Tatco. NZ

Fred Sawyer; pioneer aerial topdressing operator left us last night (Friday 20 Feb) at 23.00 hrs in Thames, New Zealand.

Keith Hale, long serving pilot with Thames Aerial Topdressing Co., which Fred started in 1950, has asked me to write and distribute this brief notice of Fred's last take-off.

Keith is assisting Fred's family to organise the farewell and tribute to this true gentleman. Please do Forward on to others that you can think of.

It is all to be held at the Hauraki Aero Club's new hangar at Thames Aerodrome. This is fitting as it is adjacent to TATCO's old Head office and maintenance hangar; now belonging to Dale Trust's Heliplane Services. And Fred was the club's first post WWII flying instructor as well.

Notices will be in the daily papers on Monday, but it is planned to hold the 'celebration' of Fred's long life commencing at 13.00 hrs next Wednesday, the 25th.

Mike Feeney.
Hamilton. NZ.
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Old 23rd Feb 2009, 07:20
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Hi Mike,

A sad day indeed and I am sorry that I will not be able to attend the 'wake'. Stuck in Subic Bay but will have a couple of DB draught to salute Fred and help bring back fond memories of North Auckland operations in Dargaville with Jim Cragg, Tom Morcom, Mal Douglas, George Dunn, John Hooper, Neville Hooper, Ginner Vennel's pub, 'Red' Breckon, Tangowahine Pub, Ruawai Hotel, Aratapu Hotel, and of course the Thames crew. Cyril Hall, John Houlton, Bill Haigh, Reville Stewart, Lindsay Wheeler, Keith Hale and numerous others, some who have fallen off the perch and gone to the big hangar in the sky!

My regards to all at the Hauraki Airfield wake.
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