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Keith Thiele - Obituary
Keith Thiele, one of New Zealand’s greatest World War II pilots, has died in Sydney at the age of 94. His death was disclosed tonight by family members who said a private funeral service was held in Sydney today.
Christchurch-born Thiele was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and three Distinguished Flying Crosses (DFC), one of only three New Zealand aircrew to be so honoured, and he was the only New Zealand flier to win a DFC on both bombers and fighters.
He flew two tours with Bomber Command in 1942 and 1943, flying with Canadian and Australian squadrons, and emerged unscathed from more than 50 operations with two DFCs and the DSO.
Twice Thiele brought damaged Lancasters home on two engines after the aircraft were badly damaged by enemy fire. It’s almost certain that at the end of his second tour Thiele was offered command of 617 Squadron, the famed Dambusters, but turned the opportunity down because he had always wanted to fly fighters.
After a period delivering Canadian-built Lancasters across the Atlantic, Thiele converted to fighters and first flew Spitfires with 41 Squadron.
In early 1945 he was given command of 3 Squadron flying Tempests from Holland. He destroyed two enemy fighters before he was shot down by flak while attacking trains in Germany, narrowly escaping lynching after landing by parachute.
Slightly wounded, he was taken prisoner but was only held captive for a few weeks before escaping from a hospital and getting back to Allied lines to rejoin his squadron.
Postwar he flew as a senior captain for Qantas and later established the marina at Spit Junction. He sailed his own yacht to New Zealand several times. Thiele is survived by his daughter Jo and grandchildren.
Max Lambert