186

RV/NF

404023 : Sergeant James Watt FENTON.
WIFE : Mrs. J. Cameron.(re-married)
PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Fenton, of Invercargill.

James Fenton was born on the 27th April, 1917, at
Greenock, Scotland. He received his secondary education at
Southland Technical College, where he gained his Senior Free
Place. The sports in which he was actively interested were
hockey, ski-ing and swimming. Prior to his enlistment in the
R.N.Z.A.F., he was employed as a carpenter by A.B. Paterson and
Son, Inverearcargill.

Sgt. Fenton made application for aircrew training
on the 1st December, 1939. He was enlisted at the Ground Training
School, Levin, on the 27th October, 1940, and on satisfactorily
completing his initial training, embarked on the "Empress of
Russia" for Canada, on the 6th January, for instruction under
the Empire Air Training Scheme.

On arrival in Canada Sgt. Fenton was posted - on the
23rd January, 1941, to No. 1 Wireless School, Montreal. On the
18th August, 1941, he proceeded to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery
School, Jarvis, Ontario, where - on the 15th of the following
month he was awarded his air gunner's badge. He was promoted
to the rank of Sergeant two days later. On the 17th September,
1941, he was posted to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia,
for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Sgt. Fenton, shortly after arrival at No. 3 Personnel
Reception Centre, Bournemouth, was posted - on the 11th November,
1941, to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. Early
in January he proceeded to No. 42 Operational Training Unit,
Andover, Hampshire, where he crewed up and took part in air