John Milne Checketts, DSO, DFC (20 February 1912 – 21 April 2006) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Second World War, who was credited with the destruction of 14+1⁄2 enemy aircraft, three probably destroyed and 11 damaged.

[16] The squadron, with largely New Zealand flying personnel but British ground crew and administration, was based at Kenley, south of London.

[17] At their first encounter, Checketts was depressed; he had struggled on his orientation flight in a Spitfire and was concerned that his squadron commander would transfer him on account of his poor performance.

[23] Although he did not encounter any German aircraft, Checketts, flying at the rear of his four-man section, used his Spitfire's cannon to help sink an E-boat.

[24] The squadron shot down four aircraft and damaged several others, as well as accounting for an E-boat and their exploits received extensive publicity in British and New Zealand newspapers.

[23][25] In March 1942, having already attacked an E-boat earlier in the flight, Checketts had his first dogfight with German aircraft while escorting Douglas Boston bombers on a mission to Le Havre.

[29] His injuries were minor and he returned to operational duties, carrying out interception and low-level strafing missions, escorting bombers, and undertaking fighter sweeps, within three days of being shot down.

[30] Checketts was promoted to flying officer in June 1942 and was soon posted to "Sailor" Malan's Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge, in Lincolnshire.

Now based at King's Cliffe near Peterborough, the squadron was conducting convoy and night patrols over Norfolk as well as fighter sweeps across to the Low Countries.

[33][34] In mid-August 1942, having accumulated 220 operational flying hours in nine months, and in need of a rest, Checketts was sent to Martlesham Heath to serve as an instructor in fighter gunnery, specialising in deflection shooting.

[36] Checketts was soon flying offensive operations with the Spitfire Vb, escorting a bombing raid to Abbeville on 13 January 1943, during which he engaged and damaged a Focke-Wulf Fw 190.

[40] Mid-1943 was spent primarily escorting medium bombers on raids to France, Belgium and the Netherlands, or in offensive operations against German fighters.

In June 1943, Checketts was promoted to flight lieutenant and also received an honorary commission as a pilot in the Free French Air Forces.

With neither squadron of the Biggin Hill Wing suffering any casualties, it was recognised for its efforts with congratulatory telegrams from Winston Churchill and Air Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, the head of Fighter Command.

[49][51] Guiding the squadron towards Douai as cover for a group of Martin B-26 Marauder bombers on 9 August 1943, Checketts spotted a flight of eight Bf 109s in the distance.

With the permission of Deere, also flying as commander of the Biggin Hill wing, Checketts led a breakaway section of four Spitfires to attack them.

[52] For his exploits he was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC); the citation, published on 17 August 1943, read:This officer has led the squadron and, on occasions the wing, with great skill.

He landed 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Abbeville[56] in a field where he was approached by a French boy who helped him on to his bicycle and then wheeled him to nearby woods.

The citation, published in the London Gazette, read:In air operations this officer has displayed courage, fortitude and skill of a high order.

[71] On 27 August 1944, he was leading one squadron as an escort to Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers on their way to attack an oil refinery near Düsseldorf.

The next day, overdue for a rest having flown 115 missions and logging 301 flying hours as wing commander, he was removed from flight duty.

[78] As well as receiving the DSO, DFC and Silver Star, he was made an honorary member of the Free Polish Air Force, having flown 25 missions with the RAF's No.

Checketts reaffirmed his desire to serve in New Zealand,[86] notwithstanding the comments of Walter Nash, the Minister of Finance, to expect a cut in pay.

Nash's comments greatly angered Checketts, who pointed out that the government was quite prepared to pay more when pilots' lives were at risk serving their country in wartime.

[89] Later that year, he set a new record of three hours and 38 minutes for an aeroplane crossing the Tasman Sea when he delivered a de Havilland Mosquito recently acquired by the RNZAF from the Royal Australian Air Force.

[94] He also served for a time as aide-de-camp to the Governor General, Sir Willoughby Norrie, was involved in the New Zealand leg of the 1953–54 Royal Tour,[95] and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.

[96] At the time of Checketts' command of Taieri Station, the main aircraft used in flight training were the Harvard and the North American P-51 Mustang, the latter of which he considered unsuitable for use by inexperienced territorial pilots.

Unbeknown to Checketts, territorial pilots were not allowed to perform night flying and at the subsequent inquiry, he was held responsible for the accident.

[95] Following his resignation from the RNZAF, Checketts started an aerial topdressing company, going into partnership with Leonard Wright, the mayor of Dunedin, and Jack Manchester, a former captain of the All Blacks.

Although Checketts had intended to focus on bringing in orders, he ended up doing most of the flying for the company when the original pilot crashed the Tiger Moth.