Coromind - Issue 34 - October25 - Coromandel's Collaborative Magazine - Flipbook - Page 37
Most towns have their ‘good sorts’,
local men and women who quietly
and unassumingly contribute to their
community, their dedication and
involvement leaving a lasting and
much-valued legacy. One such person
was Frederick Sawyer, a昀昀ectionately
known as Fred. Fred made a signi昀椀cant
contribution to both the local and
national economy for 38 years.
Frederick William Sawyer was born
on 14th January 1923 in Auckland. His
parents were Richard Danzic (Dan)
Sawyer, born in Port Lincoln, South
Australia on 16th May 1886, and Daisy
Prudence Sawyer née Allan, born 1887.
Dan and Daisy married in 1915. Fred
was the only boy in their family, with
昀椀ve sisters. Dan and Daisy dedicated
their lives to the Salvation Army. Dan
served as a Padre in World War One, and
was a much-loved and respected 昀椀gure
around Thames. At the age of 12 years,
Fred left school to help his father on their
Kaihere farm.
In 1942, Fred left New Zealand to do his
military training at the Royal Canadian
Air Force, No. 3 Service Flying Training
School, Calgary, where he received his
wings – having overcome his curtailed
education, and a nose reconstruction to
pass the medical, and be accepted into
the Air Force. On 5th May 1944, Fred
graduated as a 昀氀ying instructor, and
was granted the rank of Pilot O昀케cer.
(Reference: The New Zealand Gazette,
http:/library.victoria.ac.nz.)
On Saturday 23rd October 1943, whilst
Fred was on leave, LAC Frederick Sawyer
and Miss Betty Rae Harris were married
at the Kaihere Hall. Fred and Betty Rae
were blessed with four children: John,
Linda, Prudence, and Andrew Frederick.
In 1945, Fred was posted to Burma (now
Myanmar) to join a Mosquito Hornet
Squadron; however, on 6th and 9th
August,1945, the United States detonated
two atomic bombs over the Japanese
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fred
returned to New Zealand.
On his retirement, Fred took over the
family dairy farm; however, by 1950
due to his ongoing back problems, he
was forced to consider what his future
working life might be. As he had obtained
his commercial instructor’s licence in
October 1947, the Hauraki Aero Club
considered itself very fortunate to have
secured his services. An opportunity to
form a topdressing company was o昀昀ered
to Fred. This would provide him with a
job post-farming, and retain his services
as a 昀氀ying instructor at the Hauraki
Aero Club.
By May 1950, arrangements were being
昀椀nalised for the incorporation of a
company to be called the Thames Aerial
Topdressing
Company.
Provisional
directors of the company were Frederick
William Sawyer, Kaihere, Colvin
Robertson, Thames, and Basil Oliver,
Thames. The Company commenced
operations on 6 October 1950, when Fred
spread 20 tons of fertiliser on the property
of Mr Percy Hanson at Wharehoe. As the
Company’s 昀椀rst pilot, Fred had to develop
his own technique for sowing fertiliser
from the air, and to advise farmers on
the construction of airstrips. He was also
involved in the development of aircraft
hoppers and loading vehicles. Aerial
topdressing was a hazardous industry,
but Fred’s record was exemplary. TATCO
operated for 22 years without a fatality.
By 1972, the company had amalgamated
with Fieldair Limited, Palmerston North.
Fred was Managing Director for the
next ten years. Prior to his retirement
in January 1983, the company, with the
approval of Federated Farmers, was
converted to a cooperative, and operates
today under the name Fieldair Holdings
Limited. Fred was held in high esteem
by his customers and competitors, and
all those who worked with him. He
earned the nickname ‘Errol Flynn of the
Coromandel’. (Source: Roots ‘n’ Wings:
A Summary, ‘Dedicated to Betty Rae,’ by
Lynnette Hanson Munn.)
Fred’s wife Betty Rae died 22nd
December, 1952 aged 29 years. Fred died
in Thames on the 20th February, 2009,
aged 86 years. His contribution to the
aviation industry, and to the growth of
topdressing in New Zealand is legendary,
although Fred only ever considered
himself to be ‘a country boy’ at heart.
Frederick William Sawyer, 14th January
1923 - 20th February 2009
Flying O昀케cer - Service number 432911
R.N.Z.A.F.
Words by
Robyn Pearce
Volunteer, Thames Museum
Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga
Coromind.nz | 36
