Talk:Vance Drummond

NZ military service
Hi, tks for this. Thought I might find his file online at Archives NZ but only got his father's (his RAAF file hasn't been digitised at the NAA either, although I don't think the article is lacking key info since we have lots of other sources for his career). With the Auckland Museum stuff, do you understand it to mean he was with the Signals Division in Japan in 1946-48? It's just that it mentions WW2 a lot in there -- but then in WW2 he was in the Air Force according to the ADB so I guess it must refer to his NZMF service in Japan... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 23:29, 13 July 2018 (UTC)
 * It doesn't explicitly state he served in Japan, although the reference to 2NZEF is highly suggestive of this because of the 1946-48 timeline. Otherwise, yes, that is how I read it. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 10:53, 14 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Yeah, I think especially given it mentions the embarkation roll from Jan '46 to Jun '48 as the source, it's clearly not talking about his WW2 service despite "WW2" showing up, so I think I can work in the Signals Division. After that I'd be ready when you are for the GAN, unless there are other sources you think I can mine, like an NZ Trove or some such... Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 23:16, 15 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Hi, digging a little further, I'm dubious about the 2 NZ Sig Div reference now, as the official history seems to say the formation was disbanded in February 1946 (and in Europe at that), a month before the ADB claims Drummond joined the NZMF... It's true it looks like the remnants of the division wound up in Japan as J-Force's Signals Company, but as the Auckland Museum link mentions the division only, I don't think we can use it. Following on from my previous, if there's a NZ newspaper archive like Trove that might include an obituary in an NZ paper then it could offer more detail re. his early service. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 23:22, 16 July 2018 (UTC)
 * https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ is the equivalent of Trove but only goes up to 1949. I've done a quick search but didn't find anything relevant. However, it occurs to me that the local library, just down the road from where I work, has most of the past editions of the Waikato Times on microfiche (I've used it before for another article). As a former local boy, Drummond may have warranted a decent obit in it. I will go and have a look tomorrow on my lunch break. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 08:50, 17 July 2018 (UTC)
 * That'd be great if it's not too much trouble. Obviously I think there's plenty of detail already for GA-level (although you have to make that call!) but I'm planning to check out the library myself for any useful non-digitised info prior to a run at ACR/FAC, such as newspapers not in Trove, and the official histories of Australia in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 11:30, 17 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Yeah, the level of detail as it stands is fine for GA. So Drummond's crash was front page news in the Waikato Times as a news item the day after the accident, but it doesn't add anything any extra to what is already in the article, beyond a quote from his father: "He is a fearless pilot but not a reckless one". I looked for an obit but there didn't seem to have been one published in May which maybe because the RAAF was still doing its search? I ran out of time to check June. I will do the GA review this weekend. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 08:56, 19 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Hi, I forgot to mention this before nominating the article for ACR just now -- one of the refs in Drummond's Australian Dictionary of Biography entry is "New Zealand Herald, 23 Sept 1967" -- is that one you might be able to check for any additional info? Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 08:43, 31 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Hi Ian, I will have a look to see if the library has the Herald on microfiche. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 10:27, 31 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Hi, I was able to get to the library at lunchtime, but no joy, they don't have the Herald on microfiche. I did check the Waikato Times over the period 22 to 27 Sept 1967 but there wasn't anything there. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Cheers, Zawed (talk) 07:50, 1 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Not at all, mate, I really appreciate you trying. Tks/cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 08:19, 1 August 2018 (UTC)

Combat History
Given his Less-than-outstanding war record, why is there an article on him? 95.147.153.37 (talk) 08:38, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
 * War record is not the sole criterion for notability -- per WP:ANYBIO, the fact that he earns an entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography alone is sufficient. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 11:08, 26 April 2024 (UTC)