Leonard Monk Isitt (aviator)

: "For his father the minister and politician see" Leonard Monk Isitt

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Leonard Monk Isitt, KBE, (born July 27 1891 in Christchurch, New Zealand – died January 21 1976 in Lower Hutt, New Zealand) was a famous New Zealand military aviator and administrator. He was educated at Mostyn House, Cheshire, England and Christchurch Boys High School.

In World War I he served in the New Zealand Army in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and then transferred to the RAF. Between the wars he served in the Air Ministry, the New Zealand Permanent Air Force (NZPAF) and the RNZAF [ [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/WH2AirF-fig-WH2AirFP004b.html] Officers of the NZPAF] .

On 19 July 1943, Isitt was appointed Chief of Air Staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. He was the first New Zealander to hold his Service's senior appointment.

He represented New Zealand at conferences in London, Washington and Ottawa during World War II. He was the New Zealand signatory to the Japanese Instrument of Surrender marking the formal surrender of Japanese forces, so ending World War II [ [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/WH2Poli-fig-WH2Pol18a.html] Photo of Isitt signing Instrument] .

Isitt retired in 1946 as Chief of the Air Staff and he became chairman of Tasman Empire Airways (TEAL) in 1947.

He was made C.B.E. in 1940 and K.B.E. in 1945.

He was the son of the minister, member of parliament and prohibitionist Leonard Monk Isitt and Agnes Martha Caverhill. He had one brother, Willard Whitmore Isitt (1894–1916) who was a Rifleman in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade in WWI and was killed in France on 31 October 1916.

References

External links

* [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=5I5] Crooks, David M. "Isitt, Leonard Monk 1891–1976". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 16 December 2003
* [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/I/IsittSirLeonardMonkKbe/IsittSirLeonardMonkKbe/en] Biography in 1966 Encyclopaedia of NZ
* [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/name-110049.html} Ross, Squadron Leader John Macaulay Sutherland "Royal New Zealand Air Force" New Zealand Electronic Text Centre accessed 14 June 2008

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