Shortly after the declaration of war against Germany, Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage announced New Zealand’s war aims in a radio broadcast on 5 September 1939. Towards the end of that address, he declared that: "Both with gratitude for the past and with confidence in the future we range ourselves without fear beside Britain. Where she goes, we go, where she stands, we stand."

In New Zealand a Ballot system was introduced based on birthdates, where all eligible young men were called up. December 1940 Stephen’s name came up and immediately enlisted himself into the Air Force and started instruction courses around New Zealand. September 1941 Stephen left New Zealand, by sea on the MV Monowai, for Canada and further training. Got his commission on 7 December 1941, on the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour.

With German "U-Boats" patrolling the Atlantic seas between USA/Canada and the UK getting from Canada now proved more perilous. Avoiding the big escorted convoys and anxious to join the war effort, Stephen volunteered to go to England on a Norwegian 3,000 ton freighter carrying a cargo of Bacon with about 12 others and arrived in Liverpool on February 1942 and given 2-weeks R&R. He spent this time wisely on a farm around Gloucestershire, (his New Zealand upbringing showing here!).  This method of transport was the ‘way’ to avoid the German U-Boats! It was rumoured that on the next sailing this Freighter was sunk with the loss of all on board.

After 1-week on the farm he was called into service being sent to RAF Old Sarum, where Stephen was introduced to the Lysander, and not the Spitfire that he had hoped for!. After the initial disappointment at not being assigned to a Spitfire Squadron Stephen became adept at handling the Lysander in all aspects of its idiosyncrasies!

  Particular memories were of the long periods they spent training on ‘instrument flying’ where the instructor sat in the front and the rear compartment was blacked out to simulate the conditions. The Lysander was coming to the end of its time and Stephen moved onto the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk. These US manufactured aircraft had been manufactured for the French Air Force and were in metric configuration which posed a few problems of their own.

Unfortunately Stephen caught a severe bought of Pneumonia which saw him admitted to the Air Force Special Hospital at Wroughton. After a long time he was advised not to go to the convalescence centre at Torquay but spend time on a farm. He only knew one farm, in Gloucestershire. The approach was made and accepted and so a wonderful relationship developed, staying for a month, to return to the Squadron where they all thought they would never see him again. This being around May/June 1942.

(Just a note here; It was the Farmers niece that Stephen was later to marry, and bring back to New Zealand to settle down with.)

Soon after the Tomahawk, the P-51 Mustang arrived and it was in the middle of 1943 that Stephen was assigned to No: 2 Squadron, Army Co-operation Command, at Sawbridgeworth flying the P-51. These beautiful high speed aircraft, well suited for Army support, with their aerodynamic lines, were cut about to mount cameras to cover every angle. Even accommodating the Pilots parachute had to be modified so as to ensure the operation of another camera! Such were the trials of the Army co-operation pilots at that time.

Stephen left Sawbridgeworth at the end of 1943 after approx 6-months there, and went to Gravesend At Gravesend where he was involved in instruction work with pilots from Canada prior to them joining the RAF.

 Stephen Shayle-George still resides in New Zealand. One of that Countries sons who made the long journey to Great Britain to do his duty.