A Noble Chance by
Capt Maurice McGreal

Born in Auckland, Maurice McGreal was educated at a one-teacher school at Weymouth, then at Sacred Heart College and Auckland Teachers College. Joining The Civil Reserve in 1938, when the war broke out a year later, he went to the RAF, flying Wellingtons in 75 NZ Squadron in 1940, then Catalinas and Sunderlands in 490 NZ, Coastal Command. Returning to New Zealand after the War, he joined Tasman Airways in 1947, flying the Short S-30, Sandringham, and Solent flying boats on the Tasman and Coral Routes, then DC-6s and Electras. Leaving Teal for medical reasons in 1962, he joined the NZ Civil Aviation Department, where he went on to become Assistant Director (Flight Operations). Retiring in 1985, he continued as a writer, broadcaster, and aviation consultant. Maurice passed away in November 2012, and before he died, we discussed releasing his autobiography to a wider audience as I, like so many, found it a rivetingly good read. If you have any interest in aviation and the part New Zealanders played in Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and especially the flying boats that romanced the Pacific, then jump right in; it's a fascinating read.

Reviews

Sir Geoffrey Roberts. General manager of TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd).
I read every word of the manuscript, and as the TV advertisement says, when I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.
It tells a story that had to be told. The War and the Peace from a pilot’s point of view – and I go with you all the way regarding your view on the Erebus disaster.
Wing Commander Lew Taylor.
This is an account of one man’s flying career. It tells of skill, courage and integrity, of the effect a flying career has on an airman’s family, and a safety officer’s view of the Erebus tragedy. It reminds the New Zealand people that the modern aviation industry was founded on the contributions of many people whose lives paralleled the story in this book.
Richard Gates. Polynesian Airlines.
This is a fine addition to New Zealand aviation history.
A reader.
It's not just a book about aviation; it's an amazing story and a real page-turner.