Mick Ensor

Article summary

Maechel Anthony "Mick" Ensor, (5 January 1922 – 27 December 1994) was a highly decorated officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the Second World War. One of the most decorated New Zealanders to have flown in Coastal Command, he is credited with having sunk two U-boats. Born at Rakahuri near Rangiora, Ensor joined the RNZAF in 1939 but did not commence his training until the following year. In 1941 he was sent to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force. Posted to Coastal Command, he was a pilot with No. 500 Squadron, which operated Lockheed Hudson maritime patrol aircraft across the North Sea. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in early 1942 for a sortie during which his Hudson was damaged while attacking a shipping convoy. The squadron moved to Cornwall from where it patrolled the Bay of Biscay. Ensor later served in the Mediterranean theatre of operations and destroyed a U-boat on 13 November 1942, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. After a period of staff duties from January to July 1943, he was posted to No. 224 Squadron, flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber. He eventually rose to the rank of wing commander and led the squadron during the final months of the war, sinking a U-boat on 5 May 1945. Ensor remained commander of No.…

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1939 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of birth: 1922-01-05 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. date of death: 1994 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. date of death: 1994-12-27 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1939". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of birth is "1922-01-05". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the date of death is "1994". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the date of death is "1994-12-27". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
7. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366342087