FIFTY DESTROYED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 30, 15 November 1943, Page 3

FIFTY DESTROYED

ENEMY PLANES IN PACIFIC. NEW ZEALANDERS’ TOTAL. RECENT ENGAGEMENTS. (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) NEW GEORGIA, Oct. 29. New Zealand fighter pilots’ total bag of enemy warplanes in tli© South Pacific was raised to 50 this week when four more Zeros were shot down without loss by pilots of two squadrons now operating in the forward area. Two separate actions were fought on the same day, three Zeros being destroyed in one, and one in the other.

Four New Zealand Warhawks, led by Squadi'on-Leader M. J. Herrick, D.F.C., R.A.F., of Hawke’s. Bay, were on patrol between Treasury Island and Bougainville when they sighted approximately 70 enemy aircraft. They were milling round over a large area and nine were in something of a formation.

The nearest New Zealand Warhawks attacked, and in a brief action one of the Zeros was shot down by Squadron Leader Herrick, and his No. 2 (Flight-Lieut. G. H. Grimsdkle, of Dunedin), and one each by FlyingOfficer A. M'. Davis, of Wellington, and Sergeant A. W. Cliffe, of Ngaruawahia. Each of the. enemy warplanes fell smoking into the sea.

Four pilots of another New Zealand fighter squadron were also in the same area, but nearer Treasury Island, when the leader, Flying-Officer L. A. Rayner, of Wanganui, saw six Zeros down sun and below at about 17,000 feet. The enemy apparently had not seen the Warhawks as they continued their approach, and Flying-Officer Rayner turned in toward the Japanese. At the last minute the Zeros turned away, presenting a stern target, Flying Officer Rayner fired a burst at one of the enemy, but it was too faraway for his shots to be effective. Two other Zeros were handy, however, and he attacked the nearer, getting in a short hurst near the enemy’s cockpit.

The Japanese pulled up sharply, rolled on to his hack, and then went down vertically. Flying-Officer Rayner, recovering from his. own dive, did not see the crash, but saw a great splash in the sea, and liis victory was confirmed by other members of the formation.

This was the first success for this squadron, which was new in the area, and brought up the total bag of the various New Zealand fighter units that have done tour of duty in this zone, to 50 Japanese warplanes' definitely destroyed, apart from a number pi'obablv destroyed and damaged.