BALLOON CREWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 228, 25 September 1940, Page 7

BALLOON CREWS.

WARMLY PRAISED.

Success Cannot Be Measured By Planes Downed. British judicial Wireless. (Reed. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 24. The gallantry and devotion to duty of the balloon crews ' is warmly praised in the following message from Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril Newall to Air Vice-Marshal Boyd, Air Officer Commanding the Balloon Command :— "At the conclusion of a year of war I must convey to you my admiration for the splendid way in which the balloon crews in your command have performed their duties. They have throughout been called upon to work long hours, often in conditions of much discomfort and exposed to all weathers. "Until recently your command had few opportunities of service of a spectacular nature. On the other hand their success cannot be measured by the number of enemy aircraft they bring down, but by the general efficiency with which they play their part in the air defence. "By keeping enemy bombers and fighters at a height where they can be effectively engaged by our fighters or anti-aireraft fire they have been invaluable members of a team upon the success of whose whole operations the safety of the entire country depends. "With the opening up of air warfare over this country on a large scale during the past month, many balloon crews have carried out duties of a most spectacular and successful nature often under heavy attack from the enemy."

BRAVE AJLP. WORKER. Saves 14 People Trapped In Shelter. BOMB BRINGS DOWN WALL.

(Reed. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 24.

Choked, blinded and endangered by falling earth and concrete, Maurice Vent, a member of the. Air Raid Precautions Service, flung himeelf down the escape shaft of an East London shelter in an attempt to save those trapped there. Hβ handed 14 through the shaft to safety. A bomb had ploughed a ten-foot crater in the earth beside the shelter throwing down a section of the wall on families sleeping there. Several were killed, including a father, mother and three children. RAID ON NAZI SHIPS. SWEEPERS IN THE CHANNEL. (Reed. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 24. The Air Ministry announces that during this afternoon a formation of Royal Air Force bombers, escorted by fighters, attacked enemy minesweepers in the English Channel. Hits were made on two vessels and another was damaged by a bomb which burst close to it. During this operation an attack was made by enemy fighters, in which one British bomber was shot dowu and one of the enemy was destroyed. SHIPYARDS BUSY. RUGBY, Sept. 24. A recent article entitled "Trade of the Tyne," appearing in the shipping journal, "Lloyds Daily List." states: "Building on the river continues in full production, and it may be eaid that the output so far this year exceeds that for the full 12 months of some recent years.

"The yards on the river are engaged on not only one of the largest naval programmes undertaken, but also on an imposing programme of merchant shipbuilding."