"SUICIDE CLUB."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 308, 28 December 1940, Page 8

"SUICIDE CLUB."

GOERING'S RECRUITS. THE INVASION FIASCO. (Special.) LOXDOX, Nov. 10. German pilots.now resting in Norway, after repeated raids on London, are known as the Suicide Club, according to a neutral who has returned from that country to England. "A number are pilots who used to fly passenger planes between Germany and London," he said. Few, however, are volunteers. The daylight raids are referred to as "death trips." One pilot had* said to him: "We never know where we are going after a raid over London. Sometimes we fly under sealed orders, at others a radio message comes through while we are in the air. During raids we have to maintain radio touch with headquarters and report progress." Although there is no apparent shortage of skilled pilots and crows, Germany is now adopting methods of compulsion to obtain pilots. Young officers arc taken from cavalry and other regiments and ordered to report for air training. Recently three young officers of a famous cavalry regiment were ordered to report for training as bomber pilots. The other officers in the mess decided to give a farewell dinner to them. The dinner became known as the "Farewell to the Suicide Squad." Result, the organisers were placed under arrest, and all who attended were punished by being sent to danger posts. German propagandists are spreading stories throughout Norway of the imminent collapse of England. A few weeks ago they were saying that invasion was about to begin or had taken place from France and Belgium. "Actually the Germans transported thousands of troops to 'ijrway to train them for the impending fcivasion. There were many rehearsals on the coast, the troops being taken to sea in small steamers and fishing craft manned by German seamen. "Many of these troops had never seen the sea, much less experienced its behaviour. They went aboard the vessels full of glee. How different was their return. Some had actually to be carried ashore. They would have been a pretty fine invading army for the British to deal with." Recently there has been some depression among the troops when it became known that another winter campaign could not be averted. "England is so stubborn," thev declared. Although the air pilots admit that their losses have been in excess of what the most pessimistic anticipated, they say that there is no real shortage of materials. Intensive training in night flying, and particularly night landing, is taking place in Norway.