AIR THRILLS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 123, 27 May 1941, Page 6

AIR THRILLS

HIGH HEROISM FLIRTING WITH DEATH AMONG NAZI SEARCHLIGHTS "Our aircraft is now the oldest in the squadron . . . We have had a new engine put into her, so it should not stop again, we hope ... It beats me how we get out of that aircraft untouched, after every bombing raid. It would be different if we (iidn't run into so much danger . . .

Peter didn't return with his new crew on Wednesday night ... It all seems very weird. I see so many come and go . . . God is over good to us, and I am sure, after what we come through, is always with us.'

These are revealing, poignant sentences, taken from a long letter from an Auckland airman who has been on almost nightly raids over enemy and enemy-occupied territory in recent weeks. Night after night the story is the same—the R.A.F. bomber caught in searchlight beams over the target. Pasted from every angle by anti-aircraft guns. Hunted by Nazi night flyers. Yet always this particular airman's crew has come through safely.

The writer is Sergeant-Air Gunner W. Des Reevely. son of Mr. Walter Reevely, 49, Ridings Road. Remuera. He loft New Zealand last July after training at Levin and Ohakea. "We Set the Place Alight" Under a late date in April his diarised letter says: "We left the deck at 9.30 p.m. with hostile aircraft waiting above to have a shot at us, but managed a quick getaway. It was rather difficult to get at the target, but as. with others, we were the first over it. we certainly set the place alight. One side of the place was ablaze right down to the docks. As we left it looked like a large mountain on fire. Visiting the place was a Japanese delegation touring Germany.''

Under date of the following day: "Again last night we were detailed for operations over the same place. This time to finish off the other side. It is supposed to be the most heavily protected place in Germany. Approaching from about the same quarter as previously, we could easily pick it out. as it was well alight. The casualties must have been terrific. We saw several aircraft caught in the searchlights, and we were getting a battering. The firing was mostly coming up the searchlight beams . We were running up on our target, and took our opportunity when the lights were mostly concentrated on other aircraft. Bomb doors were open, and bombs were falling. Then a searchlight came up and stuck. A second later anything from 50 to 60 lights were on us.

"As Though in a Cage" "We felt as though we were in a cage. Fire and ack-ack (anti-aircraft shelling) was terrific. Light and heavy and medium was cracking and bursting, not only behind but all around us. Avoiding action was taken, and the only thing to do was to dive. As we found later there were balloons, not far below us. at this stage. From 10.000 feet, at which we bombed, we dived at 300 m.p.h. The lights held us all the way. and the ack-ack became heavier. We thought we were for it. We didn't have a second for feelings, so I don't know how I felt.

"At 1500 feet, although nearly upside down, I opened fire, and let them have it. I managed to put out five searchlights before we straightened out at 1000 feet. Then we began to gain height, for we were in a tough spot, and the best thing to do was to snoop off'' Aircraft Hit Several Times Down on the good bosom of Mother England, after hours in the air, the boys of this dare-devil escapade marvelled that they had come through so much, and lived to tell the tale. "You should have seen us snooping about with electric torches, examining the places where we had been hit! Had you seen us from the ground, as they must have, you would have said 'The gunners can't miss!' They must have listened for the crash of our machine, but they fell in. although thev did score several hits, one shell striking the steel structure of the windscreen."' The letter goes on to relate the remorseless round of dutv. night after night. "This time we" went to the other end of the world ... a place I have been to three or four times before. Each time we go the ack-ack is more accurate. For the second night running we were caught in the searchlights. We dived once again, developing 260 m.p.h. The lights held us. but we shot across a very heavy cloud, which they could not penetrate . . . Nearing home, over England, we received a warning, per radio, that we were heading for balloons. They are dear old pals to '.is, aren't thev?"

To Communion in Flying Boot* i Then the air-gunner goes on: Again on Saturday night we were on operations—the longest trip we have had yet. Our target was an aerodrome, not far from a certain town. It was impossible to go below SOOO feet owing to the ack-ack. and even at that it was bursting thousands of feet above us! One crewhad their engine cut out and had to land in France, to be prisoners for the duration. After bombing we arrived home at sunrise, and when we had finished intelligence it was '■30 a.m. Sleep Mas the next thing to think of. but we decided that we should go to Communion at 8 in . the village church. Didn't have time to change, so we went in flying boots land the thing- we stood in. We all Hell asleep ir. church, and seemed to

wake just at the moments when people stood up or sat down, will have guessed that after what we had been through we were tired, but I felt we should go . . . All aay Sunday we slept. "We Shook Tliem"

"Wednesday night we went back to the same place as Monday and Tue.iCkiv. Weather very bad over the target. We tried to see from 8000 feet. No good. We went down to 6000 feet, just underneath the clouds. Once again the searchlights caught us. AVe dived, at the same time opening fire. I guarantee we shook, them with our bombs and machine-gunning . . . Last night we went to see 'Under Your Hat, after sleeping most of the day. We have been ordered for operations to-night What a life! Another later letter tells of further adventures over what Sergeant Reevelv calls "The Big City." In the air for over seven hours. Back, as the sun rose. Lots of interesting things happened. including the stopping of the engine five times going and three times on the way back. When it stopped the first time we were near the target. Tried to gain height, but couldn't. We bombed at 10,000 feet, for we had no choice. About 50 miles before we reached the target the stuff started coming up hot and strong—not much light stuff, mostly heavy. Over the target, in amongst the balloons, the searchlights caught us. The observer and myself began a running commentary. New Zealand's Compliments! " 'It's O.K. at the back. Tony! Look out! Light on the port beam! Not very accurate to-night! O.K. in front! They've got us on the starboard centre! Dive to port! That's O.K. They've lost us!' . . . And that is how we struggle through searchlights. But. of course, not all of us are so successful . .

Sergeant Reevely relates, too, how he printed on the piece of metal which drops off an incendiary bomb, "With the compliments of New Zealand!" Incidentally, the incendiaries dropped with that one started a huge fire. "So," he adds, 'we let them know we do think of them. Several heavy shells burst around us. and one. very close, turned us over on our side as it burst under the port wing. We passed several aerodromes. German fighters were plentiful, and came very close at times . . . On the journey home the engine stopped three times, so we wirelessed to say we were coming, and that our engine had cut out. We came down out of the clouds silently, expecting anything. but everything turned out well . . . We have now had a newengine put in."

There is much more. But surely there's enough of plain everyday heroism here to quicken your pulse a trifle next time you read the now familiar line. "From all of these operations all our aircraft returned safely."