AIR PROTECTION FOR MIDDLE EAST TROOPS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 137, 12 June 1941, Page 7

AIR PROTECTION FOR MIDDLE EAST TROOPS

MANY SQUADRONS

Heavy Reinforcements For

Australians

L'nitcd Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 10 a.m. MELBOURNE, this day. Australian soldiers in the Middle East are being heavilv reinforced by protective squadrons of fighters and army cooperation aircraft flown by Australian airmen. Mr. J. McEwen, Air Minister, said that this important development was disclosed in the swift march of the British and Australian Governments towards realisation of a plan for which they had been working for some time to ensure that no Australian troops would be without adequate air protection. Mr. McEwen said that two of the new squadrons would be commanded by young Australian pilots, FlightLieutenants G. H. Steege and B. R. Pelly. Members of the squadrons, airmen trained under the Empire air scheme, would fly Hurricanes and the latest American fighters, and in time Australians would man bombers. The effects of the air scheme were now being felt in the war zone. More and more reinforcements of Australian airmen will be supplied as the output of air crews goes into full swing. Some hundreds of light cruiser tanks will be supplied to Australia from America, and the first deliveries will arrive soon under the Lease-or-Lend Act. Mr. P. C. Spender, Minister for the Army, said to-day that the Government had placed an order for a large number of these tanks which had considerable fighting power. Availability would depend on the rate of production, but it is confidently expected that they will begin to arrive soon. Meanwhile, the Government is pressing forward production of Australian-made tanks.