NAZIS ELUDED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 145, 21 June 1941, Page 7

NAZIS ELUDED

DRAMA IN THE DESERT Return Of Free French Pilot Given Up For Losl Rec. 3 ..10 p.m. RI'GBY. Junf 20. To the numerous stories of escapes in the Western Desert must be added that of a Free FrencJi pilot who was shot down on .Tune 3 5 and was given up for lost, slates the Air Ministry News Servk•<-. The pilot was engaged in ground strafing when he was; attacked by a Messerschmitt and had to make a , forced landing miles inside enemy j territory. Taking his water bottle i from his crashed aircraft, he made * off across the desert, knowing that ] enemy troops, must have seen him ' come down. Four (nemy armoured J cars dashed into view, and from the cover ol a chimp of camel thorn the t " pilot watched ihe Germans searching for him. but they did not stay lung. One German shouted an order and the armoured cars moved off. It was c, pin, and now the young pilot walked eastwards. avoiding track? and keeping u> low land As soon as the sun sot he rc-ted for two hours, and then by ihc- light of the waning moon he resumed his trek. He walked fur two inphis and one whole day. c"\< i ;ng a distance of nearly 50 roi)«v b(for<- he reached the front.f-r u,ic. He here met with his firsi mi h .r> — he tore his shorts to ribbon-' a:.d was obliged to continue I;:--, .tourr.cy v i*h tatiered shirt tails fhjt'cnr.r in lh<- bn-eze. He sa.<J- "F : ihot • eason when I was f.r rf.ly p.- k»-d up bv a lorrv driver. 1 was greeted with incrednlous <■ Tic lorr.v driver arid I exchanged < *:■ ns H<* was a fhef-r;. Ok km :.t.d suspicious. However. 1 c h'--.' ed Tim my R.A.F. payboo) t< 1 tt- 10 jump aboard." \VrJ..n ; >• ihe j .iot reached .i cn=xa'»ty ,cari;.g < tat ion, and short... - afterwards was btjnf warmly Wticumod b;» 1..£ brother pilots