FOUND TARGET

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 170, 21 July 1941, Page 7

FOUND TARGET

D.S.O. FOR N.Z. FLYER

Overcame Almost Insuperable

Difficulties

Culled Prf* Association.—OayytitM. Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, July 20.

Flying-Officer David Leatham Prichard. of Dannevirke, now with the R-A.F., has been awarded the D.S.O. The citation states that one night in June he carried out an attack against Cologne. While some distance from the target and on the edge of a dense belt of searchlights through which he had just flown, his plane was attacked by a fighter, which fired a cannon from close range and damaged one engine, almost severing one airscrew blade of Flying-Officer Pri chard's plane, while the rear-gun turret was put completely out of action.

Flying-Officer Prichard, although forced to fly at reduced speed with a subsequent loss of height and all his powers of defence gone, continued his mission, overcoming almost insuperable difficulties before Anally dropping his bombs in the target area.

The New Zealander. despite a harassing return journey, sKilfully flew back to his base, where he made a successful crash landing without injury to members of the crew. On a previous occasion, returning from Brest, Flying-Officer Prichard displayed great flying skill, enabling his crew to shoot down an enemv fighter that was attacking his plane. Throughout numerous operational flights he had displayed high courage, skill and devotion to duty.

Flying-Officer Prichard is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. P. T. Prichard. says a Press Association message from Dannevirke. He is 24 years of age and arrived in England two days before war was declared, having joined up with the R.A.F. under the four-year scheme in 1930. He received his preliminary training in New Zealand and later served with a divebomber squadron in France from Christmas. 1939, until after the Dunkirk evacuation. Latterly he has been attached to the New Zealand Bomber Squadron. He was recently married and has been taken off operational flights.