WITH NEW ZEALAND SIGHT FIGHTERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 231, 30 September 1942, Page 3

WITH NEW ZEALAND SIGHT FIGHTERS

VISIT TO SQUADRON

21-Year-Old Aucklander Is

Commander

Special Correspondent

United Press Association—Copyright Rec. noon. LONDON, Sept. 28

A New Zealand Beaufighter squadron is now operating as night fighters over Scotland. It is commanded by Wing-Commander R. M. Trousdale, D.F.C. and bar, of Auckland, who is 21 years of age. His flightcommanders are Squadron-Leaders P. W. Rabone, of Palmerston North, and J. R. Gardner, of Nelson. The squadron, which was recently formed, started operations in the beginning of September, each of the crew flying on the average every second night, but none has sighted a Hun so far.

The New Zealanders form the largest percentage of the air crews, Many are in a special radio section, but the ground staff is chiefly British. The air crews are mostly all experienced in night fighters, the pilots having operationed on an average of 130 hours each, some in Beaufighters and others in Defiants, Havocs and Blenheims.

Mr. W. J. Jordan, visiting the squadron for the first time, met New Zealand personnel, including FlightLieutenants A. C. McKinnon, of Cambridge, and I. R. McChesney, of Auckland; Flying-Officers R. J. B Peacock, of Auckland, E. C. Ball, of Huntly, F. W. Davison, of Timaru, and P. S. Mcßride, of Takapuna; Pilot-Officers J. A. Gunn, of Gisborne, A. E. Browne and A. S. Outfield, of Auckland, and A. L. Turner, of Wellington.

He also met Warrant Officers G. F. Reed, Auckland; E. C. Watt Invercargill; Flight Sergeant R. S. Jeffs, Wanganui; Sergeant J. S. McQueen, Invercargill; and the mechanics. Corporals H. C. Smith, Gisborne: R. A. Anderson, Christchurch; C D George, Auckland; R. C. Gager Hikurangi; Leading Aircraftmen A. I. vasta, Cambridge; A. Jeffreys, C. tt ® a !"ker, H. R. Smith, Auckland; H. P. Henderson, A. J. Brown, H. M. Seaward, Christchurch; M. J. Hillier, K. Pearson, Morrinsville; G. C. Mulhol and, Dunedin; W. W. Mahood, Wellington; D. McWha, Westport; B. Savell, Foxton; D. C. Gray, New Plymouth; E. G. Gibbs, Wanganui; C. Vaughan, Norsewood; H. P. Piercy. Woodlands.

Outstanding Careers

_ The records of the three commanding officers are particularly outstanding. They all came to England before the war. Wing Commander Trousdale flew Fairey Battles, then Spitfires, shooting down a Messerschmitt 110 over Dunkirk during the historic withdrawal. He then fought in the battle of Britain, shooting down two Messerschmitts 109 in dogfights He transferred to Defiant night fighters in November, 1940. He was a flight commander and shot down three Heinkels 111 over Hull during the blitz, once shooting down two in one night. His flight shot down se yen Germans in 20 minutes. Wing Commander Trousdale later transferred to a Canadian squadron when he shot down two more over Hull. They were a Heinkel and a Dormer 217. He flew some 400 operational hours. Squadron Leader Rabone went to France with a squadron of Fairey Battles the day before war broke °ut; He carried out 16 day and night raids and then transferred to Hurricanes after the fall of France, shooting down two Messerschmitts, one in ber and the other in November, th ? n transferred to night „Hurricanes on experimental EP™ " work shooting down a Heinkel 111 during the blitz on Liverpool.

He flew Havocs, after which he was posted for a time to the command of a special flight until joining his present squadron. He has flown at least 500 operational hours. Once he had to bale out over London landing in Hyde Park.

In Battle of Britain

. Squadron-Leader Gardner was flvmg Blenheim night fighters when the war Droke out. He transferred to Defiants, which he operated in davtime during the Germans' big bombing raids preceding the Battle of rwi' n '" V > hlle fl y in g as a "tail-end Lharlie, he was with a squadron which was "bounced" by the Germans in July, 1940. His rear gunner was killed and his plane was shot up, but he managed to make a forced landing, and four miles from Dover the Defiant sank immediately. Squadron-Leader Gardner was picked up after 15 minutes with a badly cu* head, which kept him in hospital for three months. He then returned to , night fighters.

He has carried out 200 operational hours in night fighters and has had several moonlight fights with Junkers SS's, one starting at 16,000 ft and breaking off at 10,000 ft when the Junkers found cloud cover.

Made Over Fifty Raids

Flying-Officer Ball, of Huntly, has carried out two tours of bombing comprising over 50 raids. A second tour was with the New Zealand Bomber Squadron.

Flying-Officer Mcßride, of Takapuna, has the distinction of being a formation member of two New Zealand squadrons, for he was one of the first pilots in the Spitfire Squadron. Pilot-Officer Cutfield, Davison and McChesney previouslv served in the same squadron as Wing-Com-mander Trousdale. Pilot-Officer McChesney shot down a Junkers 88. Pilot-Officer Davison is now annaments officer. Pilot-Officer Turner is the squadron's signal officer. Pilot-Officer Gunn is credited with having destroyed one and damaged one enemy plane during night fighting.

The squadron is waiting hopefully for the Germans to appear in their area. Their Beaufighters,, which weigh ten tons fully loaded, carry pne ton of ammunition with the firing time 20 to 30 rounds a second and any Germans getting in their sights can expect deadly fire. Although the squadron has been only a comparatively short time together, it was obvious to Mr. Jordan that it has a great spirit and, given the opportunity, should soon contribute materially to the tine record alreadv established by other New Zealand squadrons.

Elder son of Lieut-Col. A. C. Trousdale formerly 21st Battalion, 2nd Echelon, and Mrs. Trousdale, of Howick, Wing-Com-mander Trousdale was born at Waimate North. He was educated at the Howick District High School and attended a city business college. In February, 1939 h e went to join the Royal Air Force on a short-service commission, and on completing his training he passed out top of the school of 900. Toward the end of last year he was promoted direct from pilotofficer to acting flight-lieutenant. He won his D.F.C. in February, 1941.