HALF SHOT DOWN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 234, 3 October 1942, Page 5

HALF SHOT DOWN

TORPEDO BOMBERS N.Z. Seamen At Guns In Arctic Convoy Battle United Press Association—Copyright Special Correspondent Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 2. Five New Zealandcrs serving in a destroyer and manning anti-air-craft guns have now been in three Russia-hound convoys, including last month's. They are Ordinary-Seamen T. A. Turnbull and A. R. Thomas, of Auckland. J. B. Tinney, of Pahiatua, D. L. Glover, of Christchurch, and J. V. Scott, of Wellington. Describing the recent battle when 42 Junkers torpedo bombers attacked the convoy, Turnbull said: "I have never seen anything like it. We first sighted the bombers flying in line abreast low down on the horizon. They looked like a line of smoke until they got close, when all we could see was tracers, and we could hear a terrific din. They each carried two torpedoes, and when they fired one section of bombers flew in front of the convoy, while the second section deflected to the rear. I was manning a gun which brought down two. They were only

about 100 yards away. We could see the pilots. We directly hit them, after which they crashed into the sea immediately. It is estimated that at least half were shot down, which was the usual average. That was the biggest raid of torpedo bombers made.

"Fifteen attacked the same afternoon, of which seven were shot flown. After that they carried out high level bombing, which we did not care about much, as we could hear but not see them. We were at action stations continuously for four days manning the guns and having food brought to us on deck. It was fairly warm in the daytime, but bitterly cold at night, despite being in padded-up coats and scarves." Tinney, Glover, Scott and Thomas all man the same gun. All five are going to the training base. H.M.S. King Alfred, for commissions when they have completed their time at sea.