DOMINION AIRMEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 241, 12 October 1942, Page 3

DOMINION AIRMEN

SIXTH SQUADRON

Flyers Will Operate American Bombers Special Correspondent United Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Oct. 11. The sixth New Zealand Squadron to be formed in Britain is now finalising its training. It is commanded by Wing-Commander F. C. Seavill. of Hamilton, will fly American bombers, and operate from the station recently vacated by the famous 75th -New Zealand* Wellington Bomber Squadron, which, after being based on this station since the war began, has now moved a few miles awav.

This .station is rich in New Zealand associations. Some hundreds of New Zealanders bombed Germany and German-occupied countries from it. and many never returned. Some sleep in the nearby graveyard, others have won decorations. One of these was the late Sergeant-iPilot Jimmy Ward. Y.C. So, although the 75th Squadron has moved, the newcomers will carry on and enrich that tradition.

The station commander is GroupCaptain R. L. Kippenberger, of Waimate. a brother of Brigadier H. K. Kippenberger, D.S.O. Wing-Com-mander Seavill's flight commanders are Squadron - Leaders Brian Wheeler, D.F.C., of Marton, and L. H. Trent, D.F.C., of Nelson. The new squadron's third holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross is Pilot-Officer G. W. Brewer.

The High Commissioner for New Zealand. Mr. W. J. Jordan, when visiting the squadron, met these officers, in addition to other NewZealand personnel, including PilotOfficers T. J. Baynto i, R. A. Ferri, T. Whyte. R. F. Edmonds and W. d! L. Goodfellow. of Auckland: A. Coutts, of Whakatane; and G. F. Whitwell. of Tirau.

Members of the ground crews include Corporal C. E. Bush, of Auckland, and Aircraftman H. H. Armstrong, of Whakatane.

The majority oifithe New Zealanders were previously?-posted to operational stations but carried out. fewraids. They represent about 50 per cent of flying personnel, the others including English, Irish, Canadians and South Africans. Wing-Com-mander Seavill's crew, for instance, are all Canadians. He told Mr. Jordan: "All the boys are flat-out types. There is a grand spirit in the squadron and 1 know they will put up a good show when they get cracking/'

Xo table Fighting Records

Group Captain Kippenberger joined up with the Royal Air Force in 1929 after working his waj r to England in a tramp steamer. He was given a short-service commission and ultimately was permanentlv commissioned. In March, 1940, he went to France with the Advanced Air Striking Force, and finally left France with Air Marshal Playfair after the fall of that country. After returning to England Group Captain Kippenberger alternated staff work with the command of a Wellington squadron, when he carried out three raids as Wing Commander.

Wing Commander Seavill joined up with the Royal Air Force in 1930, and later went to Aden. After two years there, he went to the central flying school on his return to England, and was then-in training command headquarters until the outbreak of war, when he was loaned to Canada in connection with the British Commonwealth air training plan. He was * appointed DeputyDirector of Organisation Headquarters, Ottawa, where he stayed 27 months. Returning to England, he carried out a refresher course at the . Wellington bomber operational training unit. From Ranch to Air Service Squadron-Leader Brian Wheeler went to the Argentine in 1937, where he was on?a ranch. He went to Canada in September. 1940, where he joined up with the R.C.A.F. He later carried out nine daylight raids in Blenheims, sinking two ships, after which he was transferred to Bostons, in which he carried out 20 daylight raids, including the Dieppe raid, when he laid a smokescreen over the beaches.

Squadron-Leader Trent once flew over a German aerodrome in France, when he saw some 150 Germans lined up for the 8 "a.m. parade. He turned on four cannons, with the result that the Germans went down like? ninepins, after which he dropped two big bombs. He had the distinction of participating in the first raid carried out by Bostons over France, and also the chasing of the warships Scharnhorst. Gneisnau and Prinz Eugen during their Channel run.

Squadron-Leader Trent went to France the day before war broke out and flew Fairey Battles. He photographed the Siegfried Line twice, and also carried out photographic reconnaissance deep inside GermanyHe returned to England in December. 1939, and transferred to Blenheims. in which he did 14 raids, including the famous attack on the Maastricht bridge, when only six of the twelve Blenheims returned. Later he bombed Rotterdam aerodrome, and helped to cover the Dunkirk evacuation.

Squadron-Leader Trent is one of the four left from the squadron's IS original officers. He later went to the Officers' Training Unit as instructor. and was then Control Officer in Group Headquarters' Operations' room.

Pilot-Officer Brewer received the Distinguished Flying Cross after his first operation, when he attacked shipping at Dunkirk. He carried on and bombed the target, although badly wounded by flak in the thigh, and then landed Safely in Britain in spite of weakness from loss of blood, and was two months in hospital. He returned in time to fly a Boston in the Dieppe raid.

Pilot-Officer Gellatly also laid a smokescreen during the Dieppe raid, which was his first operation. He returned with his rear-gunner killed and observer severely injured, and crash-landed his badly damaged aircraft.