TYPHOON SQUADRONS TERRIFY THE ENEMY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 227, 24 September 1943, Page 3

TYPHOON SQUADRONS TERRIFY THE ENEMY

CHANNEL PATROLS

N.Z. Pilots' Record For Summer Operation N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 23. At dawn and twilight German antiaircraft gunners on the French coastline and in naval auxiliary ships stand by their guns, keeping a sharp lookout over the , English Channel. They fidget apprehensively during those periods, as well they may, for if they hear tne neep rumble of approa'ching Typhoons,- it means the death of several Germans and severe damage to their ships. Last week Squadron-Leader D. J. Scott, D.5.0., D.F.C. and bar, of Greymouth, leading a wing comprised of the New Zealand and another Typhoon squadron, sighted two 1000-ton naval auxiliary ships shortly after dawn at Le Havre. Squadron-Leader Scott detailed his second squadron to stand by and then took in the New Zealanders at mast height. The pilots could see the red flashes from the shore antiaircraft batteries winking at them, but although the shells burst all around them and streams of tracers were coming up from the ships, they went down blasting the decks and sending up myriads of small geysers around the ships. Then, when their ammunition was used up, the second squadron went down, but by this time the ships were silenced.

One pilot saw a gun swinging round on its mounting and two bodies lying lifeless, while the New Zealanders, who were now between the fire ten miles away, could see two black columns of smoke mounting up to the sky. This is typical of an atactk which the New Zealanders have carried out several times. They left nine ships burning and seriously damaged, and ten severely damaged, including E-boats and R-boats.

So the squadron's Scoreboard now T shows little drawings of. ships as well as the swastikas which indicate the aircraft shot down. The score at present is 19 ships and 211 swastikas.

The New Zealand Typhoon Squadron also carries out air-sea rescue work, and at least one Beaufighter pilot is grateful to them. He just managed to scramble into his dinghy after crashing into the sea soon after midnight. Late next evening Squadron-Leader Scott was returning from France at 10,000 ft after a raid. He was with Flight-Lieu-tenants A. E. Umbers, D.F.C., of Dunedin, I. D. Waddy, of Blenheim, and Flying-Officers F. Murphy, of Wellington, J. R. Cullen, of Waihi, and R. J. Dall, of Hamilton, and Pilot-Officer A. N. Sames, of Onehunga.

Far below Squadron-Leader Scott saw a puff of smoke. Then a red Verey twinkled. He took down the New Zealanders and found the dinghy. Then those seven New Zealanders circled the dinghy awaiting the air-sea rescue boat. They threw out fluoriscine and rations and continued circling until darkness fell, and their petrol was only just sufficient to reach their base. Fleet Air Arm Albacores took up the search during the night, and next morning another squadron continued, but could not find the dinghy which drifted during the night. So Squadron-Leader Scott, with FlightLieutenant Waddy, Flying-Officer Cullen, Pilot-Officer Sames and Fligh-SergeamV W. B. Tyerman, of Raurimu, took off. They flew over the sea until the limit of their petrol had nearly been reached. Then just as Squadron-Leader Scott was deciding he would have to return, he sighted the'dinghy at 5 30 p.m.—with the result, this time, that the man in the dinghy was picked by a motor boat The squadron has carried out over 70 operations during the summer and won a high reputation. .