Seven Tlanes Lost In Storm

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 27, 1 February 1945, Page 6

Seven Tlanes Lost In Storm

FIGHTER PILOTS MISSING

Gallant Attempt To Save Comrade From Japanese

R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service

SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC, January 23 (Delayed Dispatch)

One of the most tragic episodes in the short but eventful history of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Pacific occurred on Monday, January 15.

On that day eight New Zealand Corsair pilots failed to return, one of them after a gallant struggle for survival lasting for some nine hours.

The victims were:— KIMjED

Flying-Officer Greville Randell—Mrs J. F. J. Randell, Auckland (wife). MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED > Flight-Lieut. Thomas R. F. Johnson—Mrs. W. P. Johnson, Auckland (wife). Flight-Sergeant Ronald W. Albrecht, Palmerston North. MISSING

Flight-lieutenant Bruce S. Hay, Taihape. Plight-Lieutenant Francis G. Keefe — Mrs. F. Keefe, Auckland (wife). Flying-Officer John S. McArthur, Oaro, Marlborough. Flying-Officer Albert N. Saward — Mr. C. A. Saward, Auckland (father). . Flight-Sergeant lan J. Munro— Mrs. A Munro, Whangaripo, North Auckland (mother).

What' was to prove a chain of disaster commenced shortly after 9 in the morning. At that time FlightLieutenant Keefe was taking part in a strike on Toboi, south of Rabaul, jn Simpson Harbour, New Britain. Receiving a direct hit by anti-air-craft fire, which shattered his starboard wing, he was forced to bail out from his smoking. aircraft at about 2000 feet. While Flight-Lieut. Keefe floated down almost literally into the lap of the Japs, ensconsced firmly in their largest stronghold in the Solomons-Bismarck area, the remainder of his flight circled anxiously overhead. He landed in the water near the north end of Simpson Harbour, 'and his fellowCorsair pilots were relieved to see him commence swimming strongly towards the.harbour mouth. Base was advised and immediately rescue planes were set in motion. At this stage the position was in the nature of a stalemate. Although the swimming New Zealander was as good as surrounded by watching Japs, the latter dared not put out in a boat to pick him up for fear of being strafed by the fighters, which continued to circle the harbour despite anti-aircraft fire. On the other hand the Pacific fliers' "angel of mercy," the Dumbo (Catalina flying boat), could not possibly land under the very muzzles of the Japanese shore batteries to pick up ■the downed pilot while he remained in his present position. Long Swim Necessary

There was only one solution, and everyone knew it, the Japanese included. Flight-Lieutenant Keefe if he were to be picked up would have to make the long swim out past the entrance to Simpson Harbour to a distance where the Catalina could land with at least a reasonable chance of taking off again. And so commenced the dogged struggle on the part of Flight-Lieut Keefe, which was destined to last all day. Discarding his small rubber dinghy, but retaining his ".Mae West," he set off from his position about half a mile north of a small group of harbour islands, known as the Beehives. Shortly after 10 o'clock he had passed the Beehives and was striking out towards Matupi Island at the harbour mouth. Meanwhile reports of Flight-Lieutenant Keefe's progress were being flashed back to the Corsairs' New Zealand Air Task Force base. It appeared at this- stage that the jßwimmer would be assisted by the wind and tide, and it seemed that a rescue attempted just.before nightfall would stand a fair chance of success. The time for a water landing was set for 6.15 p.m. and fighter pilots were brief od to engage the shore batteries and keep them occupied with bombing and strafing while the Catalina remained on the water. Should the rescue fail it was arranged that a Ventura should be standing by with two bamboo rafts fitted with rubber dinghies, paddles and provisions, stored in its bomb bays so that Fligl t-I ieutenant Keefe might be able to paddle out to sea under the cover of darkness. Japanese Busy

The lor j day wore on. There was never a moment when Simpson Harbour was not cov red by New Zealand Corsairs, flights relieving each other at regular intervals. And ■ • Flight-Lieutenant Keefe continued to swim and rest an , , swim again, slowly gaining ground towards the heads. The weather over and behind Rabaul was closing in and the ceiling over the harbour came down to about 1500 ft in the late afternoon. This meant that the Corsairs were • well within range of the anti-aircraft batteries scattered round the shore, but it was welcomed as a good sign. • Should the weather close in altogether the Dumbo could possibly land ' under cover of fog and rain. How- ■'■■-■ ' ever, the position had deteriorated Y-Z. by 6 o'clock, when twelve Corsairs jSg arrived over Rabaul to join the three

- - already circling the area. The ceil -~. ing was low, but visibility remainec jg good and, if anything, the anti aircraft fire had become more in tense. Added to this Flight-Lieut. Keefe, who had amazingly kept up the struggle for nine hours, and had made excellent progress, 'had now become exhausted, and without ■ reaching a point where the Dumbo could pick him up, was losing ground and drifting back into Simpson Harbour.

Rafts Dropped Accurately I With the Corsairs, the Catalina and the Ventura standing by, the situation was summed up. Reluctantly it was decided that to attempt a rescue would be suicidal. The senior pilot present and the leader of the Corsairs, Squadron-Leader P.

S. Green, of Hamilton, then decided to lead in the Ventura and drop the rafts, while the remainder of the fighters kept the shore batteries quiet with a concentrated attack. The mission was successful. Squad-ron-Leader Green led the Ventura, piloted by Warrant-Officer R. F. Lindsey, of Hamilton, in round the back of Vulcan Crater at ground level, and, with Flight-Lieutenant Keefe's position clearly fixed in his mind he roared low over the foreshore and out across the harbour, firing his guns as he passed near the swimmer as a signal to drop the rafts.

Making a second run, SquadronLeader Green found the rafts had been dropped accurately, straddling Flight-Lieutenant Keefe and about 100 yards on each side of him. But the long swim against unequal odds had taken its toll. If FlightLieutenant Keefe knew the rafts had been dropped he made no sign. He was lying face downwards across a log when the squadron-leader passed him, and there was no sign of movement. Even when the squadronleader made a third run only a few feet above the water Flight-Lieu-tenant Keefe remained motionless. Subsequent searches revealed no trace of him.

That was the first half of the day —nine drawn-out hours of planning and striving to rescue a gallant New Zealand pilot whose struggle to win out against insuperable odds will never be forgotten by those who did their best and risked their lives to save him. Planes Lost In Storm But the day was not yet ended. Fifteen R.N.Z.A.F. Corsairs started off on the return flight from Simpson Harbour. Only eight made their base.

This time the enemy was the weather. Between the aircraft and their atoll airstrip a tropical front had built up. Visibility was practically nil. Heavy rain was encountered in places which drove into the fighters' cockpits and lightning frequently blinded the pilots. Under these conditions the Corsairs, unable to carry out any accurate navigation, were at a disadvantage. Their base was only a tiny patch of coral in the broad Pacific and, although every assistance was being given to guide them home, including the shining of a stationary searchlight up through the clouds, it would still be easy to pass the atoll within a few minutes' flying distance and still miss it. Radio "steers" could bring them close to base, but could not land them.

Out of the first flight one aircraft was lost. Flying low, the pilot crashed into the opposite side of the atoll from the airstrip.

Collisions and Crashes in Sea

A second flight of four aircraft hit the front flying at 300 feet. Only one pilot came through. Two of the Corsairs collided in the murk and a third, taking evasive action to avoid being involved in the collision, also hit the sea and crashed. Another ' flight of four aircraft passed safely through the front and arrived over the strip. In circling prior to landing, however, one pilot lost touch with his flight, disappeared and was. not heard of again. The remaining flight, flying low, lost two aircraft, which crashed into the sea. The other two Corsairs climbed and eventually found their base by means of the searchlight beam.

So ended Monday, January 15, a day of bitter trials for members of a young New Zealand Air Task Foroe base. To those who had seen the Corsair squadrons taxi out in the morning, the day's tally was stunning—one pilot shot down by the Japanese and seven young men who did not come back after a gallant attempt to rescue their comrade.