FROM BURNING PLANE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 6

FROM BURNING PLANE

HEROIC RESCUE AT PIVA

ENZ.A.F. Official War correspondent BOUGAINVILLE, Oct. 4. Now back in New Zealand receiving treatment at Burwood Hospital, Christchurch, Flight-Sergeant L T. Wiig, of Napier, owes his life to the outstanding courage of members of ?he Royal New Zealand. Air Force medical and fire sections. Two mid cal officers, Squadron-Leader V I E Whitehead, of Blenheim, and Flight-Lieutenant L. A. Scrivin, of Auckland, and the firemaster at Piva airstrip, Flight-Sergeant P. Ford of Palmerston North, extncated Flight-Sergeant Wiig from a Corsair in spite of the intense heat and danger of the petrol tank eX When l landing at Piva the Corsair slewed off the strip, coming to rest across a ditch and over a steep bank 30 yrads from the runway. The two medical officers were first on the scene and were joined by FlightSergeant Ford. Although clad only in shorts and boots, he rushed to help the medical officers, but all were driven back by the intense heat.

Flight-Sergeant Ford at once directed a stream of foam on to the pilot and cockpit, while SquadronLeader Whitehead and Plight-Lieu-tenant Scrivin tried to extricate the pilot. The flames died aown, but quickly flared up again, and FlightSergeant Wiig called out and raised himself slightly when the blaze reached him. Squadron-Leader Whitehead and Flight-Sergeant Ford rushed to the cockpit and pulled out the heavily-built pilot. He collapsed ten yards from the aircraft suffering from severe burns and an injured arm.