OVER BERLIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 185, 26 November 1941, Page 2

OVER BERLIN

SGT. D. ALEC ABBOT

A FULL CAREER

Serif t. D. Alec Abbot, who Avai recently decorated with the Distinguished F/ying Medal, is the eldest soil of Mr Melville Abbot, late of Opotiki and Taneatua. The citatioh states that Sergeant Abbot has displayed great skill and determination throughout the flights in which he has acted as rear gunner. He has participated in operations oiver Germany and occupied territory, including three attacks on Berlin and five on Cologne. Sergeant Abbot has always taken meticulous care in the maintenance of his turret and guns. He has displayed courage and coolness throughout. Sergt Abbot left Xew Zealand in July, lf>4o, and was attached to several R.A.F. stations before being posted to the New Zealand Bomber Squadron. Between December, 10-10, and July, 19-10, he participated in 30 raids over Germany and enemy occupied territory, and was also engaged in the successful search tor the Bismarck. Following is Sergeant Abbot's letter describing a raid over Berlin: —

It is Friday evening and a strong wind is blowing and the darkening sky clouding over, but we were going over again to-night—this time to my old friend, Cologne—my seventh trip to this city, and, believe me, Ave know the way in and the way out.

The weather for the last week has been pretty rough, consequently we have not done much flying, and neither has Jerry. Just before 1 started this letter I had been going through an eyesight examination, checking up on our night vision—maybe they are . wanting boys for night fighting. Anyhow, I've only four more trips to do before going off operational flying for a while, so I'll be O.K.

I recently was in my third to Berlin—and one of my worst —it was 1 lie full moon night, and in the sky it was like daylight, "the fighter's delight." I'll try to explain the trip to you later. We took oil' on Friday at midnight, and anv all the now familial sights again. The Cologne people wouldn't like getting out of bed so early in the morning. We stooged around the town from about 2 a.m. till nearly 3 a.m. The visibility was very bad, so we just let them go and raced I'ot home, as we knew it would soon break dawn. Just after passing over Brussels, dawn broke, and it became uncomfortably light, so our Captain gave the motors all they would tnk'c with the nose slightly down; on the way we passed an enemy lighter, but he wanted his breakfast, I reckon, because he just ignored us. About 4.30 a.m., now light as day, we sped over the enemy coast, and, to our joy, saw cloud ahead, and we knew we were safe. We finally landed about 5.30 a.m. —another one over. It was Saturday now, and my night out, so after breakfast, etc., I turned in for the usual doze. It's not sleep, because after those flights you can't sleep. 3"ou have been keyed up for so long and it takes a few hours to wear off. At one o'clock I had dinner and caught the bus at 2.30 p.m. I had a swell night, arrived home again at 2 a.m. a bit tired but revived.

(Later). Well, I'll try to give you an account of my last Berlin We took oil around 8.30 p.m., climbed to about 15,0Q0' feet over the .North Sea, and on the way aver Holland and Germany passed through the usual defences. It was a moonlight night, and we cou'.d sec the ground easily. It is great up there on light nights, but the strain of watching for fighters makes you very tired. Anyhow, we were Hearing Berlin, having been in the air just over four hours. The outer defences were in action. Gradually we neared the target. The bomb-aimer is down in the nose getting i)inpoints. Soon, we all think, we'll we "sconing it for home.'' All of a sudden searchlights come on to us and up the beams come the shells. "They've got us taped," someone veils, instinctively we grab and brace ourselves as the Captain throws the kite about, stall turns and every tiling. The shells burst all around and the concussion from them smacks the kite like waves hitting the side of a ship. My turret was actually filled with smoke from them. The motors were ilat out. We let go .some bombs at 4000 feet, hoping for a direct hit. The clock showed 380 m.p.h. when we-pulled out at 2000 feet. The searchlights were blinding. The front gunner and I had opened up with our guns on the lights in an attempt to put them out. As we pulled the nose up Ave soared to 7000 feet, the lights missed

us, and I could see the great Autobaum which runs through the middle of Berlin. At 7000 feet the engines were feeling the strain and Ave levelled oil', but continued to climb steadily, as height is everything. We had been through Hell in those minutes, ami were all trembling and wet with sweat. The long journey home was started in silence; everything went O.K. till we neared the Dutch coast when a fighter attacked us at 12,000 feet. Down once more goes the nose. His First burst goes over our starboard wing and iusilage. The next Jot was cannon Hying past my turret. All 1 saw was the black shape flash past and up. till he was a black speck above us. We gunners didn't get a show to fire back as lie came up from below in a climbing turn. At that moment we spotted a Dornier bomber right in front of us, and beiow. We roared past at 350 m.p.h., levelled off at about 100 feet from the ground and the next minutes, to my relief, I saw we had crossed the coast and were skimming the sea; we had missed. the bomber but the fighter had also missed us. We climbed to 13.009

feet into mist and cloud. All Ave knew was that Ave Avere somewhere over the North Sea, headed ill the direction of England. For Avhat seem ed like hours avc Hcav on, the Aveather Avas getting Avorse and Ave crossed the English coast Avithout knoAV- ( ing it. We had iioav been up BVo hours, and the benzine was getting loav, so down we went, fh'ijig blind. At 2000 feet Ave could just see avp were over land, but Avhere Ave didn't knoAv, the fog Avas evcrywhere. Suddenly avc heard another plane calling up the ground the same as avc, ro Ave kneAv an aerodrome Avas near by. Our searehlighls in the finish directed us to it, and avc came doAvn loAA r and circled. It AA'as breaking dawn now and avc saAv the other plane circling too. The other plane Avent in first and as Ave Avatehed aa - c saAA' him land at the end of the flare path. We Avent in then. We haA*e been given three days off flying to quieten doAvn, and soon H will be just another trip oA^er. Well, folks, my pals have gone doAvn to the village for something to eat, so I think I'll hop doAvn too, please remember me to the folks around, and Dad, please thank Bank bo.ys and girls for their kind thoughts and wishes. —N.Z. Banker.