N.Z. AIRMEN OVERSEAS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23798, 18 November 1942, Page 2

N.Z. AIRMEN OVERSEAS

♦ CHRISTCHURCH OFFICER’S RECORD (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.45 p.in.) LONDON, Nov, 16. One of the original members of the 75 New Zealand Wellington Bomber Squadron, Squadron Leader John Adams. D.F.C., A.F.C. (Christchurch) was recently commander of a flight of Marauder American aircraft flying to Egypt from America. These Marauders cruise at 200 miles an hour and were probably used in the recent battle of Egypt. Squadron Leader Adams was one ol 12 pilots selected to fly six Wellington bombers to New Zealand before the war. They later formed the flight which afterwards grew into the New Zealand squadron, with which Squadron Loader Adams carried out 26 raids. Ho was then commanding officer of the blind approach training school. For a year the school operated without missing a day. with seven aircraft and four instructors, entirely without accidents.

Squadron Leader Adams was then appointed group training inspector, until he left for America, with a specially selected crew to carry out tests with American aircraft. He there formed a unit to fly 12 Marauders to Egypt. Arriving in Egypt, he stayed with the squadron as an instructor until sent to Canada, where he instructed trans-Atlantic ferry pilots. He recently flew a Flying Fortress to England from Canada.

Squadron Leader R. J. Neale (Marlborough I. Sergeants B. L. M. .Tonkin (Stratford). B. A. Bumbley (Hastings), and J. H. McDonald (Southland) took part in the latest Genoa raids. Other New Zealanders participating in the latest Genoa rpid were Blight Lieutenant A. J. Powell (Rotorua), Pilot Officers R. H. Blyth (Wanganui), J. B. Smith (Wanganui), Sergeants S. W, Cains (Akaroa). J. J. Mackie (Wellington). A. tV. Washbourne (Auckland) T. Sampson (Canterbury). R. F. Connor, and B. A. Wisley (Christchurch). Flight Lieutenant W. V. C. Compton, D.F.C. (Mission Bay), has now raised his score nf Gormans shot down to nine definite and belwcen four and seven probably damaged. He has carried out 134 sweeps and has recently accompanied American-operated Flying Fortresses over France. Pilot Officer P J. Macavoy (Dunedin) is one of the few New Zealanders flying Liberators in the Coastal Command. He and his navigator have carried out 270 operational hours, chiefly in anti-submarine patrols and in convoying and protecting ships in the western approaches and in the Bay of Biscay.