R.A.F. LIAISON WITH ARMY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24366, 19 September 1944, Page 4

R.A.F. LIAISON WITH ARMY

IMPORTANT WORK OF NX OFFICERS (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, Sept. 17. Two New Zealanders filling important posts with the Royal Air Force in Prance are Wing Commander Alan Deere. D.5.0.. D.T.C. and bar (Wanganui), and Wing Commander R. D. Yule, D.5.0.. D.F.C. and bar (Invercargill). Wing Commander Deere is one of the wing officers in charge or plans at the control centre of the Royal Air Force group supporting the Canadian Army, and Wing Commander .Yule holds the same position at the control centre of a group supporting the British Army. Their responsibility is to decide what types of fighter aircraft are to attack various targets. They also deal with requests from the Army, which require certain targets to be attacked from time to time. Communications in the field, which include teleprinters, are so good that a request can be received from the Army and the orders given to the wings within a matter of minutes. Wing Commander Deere, who went to Normandy two months ago, went up to the front line in an armoured car when the Canadians sought help beyond Caen and co-operated with the Army on the spot , Wing Commander Deere, who has had many lucky escapes in the air. now adds two escapes while on the ground. The first was while he was with the Canadians An 88mm. shell landed fiearby, killing several men, and a large splinter whizzed past his legs. The second was when driving along a road he drew to one side to avoid a Frenchman who was standing in the middle with a bicycle. As he did so his back wheel exploded a landmine, which blew the Frenchman to pieces and stove in the back of the car. Everyone in the car escaped.