NOTED R.A.F. LEADER

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27038, 13 May 1953, Page 8

NOTED R.A.F. LEADER

Sir Basil Embrv’g Career CHRISTCHURCH Vlgn TODAY

A man who had on his head « of 70,000 reichsmarks (£8732 A.*? after escaping from the German’ W in the war. but continued flying until the war ended since been Air Officer Comm'swSa, * Chief. Fighter Command Rore?*’ Force, will arrive in ChristehnSt.' day during an unofficial visit tn it Zealand. He is Air Marshal st; n? Embry. K.8.E., C. 8.. DB.O an? bars, D.F.C., A.F.C.. who rifirMife his Fighter Command post lastmZ and early in July will take Commander-in-Chief, Allied **l Forces in Central Europe unti—! North Atlantic Treaty Or can Sir Basil Embry will have nniu?, command units of the British iS. States. French. Belgian, and Dutch Forces. He may also have unS command units of the LuftwaftTi, is eventually reformed. It has h proposed that German Air Forw m should be incorporated in the K pean Army. Today Sir Basil Embry will ftvh. Ohakea to the Royal New Ze»i»L B Force station. Wigram, in a Hastings aircraft of No, 24 (ConS wealth) Squadron, R.A.F. He wffl accompanied by Lady Embry than of Air Staff (Air Viee-MahhM h® Carnegie) and his personal Mmib Flight Lieutenant P Armour Ar of honour will be mounted fte arrival and he will be welcome Wing Commander S. G. QiiilQh commanding the Flying wine fa i absence of the commanding nflJ Group Captain B. S. Nicholl who fa. leave. ’ Sir Basil Embry has come to x. Zealand at the invitation of the Prt Minister (Mr Holland). In AnrS he made a lecture tour and insner the Woomera rocket range end Wellington he has had unofficial < fence talks with Mr Holland and i Minister of Defence (Mr T L 14 donald). Before the war Sir Basil l»h served on the North-West Frontie India, and was awarded the DSO 1938. His citation mentioned “hfa'i itiative as a commander, his exo tional flying ability, and his romnl disregard for personal danger.” showed those qualities throughout war and he was awarded three ben his D. 5.0., a rare distinction. Escape from Germane In May, 1940. Sir Basil Etntay a shot down over St. Omer in and was taken prisoner. He doa out of the column of prisonen*a while making his lyay through was recaptured twice. On one qm, ion he knocked out three guards escape again, and on another, nretea ing to be a Sinn Feiner, successfully loose a flood of Urdu, learned in to convince his captors he could m Erse. Sir Basil Embry was beck tn lu land for the Battle of Britain, but then the Germans had put a price 70,000 reichsmarks on hw head and summary fate awaited him if be v shot down behind the enemy liu again. For that reason the Air 1 istry banned the publication of pbto graphs of him. Then a Wing Cm mander Smith emerged, and Sir B Embry was able to continue to 1 part in operational sorties under name. All his decorations except t ,Air Force Cross were won during war. He was also awarded the DenlM Order 1 of Danneborg. the Dutch Oriel of Orange Nassau, the Legion of Hom our. and the Croix de Guetre From 1945 to 1948 Sir Basil EmM was Assistant Chief of Air Sin (Training) at the Air Minlsfry, Htif the president of the Royal Air rari Escaping Society, and author of ttf book. “Winged Victory."