SALUTE TO A GREAT FIGHTER PILOT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 117, 11 February 1941, Page 8

SALUTE TO A GREAT FIGHTER PILOT

Exploits Of “Cobber” Kain AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR’S VIVID ACCOUNT Hitherto unpublished episodes in the brief, brilliant war career of Flying Officer E. J. Kain. D.F.C., AVellington, are contained in a book, "Fighter Stpmdrons.” which is to hand in a recent mail. The author of this book is an Australian, Mr. Noel Alonks, who was the London "Daily Mail’s” correspondent with the Royal Air Force in France from 'the outbreak of war till the defeat and fall of Britain’s ally.

"Fighter Squadrons” is dedicated to the memory of “Cobber” Kain, and is devoted largely to descriptions of the exploits of this extraordinarily daring fighter pilot and some of his lesserknown but equally dashing colleagues. Air. Alonks has made an initial mistake in referring to Flying Officer Kain as an Aucklander, but his account of the flyer’s life in France is intimate and factual, for the men—fighter pilot and author —became close friends. Tiny British Force. According to Mr. Alonks. Britain’s Advanced Air Striking Force, which was the official title of the air force sent to France when hostilities opened, consisted in the fighter section of only two squadrons. These were No. 1 and (No. 73 Fighter Squadrons of the R.A.F. The rest of the A.A.S.F. consisted of bombers. “Two fighter squadrons against the aerial might of Germany; bomber squadrons, composed in the main _ of fifth-rate machines, setting off without escort into the teeth of the greatest system of aerial defences the world has known.” That .is Mr. Alonks’s comment on the amazingly illbalanced position which, he states, existed right up to and after the German “blitzkrieg” began. He had been informed (unofficially) that the arrangement was that Britain would supply the bombers and France the fighters, but his book sheds little light on the doings of the French fighter squadrons, except on the several occasions when, for one reason or another, there were tragic errors in. recognition which resulted in British and French machines fighting each other. “I do not know why I never saw any French fighters in the air during my nine mouths in France, or, if there were French fighters in our zone, why lone Hurricanes were obliged to take on 40 to 70 enemy bombers and fighters during the blizkrieg,” Air. Alonks remarks. “No doubt the historians will thrash that out.” Near the Maginot Line. Flying Officer Kain was a member of Squadron 73, stationed at Rouvres, a tiny village of 200 inhabitants on the Alaginot Line side of Verdun. No. 1 Squadron was at Bar-le-Duc, 20 miles away. Practically all the members of these two squadrons have become famous wherever flyers gather, and several of them have had world renown thrust upon them. Flying Officer Martin known to the French as the Enfant Terrible, and who afterward became “news” throughout the world as the “Prisoner of Luxemburg,” Avas a member of Squadron 73. A small babyfaced lad, he had many air victories to his credit before and after his escape from the Duchy, where he was interned after a forced landing. But the two pilots of whom Air. Monks has most to say were Kain of 73 and the Australian Flying Leslie (“Leo the Lion”) Clisby, D.l’.L., aged 25, who was last seen going down in flames near Rheims on Alay 1940.

“Their names,” he writes, “should live for ever in Australia and New Zealand. Schoolboys out there should be told of their deeds. There never will be any greater. The pity of it is that „ nien anl women so soon forget.” On one occasion Clisby lone-handed Hew at a bunch of German fighters and bombers. He shot down three bombers and was himself put out of action bv a Messerschmitt fighter. On his way down he damaged a fourth bomber and forced it to land. He landed near it ami captured its crew at the point of his revolver. Clisby also led four of eight British Hurricanes which cleared rhe air of 90 German fighters over Maastricht Bridge to make way for the British bombers which destroyed the bridge—one of the most heroic achievements of the war. The “Heavenly Sharpshooter.” Of Kain. Mr. Monks writes with deep feeling. “There will be other great British aces in this war before it. is over, he says, “but I’ll take Flying Officer Kaiii, the long, rangy boy from New Zealand, the wizard wind that blew down Nazi sky-forts as though they were leaves, the heavenly sharpshooter who wanted so much to live. The author re-tells the story of Kain’s death in an accident which occurred a few minutes before he was to leave on transfer to England. But lie also gives an account of Kain in action. ‘ . . . I was watching -10 Heinkels and Dorniers (bombers) pass overhead from my window when 1 saw a lone Hurricane nosing into the sky after them. ... I murmured instinctively, •Cobber’ . . . and watched the lighter, throttle full open, tear after the raiders. . . . Soon the lone Hurricane was among them, and through my glasses I saw the Jerries break up their formations and scatter as though some great unseen power were among them. "The Hurricane was flying like a crazy thing. He appeared to be playing leapfrog over them, diving under one. and over on top of another, tiring bursts of machine-gun bullets as he went. Two of the raiders reeled out of the mix-up and suddenly the others disappeared in disorder the way they bad come. The Hurricane came hellbent toward the town. When it seemed to be right above the pilot did a mad series of loops and then. traced the figure “C” in a mlle-high climb," “Fiyhter Squadrons,” by Xoel Monks. Annus and Robertson, Ltd.. Sydney.