A PROUD RECORD

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 125, 20 February 1941, Page 8

A PROUD RECORD

New Chief Of Fighter Command The R.A.F. continues to force its best talent to the top, says an English writer. Certainly tile new chief of the Fighter Command, Air Marshal William Sholto Douglas, is the type of man who will not only inspire confidence among the goodly company of Spitfire and Hurricane pilots, but will fire their youthful imagination. When the last war broke out, lie was a cadetgunner in the Oxford University O.T.C. Battery, and was granted a commission in the R.F.C. After a short period as an observer ami gunner, lie came back co England to get his wings. By July, 11)15, lie was in France again, and soon established a reputation for sagacity, thoroughness. anti courage, three qualities that do not often find themselves in the same breast. After winnin, the’M.C. he returned home again ami formed a squadron which he took out in the days when the enemy machines were better than ours, and the parachute was frowned upon as a faddist's eccentricity. Under bis leadership the squadron destroyed 201 enemy aircraft, and shot down 14!) our of control —winning the D.F.C. for the young leader. His career with the squadron ended in a landing contretemps with a cow —from which Sholto Douglas emerged with concussion and the cow was killed. He is 47 years of age now, but tils keen, calm eyes ami firm mouth are just the same sis when lie challenged the fates a quarter of a century ago. As the new ruler of these flashing fighters of ilie R.A.E. he must smile at the newspaper prominence given to one of Ills exploits in 1919. London to Brussels in Tliree Hours. A four-engined Handley Page aeroplane, piloted by IJetlt.-Colonel tv. S. Douglas. D.F.C., M.C., left Cricklewood on Saturday morning ami made a safe landing there ill 10 o’clock the same morning. I like those words “the same morning." Ii reminds one of when the world was young ami we could still be .startled by man's audacious pent'!ration of the skies.