RAIDS IN MANY LANDS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 4, 29 September 1944, Page 4

RAIDS IN MANY LANDS

New Zealand Airmen’s Experiences PATHFINDERS, BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS In the draft of some 50 airmen who recently returned to the Dominion were men who have taken part in raids over Germany, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Norway, 'and Burma, as well as in operations along the West Coast of Africa. One of the officers. Lieutenant R. G. Goldstone, has seen service with the South African Air Force. Lieutenant Goldstone, who belongs to Lower Hutt, was for a time on the staff of the Charles Haines Advertising Company in Wellington before leaving for South Africa, where he was at the outbreak of war. He joined the Air Force there in 1940, and has served on coastal duties from West Africa and as an instructor. He has now been transferred' to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Squadron Leader W. H. Stratton, whose home is in the Hawera district, joined the Royal Air Force in England in 1937, and went to France with No. 1 Fighter Squadron soon after the outbreak of the war. He was “chased out of France,” as he puts it, with the squadron in May, 1940, and was then sent to Rhodesia on instructional duties for a time before being returned to operational duty with 134 Squadron in the Middle East and Burma. He ■ has won the D.F.C. and Bar. Pilot Officer J. A. Moller, D.F.M., completed two tours of duty with bombers from England before his return to the Dominion, and made many trips over Germany in the Pathfinders. His experiences' include three visits to Turin and one to Genoa in big R.A.F. raids, and he participated in all the 1000-bomb-er raids on Germany. Essen is the worst place in the Reich for flak, he says, but he says he would always prefer the flak to the German night-fighters. The flak defences of Berlin are nowhere near as thick as. those round Essen. On one occasion his aircraft reached home with 156 flak holes, and on one occasion he got a shell splinter through the back of his neck, Pilot Officer Moller’s sweetest memory, he says,, is the raid on Munich in which, the R.AiF. burnt down Hitler’s Brown House. His promotion from flight sergeant to pilot officer came through just before he completed his operational duty with a raid on the Skoda Armament Works at Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. Parachuted Among Partisans. A highlight of Flying Officer E. M. Karatau’s experience was when he had to bale out over Yugoslavia, and was assisted back to Italy by men of Marshal Tito’s forces. Flying Officer Karatau, who comes from Turakina, was with “Cobber” Kain’s old squadron, No. 73, which was giving co-operational support to the Partisan’s by bombing German supply, trains and carrying out high-dive bombing attacks on German positions. When he had to bale out, he was soon in contact with the Partisans, among whom were many who spoke English. It was only five days before he was back with his squadron. The story of his return will have to wait till later days to be told, but at one stage he had to carry a sack full of corncobs for six miles. Flying Officer Moon, w.ho carries two wound stripes on his sleeve, has taken part in seven raids on Berlin, in addition to others on Milan and Turin. He has been returned to the Dominion because of bis wounds, one of which was caused by a 20mm. cannon-shell which passed into his chest, through a lung, and out of his back just before it exploded.