SCENE REVISITED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 68, 18 September 1944, Page 5

SCENE REVISITED

VILLAGE OF AIRMAN'S ESCAPE

(Special P.A. Correspondent.) NEAR LILLE, September 16. One sunny afternoon a year ago a small French boy near here saw a bpitfire shot down by several FockeWulfs. He watched where the oilot's parachute landed, and then went towards it on his bicycle, which had no tyres. He saw about 500 German soldiers seeking the airman, but took fm.n",? J£ c °m hem> and eventually lound the pilot. It was Squadron Leader J. Checketts of Invercargill, Commander of the New Zealand Spitfire Squadron. His tace and hands were badly burnt The French boy helped Checketts oti to the bicycle, and took him to his father's ies Ocap c cdand **"* ah" man eventually A year and a day later Checkett" A°H°n m?? nJed & Win 2 Commander' ivint t Deere >.,hls wing leader, fhp \ i? a yiU?ZQ "ear here and met ThPv S u' h° had his escape, rhey received a terrific welcome, all the villagers crowding round the house !what°i miles- The 7 told Checketts v £ a occurred after he left hiffviS nursed by a man and Sent v ' Wh° hld h™ till he was suffiS l/, ecovered to move on. Untoilunately the man's mother, treated alked^Wh hyr *l e Germans' had taiKed, and the Gestapo, searching the garden, found his uniform. They werl andOl?h Wh6n thGy realised his ySk taken nL man/ l ? d the women were of since and have never been heard beEan,? 6?^ 0, *$* ,the villagers that !hSL?ecke^ had been helped «SS*y Z°^r armT* JS bSfhid- tn? ey r tua- ny Sed fi°S These facts were told to Checketts P«h?S rS,? ith th? aid of intei^rVteS was onn «t pr?.udest woman there dpc ?ihh ° s} l * hns the win ss and ChVoLtt? n taken off the Jacket §£**>& was wearins when he was'