COMING HOME

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 149, 21 December 1945, Page 8

COMING HOME

AIRMEN FROM INDIA

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

With the departure of approximately 115 R.N.Z.A.F. personnel for New Zealand from Bombay about December 20 the greater part of the repatriation of New Zealanders in the South-east Asia Command will have been completed. There will still be about 40 remaining in the Command. They are principally liaison staff and men who have volunteered for extended service. . (Among those waiting embarkation are men who were serving in Burma when the Japanese began to sweep through South-east Asia nearly four years ago. At that time they were not operationally trained and were flying obsolete aircraft. In spite of these odds they put up a gallant fight and inflicted heavy losses on the yellow invader before they were forced to withdraw to the north. Later, as more men and .materials flowed into the Command, these same men began to help in the task of pushing the Japanese south again. They re-occupied aerodromes they had been driven from three years previously, and finally returned in some cases to the same aerodrome whence they had been operating when the Japanese launched their treacherous attacks on December 8, 1941. Others awaiting return to New Zealand have been in India for only two or three months. Some. were with squadrons preparing for the Malayan offensive, and a few had not even been posted to a squadron. All were disappointed that after the long and intensive training they had undergonethey were denied the opportunity of seeing action. , Apart from the liaison staff, men remaining in the command are principally employed on transport squadrons, carrying essential supplies and priority passengers. . LONG SERVICE.

Among 'those who have served throughout the Far East campaign is Flight Lieutenant G. M. Simpson, D.F.C., who is believed to have had the longest service in the Far East of any New Zealand aircrew personnel. He sailed from New Zealand in June, 1941. When he leaves for New Zealand he will have completed four years and a half overseas. He will be accompanied on the return journey by his wife, a Scottish girl, whom he married at Cawnpore in July of this year. "Simmie," as he is better known, has vivid recollections of the biggest Japanese raids'on Rangoon on December 23 and 25, 1941. His squadron, No. 67, flying Buffaloes, and the American Volunteer Group, consisting ■of one squadron of Tomahawks, were the only fighter defence for Rangoon. On both the 23rd and 25th the squadrons took off to attack three waves of bombers, each of 27, escorted by fighters. Twenty of the Japanese were shot down —an outstanding achievement considering that none of the pilots of 67 Squadron had had any operational training. After serving with various units in India and Burma, including two months on liaison work with Wingate's Chindits, Flight Lieutenant Simpson returned to 67 Squadron in April last year. Instead of the ancient Buffaloes, the squadron was equipped with Spitfires. The squadron moved into Akyab as fighter defence three days after the first Allied landings. It was through Akyab that Simpson was evacuated when the Japanese were driving the British back in Burma. In one sortie at Akyab early this year he shot down two Oscars, and it was shortly after this that he was awarded the D.F.C. For the last six months he has been a test pilot at Cawnpore, flying all types of aircraft from Tiger Moths to four-engined Liberators.

OTHER PERSONNEL,

Flight Lieutenant M. W. Wrenall, captain, and Flying Officer R. N. McKenzie, wireless operator, who will be joining the draft at Bombay shortly, were members of the first Allied aircraft to land at Kai Tak, Hong Kong, after the surrender of ( the island early in September. They were members of a R.A.F. squadron transporting passengers and supplies across the Hump, and were detached from this work to carry supplies into Hong Kong. Wrenall comes from Westmere, Auckland, and McKenzie from Northland, Wellington. WrenalPs aircraft : was closely followed by another aircraft piloted by a New Zealander, Elight Lieutenant Cliff Say, who landed fxve minutes later.

Another distinction gained by a New Zeaiander awaiting repatriation is that of being pilot of the first aircraft on a scheduled run from Calcutta to Hong Kong. He is Flight Lieutenant J. Stuart, D.F.C, of Birkenhead, Auclcland.

Also wearing the D.F.C. ribbon is Warrant Officer E. P. Stocker, who has been flying Liberators. The announcement of the award of the "gong" was made on October 20 last, ten months after Stocker finished his tour. He says that he has no idea why he was chosen for the honour, but as he was laying mines between Penang and Georgetown and flying, over heavily-defended Bangkok it is not difficult to guess the reason.