NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1942, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

OVER 250 AWARDS.

WELLINGTON, August 11. Announcing that the number of awards to New Zealand airmen serving overseas had reached 253, the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) paid a tribute to the splendid record established by these officers and men. “It is just a little over three months since I was able to announce that the second hundred awards had been reached, and now the total has increased to 253,” he said. “Numbered in this list are many officers and men with double decorations, and just recently Acting-Wing Commander E. P. Wells, D.F.C. and Bai - , was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, to secure a most impressive triple award.” The Minister said that in the earlier days of the war the majority of awards to New Zealanders were won by men who had gone from the Dominion 'to accept short-service commissions with the Royal Air Force, but since then the list of awards to New Zealanders who had received their initial training in the Dominion had increased steadily. A survey of the type of men so honoured revealed that they came from all walks of life, and showed that the average young New Zealander was of a type fitted for trailing in the specialised art of aerial warfare. Awards had been made to pilots, observers, and air-gunners, indicating that New ,Zealanders are playing a magnificent part in all three branches of the flying war.

MR. NASH GRATIFIED

(N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent)

LONDON, August 11. Mr. Nash, on Thursday last, • accompanied by Air Commodore L. M. Isitt, R.N.Z.A.F., visited New Zealanders at three R.A.F. stations, and saw them training. He also met a number of recently decorated airmen, and lunched with members of the New Zealand Spitfire and Hurricane night fighter squadrons. The Spitfire squadrons have thirty-three planes to their credit. The Hurricane squadron, which is new, recently bagged its first victim. Mr. Nash who visited the Bomber Squadron by plane, said: “All I have seen is a splendid justification of the pride New Zealand takes in her airmen. They are grand boys.” HEROIC SALVAGE (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) LONDON, August 11.

Flight-Sergt. F. A. Schaw, of Palmerston North, was pilot of a Halifax which reached England aftei' a raid against the Ruhr, despite a hit from ack-ack fire and Junkers 88 cannon shells. The fabric and stays were ripped away from the starboard rudder, and the elevator put out of action. Shells burst across the wings, striking the port outer engine, and the petrol tanks were damaged. The Halifax dropped., from eleven thousand feet to five thousand feet.

Flight-Sergt. Schaw said: “The starboard outer engine started to stutter. Then all the three remaining engines packed up.' I gave the order to abandon the aircraft, and the navigator, radio operator and flight engineer jumped. Then, at 800 feet we were too low for anyone else to jump, but suddenly the port inner engine picked up. 1 was able to guide the aircraft between two trees, the wings hitting the branches. I landed in a turnip field.” Sergt. Schaw saw the port wingtip on fire. Almost immediately he put out the flames by smothering them with his parachute, then stamping on them. N.Z. AIR CASUALTIES. WELLINGTON, August 12. The following New Zealand airmen serving overseas are reported as casualties (all R.N.Z.A.F. and with the rank of Sergeant, unless otherwise stated): —

MISSING ON AIR OPERATIONS.

Coppersmith, Raymond Patrick. Mr. E. C. Coppersmith, Westport, (f.).

Bright, William H., Auckland. Byrne, Martin J., Cambridge. Caithcheon, Gordon E., Morrinsville. Campbell, Alan, Hawera. Crarer, Thomas E., Wairoa. Croall, Charles, Hamilton. Gilbertson, Flight Sergeant John E., Wellington. Gratton, Flight Sergeant James R.,’Thames. Harvey, Ronald S., Christchurch. McPherson, Alfred M., Roxburgh. Mason, Pilot Officer Leonard M., Masterton. Rutherford, Alan W., Taupiri. Schofield, Siddle H., Takapau. Dadman, Kenneth A., admitted to hospital from injuries received on operations, Auckland. • Kirkwood, Flying Officer, Robert J., R.A.F.V.R., killed, England. Joyce, John L., previously reported missing on air operations, now reported safe, Christchurch. Ansford, Edward D., previously reported missing, now reclassified as a prisoner of war, New Plymouth. Beedie, Pilot Officer Stuart W., previously reported missing, death now officially presumed in August, 1941, Dannevirke. Berg, Maurice L., previously reported missing, now reclassified as killed in action, New Plymouth. Clouston, Warwick A., previously reported missing, believed killed, now reclassified as killed on active service, Auckland. Dunn, Leading Aircraftman Leslie, previously reported seriously ill, now removed from seriously ill list, Whangarei. Fox, Pilot Officer Thomas T., previously reported missing, now reclassified as missing, believed killed, Auckland.

Gane, Geoffrey A., previously reported missing,’ now reclassified as prisoner of war, Blenheim. Larson, Thor T. S., previously reported missing, now reclassified as a prisoner of war, Dunedin. Mountier, Russel P., R.A.F., previously reported missing, death now presumed in September. O’Dowd, Albert W., previously reported missing, now reclassified as missing, believed killed in action., England. Polson, James G.. previously reported seriously ill, now reported died through illness, Christchurch. Strang. Acting Flight Lieutenant Robert H., R.A.F., previously reported missing, death now presumed in January, Invercargill. Stuart, Henry T., previously reported missing, death now presumed in January, Auckland. Triester, Joel, previously reported missing, believed killed, now reclassified as killed on active service, Auckland.

Brown Aircraftman Charles, R.N. Z.A.F. died of natural causes, Auckland.