N.Z. AIRMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1945, Page 3

N.Z. AIRMEN

NOTABLE SERVICE RENDERED

WELLINGTON, March 22

So stupendous was the damage inflicted on enemy territory by R.A.lf. Bomber Command that he did not think even the British public realised the extent of it, said Souadron Leader W. J. R. Scollay, D.F.C.,.0t Wellington, a recently returned airman. He gave as an example the twin cities of Barmen and Eberfeld, which formed the city of Wuppertal, and which were completely destroyed in one attack. The result was comparable to the destruction ol Wellington. The main attack on such places was by incendiaries, the Germans having taught the British the lesson in the Battle of Britain that in-j cendiaries did more damage than high explosives. Squadron Leader Scollay, who was a former member of No. 75 (New Zealand) Bomber Squadron, said the Squadron was considered to be in the top flight of Bomber Command and the New Zealanders in the Squadron now numbered about 50 per cent. Ah original member of the No, m

Squadron, formed shortly after the outbreak of the war from the 30 Wellington bombers, then due to be flown to the Dominion, is Squadron Leader F. J. Lucas, D.F.C:, and Bar, of Balclutha, who also recently returned from overseas, after more than live years’ active .service. By November 16, 1940, he had completed 37 raids, and by 1943 his total was 53 reconnaissance and major bombing attacks. For a time he was Flight Commander of the New Zealand Mosquito Squadron. Lucas did outstanding work in photographing heavily defended targets, and his courage and perserverance on this dangerous type of operation was described in the citation to the Bar of his D.F.C., as most marked. He was back in New Zealand in 1943 after two complete operational tours with the R.A.F., to lead successfully a special mission pioneering R.N.Z.A.F. transport routes in the South-west Pacific. He thenreturned to England to do a third tour of operations with the R.A.F. Occupying, with five others, 11th equal place in the list of New Zealanders who -have shot down five or more enemy aircraft, Souadron Leader D, W. Westenra, D.F.C. and Bar,

of Dunsandel is another of the longservice airmen who recently returned to the Dominion. His score is 11. He served in Greece and Crete in Gladiators, the last biplane fighters in the R.A.F., flew Tomahawks in Libya, Kittyhawks (on test) in Egypt, Spitfires from El Agheila and Sicily, and Mustangs in the European theatre. In the Western Desert campaign Westenra led a Squadron with “conspicuous ability.”