N.Z. PILOT’S ESCAPE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20861, 13 August 1942, Page 3

N.Z. PILOT’S ESCAPE

CRIPPLED BOMBER CRASH LANDING MADE (Special Correspondent.) (9 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. Flight-Sergeant F. A. Schaw, of Palmerston North, was the pilot of a Halifax which reached England after a raid against the Ruhr despite hits from ack-ack fire and Junkers 88 cannon shells. The fabric and stays were ripped away and the starboard rudder 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 11,000 ft. to 5000 ft. Sergeant Schaw said: “The starboard outer engine started to stutter and then all 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 ft., we were too low for anyone else to jump, but suddenly the port inner engine picked up and I was able to guide the aircraft between two trees, the wings hitting the branches. I landed in a turnip field." Sergeant Schaw saw that the port wing-tip was on fire but almost immediately he put out the flames by smothering them with a parachute and then stamping on them.