N.Z. AIRMEN'S EXPLOITS

Grey River Argus, 30 April 1942, Page 1

N.Z. AIRMEN'S EXPLOITS

IN EUROPEAN RAIDS Leaders* High Praise (Special to N.Z. Press Association.) (Rec. 10.45.) LONDON, Aprn 20. New Zealand Spitfire and bomoer squadrons are taking a full share in the-air offensive against the Nazis. The Spitfires recently were involved in one of the most remarkable dogfights of the war, when twelve .ot them were attacked by fifty-two Focke Wuifs 199’s! Although outnumbered four to one, the New Zealanders only lost three Spitfires, from which two of the pilots baled out. They accounted for one probable ,Focke Wulf. The wonder was tiial they were not wiped out. They previously shot down four Naz.s. Ihe N.Z. bombers raided Rostock three times, Cologne twice, and celebrated Anzac_.JD.aY. by ? raiding-Roslock. „,.for its third time. The Spitfires were acting as top cover for Boston bonders, when the fifty.-two Focke Wuifs pounced on them, twelve attackiiig from above, and twenty from eacii side. The sky immediately became an arena .of milling, deatn-spinning aircraft, as the New Zealand Squadron fought for its very life, while attempting to keep off the Nazis from the bombers below. All Lie pilots had exciting experiences, to say the least, but few had a hotter time than Squadron Leader E. P. Wells and Pilot Officer L. M. Ralph, of Takapuna. They got separated from the squadron. Tney set off for England. Thereupon eight Focke Wulfs sighted them, and swept down with cannons blazing, rtalph turned time and time again to meet them head on. They would get a Nazi plane in their sights, for a brief second and would “squirt” their cannons and then would have to dive to escape the Huns on their tails. Ail this time they were nearing the French coast of [he Channel. R.alph, despite having received five cannon shells in' his piane, managed to make a ; dive prior to his escape to England. .. ’•Velis eventually managed to disengage also, and arrived at his base with his Spitlire not scratched, .which is nothing short" of miraculous. When Ralph landed it was found one cannon shell had hit the fuselage and also the airscrew, while both wings w - ere pierced. He wxs only sLgntiy injured. Meanwhile, Flying Officer J. G. Pattison, of Waipawa, spent an hour and a-half in a dinghy in the Channel before being picked up. He returned to his squadron flying a Magister, unperturbed, but dressed in an amazing assortment of sailors’ clothes, most of which were too big for him. When asked whether lie blew his emergency whistle to attract attention, he replied: “You bet I did ! I blew everything from “Come to the Cookhouse. Door Boys 1" It was suggested to Pattison that he take a week’s leave. He replied forty-eight hours would do. He was ready for another sweep the same afternoon.

Every pilot fired his cannon during the dogfight, but there was little time to see the results, although Pilot Officer F. D. Mackie, of Waihi, is credited with a .probable.

Previously, when Wells, Compton and Kilian shot down a Fock-wulf apiece, Palmer got a probable. The squadron was flying over Abbeville. They saw four Fock-wulfs below them. Wells said: “They were in a tight formation, as though there was no war on. They probably were first aware of us when they were going down in flames. Compton, after a subsequent sweep, force-landed in a field, when his engine cut out. He was slightly hurt. He will soon be fit. While he lay on a stretcher smoking, he tried to refuse to be taken to hospital.

Wells has now carried out a hundred fighter sweeps. He recently led an entire wing on twenty-five sorties. Wells, commenting on the present offensive, said: “The boys are standing up to it marvellously. You never get iNow Zealand buys down in the mouth, however hard the pressure.” The N.Z. Bomber Squadron, meanwhile, fully shared the Bomber Command’s offensive. When Olson was briefing crews for their third raid against Rostock on Anzac Day, mie wit commented: “They are having a holiday in New Zealand today!” Olson replied: “Yes. and we celebrate by doing a good job of work.” This appealed to the crews participating. They went out grinning. In addition to Rostock, where the R.A.F. dropped six hundred tons of bombs, the Squadron • has been to Cologne twice. The Squadron are known in their group as “The bellycrawlers,” because of the low altitude from which they bomb. They

upheld this reputation in the latest Cologne raid. From all five raids, all the aircrafts have returned, but some members of the crews have been casualties. A Pilot Officer from Wellington returned badly wounded. He died soiling, cheerful to the end. Flight Sergeant I. J. McLachlan, of Masterton, did an outstanding flight after being attacked by night fighters. His pilot was killed, his rear-gunner was injured, and his aircraft was badly damaged, but he"'got the plane safely home, ,and then made an excellent belly-landing. Olson echoed Well’s comment: “They are the grandest boys, doing an excellent job of work. I am very proud of them."