USELESS TASKS SET?

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1945, Page 3

USELESS TASKS SET?

FOR AUSTRALIAN- Al RMEN. SYDNEY OPPOSITION. PAPER’S ALLEGATION. ( (Rec. .10.5). SYDNEY, May 13. The Sydney “Sunday Telegraph”, in a leading article to-day, alleged that Australian airmen in the South-West Pacific war theatre had been sent to attack targets the destruction of which was of; no possible value in the prosecution of the war. It asked that a commission of inquiry into the charges be appointed. It said: “These attacks upon valueless targets constituted the reason why eight of the most distinguished lighter pilots in the Royal Australian Air Force recently requested permission ■of the Commonwealth Air Board to resign. Officers who requested permission to resign are:- —Group Captain Clive Caidwell, D. 5.0., D.F'.C. and Bar, Polish Cross_qf Valour; Group Captain W. S'. Arthur, D. 5.0., D.F.C.; Wing Commander R. H. Gibbes, D. 5.0., D.F.C. and Bar; Wing Commander K. Ranger; Squadron Leader J. L. Waddy, D.F.C.; Squadron Leader B. A. Grace, D.F.C'.; Squadron Leader R. D.. Vandefield, D.F.C.; Squadron Leader Harpham. “It was announced officially last week, however, that requests that were made by a number of key operational officers to resign from the R.A.A.F. had been withdrawn.” Most of the eight men named by the “Sunday Telegraph” have outstanding records of enemy planes destroyed in combat. Caldwell has a confirmed score of 271, Waddy 151. Gibbes 10. The “Sunday Telegraph" asserted: “Reasons for which these men sent in their applications to iesign constitute one of the gravest charges ever laid against the conduct of any service. They say that they and airmen similarly situated had been sent to attack targets the destruction of which was of no possible value in the prosecution of the war. They say that this is true of ninety per'cent, of the targets they were sent to attack. They insist that all this achieves is to enable bulletins to be issued stating that last month the R.A.A.F. dropped so many thousand rounds of ammunition, and Hew so many thousands of hours on operational duties. They • recognise that it is not an officers’ prerogative to question the tactical value of tasks he is set. Therefore, they do not question the orders. They simply request permission to resign. The men concerned are among the most experienced lighter pilots of any air force in the world,. having fought in various theatres against varied enemies and many targets, and in support of many major operations, and they know when they are beinggiven valueless tasks. The matter of the charges thus becomes one of tremendous public interest, warranting an immediate inquiry”. OTHEFi SIDE OF’ CASE. ACE CHARGED"WITH TRADING. (Rec. 9.30). SYDNEY, May 13. The Sydney “Sunday Telegraph” to-day published an interview with Caldwell, one of the eight airmen stated to have asked permission to resign. Caldwell denied the official report that he had withdrawn his application to resign from the R.A.A.F. While refusing to discuss the reasons for this application, Caldwell is reported to have said h e was prepared to do so only “if and when invited by the proper authorities”. Caldwell, Australia’s leading fighter ace of the war, was, however, last month reported to have been summonsed to appear before a court-mar-tial to answer the allegations against him of trading. On April 17 Caldwell was placed under open arrest, pending a court-martial. Allegations of trading were made in the charge. He was at that time commanding officer of a Spitfire unit of th e R.A.A.F. First Tactical Air Force, stationed in the Halmaheras. The court-martial last week was announced to .have been adjourned sine die, pending the termination of certain R.A.A.F. opera--1 ions.