LIFE ON LAMPEDUSA
“DREARY PLACE” FOR AIRMEN FLT.-SGT. R. HAYWARD THERE “Lampedusa is a dreary place and we were not sorry to leave,” was the verdict of New Zealand airmen who have returned to England. Among the personnel were Flight-Lieut.<D. F. Watson, of Thames, and Flight-Sergts. J. S. Prentice, R. C. Shorthduse and W. H. Carter, of Auckland, and FlightSgt. R. Hayward of Paeroa. FlightSgt. Hayward is a son of Mrs E. M. Hayward of Junction Street, Paeroa. The airmen arrived at Lampedusa, the former Italian island in the Mediterranean, a week before the Sicilian campaign began, and they were patrolling in Hurricanes over Allied convoys. There were many huge convoys. One was 40 miles long and it took 10 minutes to fly from one end to the other. No Axis aircraft were seen.
At Lampedusa the New Zealanders ' lived under canvas in a small bay, i with the beach only 50 yards away, so they had many good swims. The islanders were friendly, especially when they discovered that the Italian garrison had gone and they were allowed to return to their normal occupations. |
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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32310, 8 September 1943, Page 5
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184LIFE ON LAMPEDUSA Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32310, 8 September 1943, Page 5
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