AIR WARFARE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 8 October 1940, Page 6

AIR WARFARE.

NEW ZEALAND’S PART. Casualties totalling 187 have occurred to New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force in Great Britain since t'he war began. This statement was made by the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) when he gave a review in the House of representatives of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The individual figures quoted by the Minister were: Killed 79 Missing (believed killed) ... 23 Missing 49 Prisoners " 15 Wounded 21 , A decision to provide additional squadrons in New Zealand was indicated by Mr Jones, who said that the country was going to do its job in the event of war coming to these shores, as well as interesting itself in the defence of the British Commonwealth. That expansion would mean additional expenditure-' and buildings. “Wo want to provide a better protective for-ce for New Zealand,” he said, “and we are going to use the Air Force, in conjunction ) with the other, forces. We do not want to interfere with the personnel for the Empire training scheme, -which will cost £7,500,000 over three years and a-half. Great Britain is providing most of the aircraft for that, and we have been well treated.”

Previously the 'high educational standard required for the Air Force prevented many men from joining, the Minister said, but under the new scheme 3000 lads were attending secondary schools at night or taking the correspondence course for training as pilots. That was a splendid achievement. The force in New Zealand to-day totalled 5714, of whom 383 were officers. The men numbered 5331, of whom 727 were technicians and 648 air crew.

Mr Jones said that before the war 402 men were sent from New Zealand to the Royal Air Force, and from t'he outbreak of the war until September 19, 1940 . 641 bad been sent. The figures were: Pilots, 189; observers, 98; air gunners, 179; armourers, 30; wireless operators. 50; fleet air arm, 95. A total of 85 more men would be sent shortly Including those already left.* the output by December 31 next would be 1465, comprising 674 pilots, 322 observers, and 469 gunners.

Mr W. A. Bodkin (Opposition, Central Otago): Are they all fully trained? , J -.

“Yes,” replied the Minister, “but they will receive additional training overseas. The figures include some of the observers and air gunners who are going to Canada about the end of this month.”' 1 ,

ONE THOUSAND MEN IN R.A.F. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford): How many of our flying men have been participating in the war at Home ur> to date? “We have approximately 1000 men in the Old Country,” replied Mr Jones. He said that the building up of the Air Force in New Zealand had been justified by the results.