Bomber Crew's Perilous Journey

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 265, 7 November 1941, Page 5

Bomber Crew's Perilous Journey

(British Official Wireless.) Received Thursdav, 7.20 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 5.

The crew of an R.A.F. bomber piloted by a South African lieutenant who had two Australians as observer and airgunner bombed their objectives in Cyrenaica despite the great difficulty caused by the weather in the course of a recent raid and finished off an exciting night’s work by swimming to safety after tho aircraft had landed on the sea, says the Air Ministry News Service.

Encountering a terrific storm when nearing their objective the aircraft began to ‘ * ice up. ’ ; The speed indicators failed owing to the icing and refused to move eitner way. There was dense cloud down to a thousand feet and underneath a tremendous fall ot rain. Other aircraft had dropped flares and guided by the light the bomber dropped its load. Part of the bomber’s rudder had tail fin were shot away and the elevators slightly damaged. As a result the pilot began the homeward trip finding it impossible to steer an accurate course. The oil temperature gauge dropped to zero in the bitter early morning cold.

Ultimately the crew recognised their position and found that they were many miles from their base. Turning back the pilot flew for fifteen minutes until the engines cut out. Then he made a perfect pancake landing 200 yards from the shore. The airgunner was .thrown out of the turret and sprained his ankle and the observer suffered from bruises, but all three members of the crew swam ashore without much difficulty although the pilot lost his flying boots and had a very uncomfortable tramp for several miles in his stockinged feet. Finally the airmen fell in with a party ot South African troops.