News of New Zealand Pilots

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 209, 3 September 1943, Page 5

News of New Zealand Pilots

(Special Correspondent.) Received Thursday, 8.40 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 2. Squadron-Leader J. S. Dmsdale, D.F.C., of Te Kuiti, has been appointed commanding officer of the New Zealand torpedo-bomber squadron. Dinsdale is one of the distinguished New Zealnaders of the Coastal Command. In May 1942 he hit the Prinz Eugen with a torpedo when she was proceeding to Germany from Trondheim. saw a column of smoke pour up from the Prinz Eugen after this attack. This squadron has had little operational duty during the summer mouths but the lull will not last much longef. its New Zealand personnel was changed recently when several of the crews' tour of duty ex£>ired. They were replaced by other New Zealanders. Flying-Officers J. H. Davies (Dunedin; and 1. G. Moneill (Tiritiki) have left the New Zealand Spitfire Squadron to fly “Invader” Mustangs. Davies, before joining the Spitfires had been twice to Canada and once to Russia with convoys, as pilot of a Catapult fighter, out had no opportunity to take off and engage German bombers. Lieutenant H. A. Morton, of Timaru, who is serving in a destroyer in the Mediterranean, writes that he was in action off Cape Bon and also at the Sicilian landing when he “got two planes and an E-boat, also knocked out six shore batteries, and had a few thrills. ’ ’