Mouteka Airman’s Distinguished Record In War And Peace

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 6

Mouteka Airman’s Distinguished Record In War And Peace

(Received 1.30 p.m.) (Special) LONDON, May 22. Promoted group-captain at the age of 36,.the famous airman, Group-Cap-tain A. E. Clouston, D. 5.0., D.F.C., A.F.C. and Bar (of Motueka), now commands a station with a truly Anzac atmosphere, for both New Zealand and Australian Beaufighter squadrons are based on it.

Group-Captain Clouston was promoted and given his present appointment after commanding a Liberator squadi'on for one year. His wartime record is as distinguished as his peacetime career. Group-Captain Clouston, who entered the Royal Air Force, served a short-service commission in Fighter Command until 1935 when he became one of two air Ministry civilian test pilots at Farnborough. During the four years preceding the war, he tested many new types of aircraft, including the Spitfire and Wellesley, and also experimented with barrage balloon cables, first flying into a thin string suspended from toy balloons, then using thicker and thicker string, then fine wire and thicker wire with larger balloons until the present standard of balloon and cable was decided upon. Tost Pilot “Esagged” German Gn the outbreak ol - war he was recalled to the R.A.F. and given the rank of squad-ron-leader, and continued his work as a test pilot. It was while testing a Spitfire during the Battle cf B: itain that nis attention was attracted by flak-bursts. He flew towards them and sighted a Messerschmitt 11C, which he attacked and damaged and chased to the Channel, where it was last seen descending seawards. During the chase he ak;o saw a Heinkel 111 which he attacked and definitely destroyed. In October. IS4O, he was posted to a Beaufighter night-fighter squadron, and flew for 52 hours seeking German raidi rs during the London blitz. In December, JS4G. he was transferred to the personal staff of Sir Jclm Salmond at the Ministry for Aircraft Production, and became engaged in the development of radio-loca-tion, and the following year was promoted-wing-commander in command cf a squadron. During that period lie helped to form nine new squadrons. With Ccastal Command For his work in testing balloon cables, he was awarded the Air Force Cross, and tor his part in the development of nightfighters he was awarded a bar to the A.F.C. In February, 1943, at his own request, he was transferred to the Coastal Command, where he commanded a squadron of Liberators engaged in anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic between England and Gibraltar, and testing new devices. including the Leigh Light. G'nce he sighted a U-boat seven miles away through binoculars, and immediately ordered an attack. The U-bcat greeted the Liberator with an accurate burst of fire from an anti-aircraft gun, holing the Liberator in 3t> places, but accurate depthcharges sent the U-boat under the sur face on which oil and bubbles showed for 20 minutes. Die Admiralty subsequently assessed the U-bcat as destroyed.

Gn another occasion, four Junkers 88 attacked his Liberator, and a running fight followed for 50 minutes, the Liberator finally eluding them with only six cannon-shell holt's in the rudders.

Mastered 183 PH lies

Group-Captain Clouston paid tribute to his gunners, one of whom was Sergeant A. J. P. Souter (Wanganui), for “saving his life that, day.” Unfortunately. Sergeant Souter was subsequently reported missing on operations. In his long flying career, which began in Marlborough, where he learned 10 i!y in a De Havilland Moth, paying his £3 an hour, and continued during his recordbreaking flights to the Cape and New Zealand, Group-Captain Clouston has flown no fewer than 183 different types of aircraft. while his flying hours are 4035. Group-Captain Clouston is very proud cf his Anzac squadrons, particularly, of course, the New Zealanders. “You are going 1c hear a lot of them ” he said.