FELEW WITH ONE ENGINE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 17 February 1942, Page 4

FELEW WITH ONE ENGINE

SKILL AND TENACITY Ol PILOT AWARDED THE D.F.C. Wellington, Feb. 16. The D.F.C. was awarded to a member j of the R.N.Z.A.F., Pilot Officer MaechaJ ! '.nUiony Ensor. son oi Mr Hugh | Ensor, Rangiora. Pilot Officer Ensor , ; was born in Rangiora in 1922 and was ! l educated at St. Andrew’s College ! ! Christchurch. The citation accompany- ; ! mg his award s'ales that one night in j January he was the pilot of an air-j craft engaged in an operational sortie j ; over enemy waters. A convoy of three l ships was observed sailing through ice 1 Hoes. Pilot Officer Ensor attacked the ! leading ship from mast height and I j scored direct hits with some of his i j bombs. Whilst taking violent evasive j (action at an extremely low altitude the j i aircraft struck a rock which disabled j the starboard engine and rendered alt i instruments and the turret unservice- ! able and extinguished the lights. Thus handicapped Pilot Officer Ensor skil- ; J fully regained height in a heavy snow I storm, but later whilst flying overland land uncertain of his bearings his aircraft was subjected to anti-aircraft fire land searchlight activity for some 30 ! minutes. Eventually the position was, I identified and ably assisted by the ob- | server’s excellent navigation Pilot ! Officer Ensor flew across the sea with ! | only one engine functioning. On j j reaching Britain he was compelled to I attempt a forced landing owing to j shortage of petrol and although it was j ! snowing heavily a safe landing was) I made with the assistance of the obser- | I ver who fired vercy lights in quick i succession hr an endeavour to illumin- j ate the surroundings. The lan effected without further damage to the i ! aficr; or injury to the crew. Through. j | out this officer showed great courage. ! j tenacity and skill and was greatly as- 1 j sisted by the coolness and efficiency of j | liis observer. —P.A.