A GREAT AIRMAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 24 October 1942, Page 4

A GREAT AIRMAN

VETERAN OF BATTLE OF BRITAIN 2SO SORTIES AND RAIDS Cambridge, Oct. 23 ' Now in New Zealand on a special ] tour of duty, Wing Commander E P. Wells, D. 5.0., D.F.C., and bar. of Catn- ; bridge, completed no fewer than 350 sorties and raids against the enemy before leaving Britain. He came through all of them completely unscathed. He is credited with having destroyed II I enemy aircraft, shared in the destruction of four bombers, secured five probables and damaged eight other machines. He is the only New Zealander to have received the particular group of decorations he holds. That keenness of eye which brought for him remarkable skill as a rifle and gun shot before the war earned for him the sobriquet of “Hawk-eye” as a fighter pilot in Britain. “SPITFIRES SAVED BRITAIN” Speaking of the war in the air. Wing Commander Wells said that the Spitfire saved Britain in 1940. After the Battle of Britain fighter sweeps over enemy territory became a regular routine and the raids were attended by magnificent success. The morale of the Royal Air Force was very high, said Wing Commander WelLs. He added that he had met many German pilots who had been shot down in Britain. They wpre of two types. The Hitlerities were arrogant and surly, while those not politicallymined were reasonable and spoke freely so long as nothing was disclosed that would compromise their families. GERMAN PROPAGANDA Prisoners who were told of the damage done by British bomber raids over Cologne simply would not believe the evidence of photographs and reports, while one who was shown a typical grocer’s shop in London was dazed when he saw the quality of goods that were available for sale. He could hardly believe the evidence of his own eyes, so different was the state of affairs from what he had been led to expect. The German propaganda system was so intense and the press so rigidly controlled that the Germans could only believe what they were told by their propaganda ministry, no matter how far its stories departed from the truth. —P.A. ______