7TH N.Z. SQUADRON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 24 June 1943, Page 2

7TH N.Z. SQUADRON

CATALINA FLYING-BOATS PART TO BE TAKEN IN U-BOAT WAR (Rec. 12.20 p.m.) London, June 23. The New Zealand Catalina Flying-boat Squadron, the seventh Dominion squadron in Great Britain which Mr Jones visited during his stay, is looking forward to helping to tip the scales in the great battle against U-boats. It is at present commanded by Wing-Command- ' D. W. Baird, A.F.C., former air liaison officer in London. He will be succeeded by Wing-Commander B. Nichol of Masterton, who recently arrived in England. He will undergo courses before taking over the command.

The squadron has many distinguished New Zealanders. One who has an outstanding record in the Coastal Command is Flight-Lieut. A. Frame. D.F.C., of Oamaru, who has flown 1600 hours in Sunderlands. He flew over to convoy the first Canadian contingent which arrived in Britain in December, 1939. He then went to the Mediterranean where he flew some 200 men from Greece and Crete during the evacuation, and a similar number to Alexander when Crete fell. On one flight he took 50 passengers in addition to 12 of a crew. On several occasions he had rendezvous with escapees from Crete, once taxiing for five hours in the darkness along the coast attempting to find them and he ultimately did.

Flight-Lieut. Frame carried out many patrols in the lonian Sea and also assisted a Swordfish attack on convoys between Tripoli and Sicily. He attacked and probably damaged a submarine off Tobruk in May, 1942. He piloted a Sunderland mentioned in “Coastal Command” which picked up a survivor from the Blairlogie 300 miles from land. The Sunderland flew to the exact spot. Another time he flew for 13 and a half hours seeking five enemy ships. He had many important passengers at different times, taking General Wavell to Greece, General Gort from Gibraltar to England and Air Marshal Longmore to Crete twice. COMMANDOS’ ESCORT Flight Lieut. P. R. Godby, formerly on the editorial staff of “The Press,” Christchurch, carried out a tour in Ansons, when Air Commodore J. L. Findlay, who is now in New Zealand, was his commanding officer. Flight Lieut. Godby took part in the second commando raid of the war when he flew over commandos landing at Guernsey, which was mentioned in “Combined Operations.” At one period he flew 350 hours in three months on patrols. Later he became an instructor in Canada. Flight-Lieut. H. A. Outram, 0/ Dunedin, carried out a bombing tour in Whitleys and Halifaxes. Flight-Lieut. A. M. Foster of Christchurch operated in Sunderlands from Iceland. He was for a time attached to the Fleet Air Arm with a unit commanded by Lieut.Commander E. Esmond, V.C. He also flew a Walrus on ferrying work around Britain.

Pilot Officer D. W. Parkhouse. of Wellington was formerly attached to an Australian squadron. He carried out bombing raids over Germany. Then the squadron was converted to Hampden torpedo carriers. Pilot Officer Parkhouse was in an operation when mines were laid off Norway on the occasion when the Prinz Eugen was "out.” He also went to Russia for two months, and carried out several patrols on the Norwegian coast. Flying Officer W. J. Dodds, of Oamaru was previously with FlightLieut. Frame in Sunderlands in which he has flowen 600 hours, motsly over the western approaches. He has been in two submarine attacks, which were assessed as probably damaged. Flying Officer P. C. K. Morrison, of Rotorua went to Russia with a Canadian squadron in which he has flown 150 hours.—P.A. Special Correspondent.