EXPERIENCE OF NEW ZEALANDERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 June 1943, Page 5

EXPERIENCE OF NEW ZEALANDERS

ESCORT FOR FORTRESSES London, June 24. “I never got a Hun hefore without

having to fire at him,” said Wing Commander Deere commenting on the latest addition to his score. He added that a Fockewulf, in violent evasive action, went into a high speed stall and never came out.

Some idea of the vastness of the U.S.A.A.F.’s attack against Huls was given by Wing Commander Deere who said: “Our Wing was part of hundreds of Spitfires escorting the large formatin of Fortresses which flew in formation 20 miles inland. They took 15 minutes to cross one point. It was an amazing sight and when you realise that Fortresses carry at least ten of a crew it was a small army in the air. That formation was three times the size of the largest bomber formation ever sent by the Luftwaffe over England during the Battle of Britain. I have a great respect for the Americans which is growing daily. Their bombing is excellent and they are fine pilots.” Wing Commander Deere is now the ninth highest-scoring fighter pilot in the R.A.F. Squadron Leader Colin Gray, with 22£ is eighth. The way in which these top-scoring New Zealanders have kept pace with one another is very interesting. Gray joined Deere’s flight in the 54th Squadron late in 1939. He did not shoot down any Germans during Dunkirk. In fact he was nearly shot down himself, returning with a hole in the fuselage a foot wide. During the Battle of Britain Gray started scoring slowly but by 15th September, 1940, he had shot down 16J Germans. He later commanded a flight and was in the first offensive sweeps in 1941, shooting down another German. He commanded the first squadron to be equipped with the latest Spitfire Mark 9. Later he went to North Africa.

The following is a fuller list of topscoring New Zealand fighters: Squadron Leader Gray 22£; Wing Commander Deere, 21£; Squadron Leader J. A. Gibson, D.F.C., of Auckland, 13; Pilot Officer R. B. Hesselyn, D.F.M. and bar, of Invercargill, 12J; Squadron Leader W. G. Clouston, Wellington, 12; Squadron Leader W. V. C. Compton, Auckland, 11£; Pilot Officer W. H. Hodgson, D.F.C., Dunedin, and Squadron Leader E. P. Wells, 11; Win: Commander M. V. Blake, D. 5.0., D.F.C., Christchurch, and Pilot Officer Gray Stenberg of Auckland, 10; Wing Commander Jameson and Squadron Leader J. N. Mackenzie, D.F.C., of Clydevale, 9; Wing Commander R. M. Trousdale, D.F.C., and bar, Auckland, and Squadron Leader, R. J. C. Grant, D.F.C. and bar, D.F.M., 8. An English Wing Commander, D. 5.0., D. and bar, who fought in France with the squadron adjacent to “Cobber” Kain’s, recently stated that he believed Kain’s score to be 12 which had been confirmed. —P.A. Special Correspondent.