THRILLING FIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23617, 29 March 1940, Page 7

THRILLING FIGHT

KAIN'S THIRD VICTIM lone-handed achievement ENEMY MACHINE SHOT DOWN [from oru own cokukspondent] LONDON*,-March 5 With three holes blown in his Hurricane fighter by cannon shells, his engine stopped and on fire, Fly-ing-Officer E. ,T. Kain (Wellington) managed to glide over the .Magi not. Line to safety after an encounter with seven Heinkel bombers and six Messerschmitt fighters. Flying-Officer Kain, who holds the acting rank of sqnadron-leaclcr, came into prominence Inst November when he shot down a Gorman Dornier reconnaissance machine from a height of 20.000 ft., stated to bo probably the highest altitude at which an air battle had been fought. During February he shot down another Dornier.

The New Zealander was leading three Hurricanes on patrol on March 2. One of them developed engine trouble, and he flew on with the other, piloted by a sergeant. They saw the Heinkels above them at 24,000 ft. and went after them. As they did so the Messerschmitts came up behind. The tail of the sergeant's aircraft was hit, a cannon shell breaking the engine cooling system, and he had to make a forced landing. Pilot's Graphic Story Flying-Officer Kain was now alone. The bombers were ahead of him and the fighters were on both sides. This is tho story he told when he rejoined his squadron: "The sergeant was some distance behind me when he warned me about the Messersehmitts, and 1 shouted to him to close up. We were going after those Heinkels. 1 looked back and saw a machine coming up. I thought it was the other Hurricane. Instantly my machine caught a terrific smack. A Messerschmitt had arrived instead. I turned and went after him. Another cannon-shell thudded into my machine, blowing off part ol the wing-tip. "But I got into position to fire on the first enemy fighter and saw it go down, leaving a trail of thick, black smoke. It was then my intention to go after the second Messerschmitt; but lie got a third shot into me and my engine stopped. These shells thudded into the machine, the effect resembling a blast of anti-aircraft fire. Motor Catches Fire "I was well over Germany. I could only glide back to France. The second Messerschmitt might get me, but I did have a go-at him. Ho passed underneath me and I let fly at him, but it was no use without an engine. "He beat it, and I steered for France. Then the motor caught fire and smoke poured backward. I thought 1 was done for. 1 tried side-slipping in the approved style, but it made no difference. I was prepared to jump, but found that the straps of my parachute harness had slipped. So I had to stay there. "The fire went out for a while and then started again. The fumes were so bad that 1 turned oil my oxygen to breathe. I managed to glide far enough to land on an aerodrome a few miles behind the Maginot Line. The fire had stopped again. I climbed out and 101 l flat on my face." Woke Up in Hospital An hour later Flying-Officer Kain woke up in a French hospital. "I was feeling fine," ho said, "and as there was a French pilot in the bed next to me, who had had a forced landing just before me, wo had a party. Then I got up, hopped in a British machine and flew back to my squadron." The Daily Telegraph correspondent with the Royal Air Force said of Fly-ing-Officer Kain: "He is a master of strategy, a well-made, wiry fellow, with one of the hard, impassive faces wo have come to know with Dominion Rugby sides." It is only recently that the New Zealander, on the tail of a German bomber, found that his guns would not work. His Hurricane was hit several times before he gave up tho chase. He now has to his credit two Dorniers and a Messerschmitt. TEA FOR BRITAIN PURCHASES FROM EMPIRE Hy Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received March 28, 5.Wi p.in.) LONDON, March 28 The British Government has purchased a year's supply of tea, not only for home consumption, but tor normal re-exports. Private importation is prohibited except under licence. The purchases are restricted to the Empire in order to maintain trade with India and tho Colonies, also because payment for lower grade teas from China and Java would drain Britain's foreign currency. The price is based on tho average for the years 1036 to 1938.