CANADIANS' SCORE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23772, 27 September 1940, Page 8

CANADIANS' SCORE

GERMAN AIRCRAFT PAST THE CENTURY FIGHTING OVER ENGLAND By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 26, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 25 The reputation of the Royal Canadian Air Force has been further enhanced by details of its part in the air battles over England, given by the Air Ministry news service, which says: — One of the German bombers, a Dornier 215, was attacked by two Hurricane pilots of tho Royal Canadian Air Force squadron. When they came back to the base they found Air Marshal W. A. Bishop, V.C., tho famous Canadian fighter pilot of the last war, and now director of recruiting for the Royal Canadian Air Force, waiting to meet them. The two Canadian pi lots wero slightly disappointed that they could not say they had destroyed the enemy, because they had not boen able to see it drop into the sea, hut a few minutes later a message came through from a coastguard station that a Dornier had been seen to plunge into the Channel. Six times during tho past fortnight Canadian pilots fighting with tho Royal Air Force have helped to save London from an attack. Between them these Hurricane squadrons—the original AllCanadian Squadron of tho Itoyal Air Force formed in England and a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force formed in Canada—have already destroyed more than 100 oiieiuy machines. W ell as all tho Canadians did over Dunkirk, much of their fine lighting has been over the streets and docks and houses of London. Tho Royal Canadian Air Force squadron, which came into action in August, has done all its lighting in home defence. In its last six fights the All-Canadian Squadron destroyed 55 of the enemy against a loss of only two of its own pilots. The Royal Canadian Air Force squadron, moro newly arrived, is proud that it came to England as a complete unit, with Canadian-built Hurricanes, a full supply of spares and its own motor transport. Eighty-three of their ground staff learned their knowledge of fighter aircraft under the Empire training scheme. Like all Canadians, tho Royal Canadian Air Force squadron is proud to have fought for London.

GALLANT PILOT MACHINE ON FIRE STEERS CLEAR OF VILLAGE British "Wireless LONDON, Sept. 25 How a Royal Air Force pilot chose to make a crash landing, involving great risk to himself, rather than abandon his machine and so endanger a village in which his aircraft probably would have crashed, is told in tho award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to an airman from Edwardstown, South Australia.

During an attack on German bombers, this officer, W. H. Millington, damaged a Dornier, but found himself engaged by three Messerschmitts. He damaged one of these, shook off the others, and returned to attack \he bombers.

In a further attack on him by two Messerschmitts, he brought down one, but a cannon shell from tho other hit his engine, causing his aeroplane to catch fire.

.Realising the danger to the village toward which ho was flying, should lie jump and leave ail uncontrolled, blazing machine, ho kept in his place and landed in a field. The petrol tanks burst just after the gallant pilot got clear of his machine.

Local people showed an instant appreciation of Pilot-Officer Millington s gallantry by starting a "Fighter Fund."

They had seen the Hurricane coming down with flames darting from it, and no sooner had it lauded south of the town, states an Air Ministry bulletin, than the petrol tanks exploded. The pilot just scrambled to safety suffering from slight head injuries. The same afternoon, another fighter pilot—a squadron-leader who had destroyed one, and probably two, Messerschmitts 109—landed near the same town by parachute with an injured foot and snaked with petrol. While the wound was dressed police put the parachute on show and began collecting for the town's Spitfire Fund.