"SKY PIRATES"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23773, 28 September 1940, Page 12

"SKY PIRATES"

WAR AGAINST- NAZIS EMPIRE AIR FORCE VETERAN PILOT'S VIEWS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 2U Air-Marshal W. A. Bishop, V.C., the noted Canadian airman of the last war, who organised and led the famous "War Birds" (No. 85) Squadron, said in a broadcast : "It is a great thrill to be speaking on British soil when only a few days ago I was in Canada." Recalling a quarter of a century ago, when he was "doing his humble best toward victory," Air-Marshal Bishop said we then had difficult and unequal fighting in the skies, but, he continued, 22 years ago we drove the pirate Huns out of the skies of Europe, The Empire, said Air-Marshal Bishop, was on the march and with Britain through and through. As the months went by, be added, there would he trained pilots in thousands coming to Britain to do again what their forebears did before them. Airmen from Dominions Speaking of the Empire air training scheme, which, he said, was far ahead of schedule, the Air-Marshal continued: "The Empire plan will bring from our Canadian shores trained aviators of our sister Dominions —Australia, New Zealand, and our own Dominion of Canada. Men from all parts of the Empire will train together, as later on they will fight together. "It will be an Air Force which is truly nil Empire Air Force, binding th<> glorious ties of Empire which, in the words of Burke, 'are light as air, but strong as links of iron.' Responsibility Shared

"To-night we think again of Britain of 1805, girding herself to meet Napoleon, the Conqueror of Europe—as you gird yourselves now to meet Hitler, the conqueror of half of Europe—a role that once belonged to the mother of our Empire alone, but now belongs to all the Empire. A heavy load of responsibility now falls upon a commonwealth of democratic peoples.

"I repeat that from Canada I bring you a good cheer message of courage We, who until now had an easier task, admire more than ever before the great hard task which has been yours. L bring you greetings of Canada —of Canadians who are with you until final victory is achieved. We in Canada say Britain yet shall stand and the Empire emerge from these times of trouble greater, more vital and a more decisive factor in world history than ever before." POLAND'S FIGHT RELIANCE ON BRITAIN PROGRESS OF AIR WAR REVIEW BY PREMIER British "Wireless LONDON, Sept. 26 In the course of a broadcast to Poland, tho Polish Premier, General Sikorski, spoke of Hitler's tactics in the aerial attack on London. Stating that since the war had started Germany had lost 4581 aeroplanes* and over 15,000 airmen, General Sikorski said: "Very soon the Royal Air Force will obtain air superiority over the G'erman Air Force. It is for this reason that Hitler, who knows that to prolong the war means for him to lose tho war, has decided on the present method of air warfare. "Since September 5 the German Air Force has been bombarding London, admitting by this fact that Germany had not succeeded in destroying Britain's chief centres of resistance or in paralysing Britain's defence preparations.

"Hitler hopes that by the cruel destruction of London's residential quarters ho will succeed in breaking down the morale and resistance of tho British people. Anyone who knows England is aware that methods of this kind must have a definitely opposite result on tho population of London, which gives day by day and night by night impressive proofs of self-control, courage and determination. London follows in the footsteps of heroic Warsaw." A Polish fighter squadron, named after a national hero of Poland, General Sikorski said, had so far destroyed 73 German aeroplanes in tho Battle of London. A message to the Polish people, which Mr. Churchill asked General Sikorski to transmit, expresses the friendship and admiration of the people of Britain for the splendid courage of the Poles and their indomitable strongth of resistance proved by their deeds carried out in the most difficult circumstances. These deserved the reward which would be the resurrection of Poland, said Mr. Churchill.