DARING PILOTS

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

DARING PILOTS

FLYING CROSS WINNERS OFFICER FROM HASTINGS DARING RECONNAISSANCE WORK [by TKliEGhafh —OWN coriikspondent] HASTINGS, Friday A package received through the post containing the Distinguished Flying Cross which had been awarded to her son, Pilot-Officer E. W. Tacon, gavehis mother, Mrs. E. R. Tacon, of Hastings, a pleasant surprise. Later a letter advised Mrs. Tacon that her son had been promoted to flying-officer, and that lie was. sending under separate cover the medal which had been' awarded him at the samo time as those to Squadron-Leader L. E. Jarman, of Christehurch, and Pilot-Officer G. Edwards, a Canadian who has been accompanying the Hastings man on his flights. The citation accompanying the award .stated that Pilot-Officers Tacon and i Edwards, while flying together, acting as pilot and navigator alternatively, made most daring reconnaissance flights while in search of a German cruiser. They attacked three flagships and scored many hits in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire. A few days later they made a reconnaissance of , Haugosund and took some photographs | from a height of 50ft. The following I day they made a reconnaissance of I Frederickshaveri, and flow so low over I the harbour that, in the moonlight they j were able to make sure the warship for I which they were searching was not there.

Flying-Officer Tacon joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July, 1938, being trained by the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club under the civil reserve scheme. In April of last year he went to England, and was later drafted to a bomber squadron.