WARTIME BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23780, 7 October 1940, Page 9

WARTIME BRITAIN

NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN LONDON BROADCAST ACCURACY OF REPORTS First impressions of wartime Britain were described in a broadcast from London last night by Pilot-Officer J. R. Hutcheson, of Lower Hutt. Wellington, who recently arrived in England in charge of a draft of New Zealand airmen. He said the spirit of the British people was so wonderful that the rest of the Empire could not bo told too much about it, and he felt convinced that the reports aboiit conditions being sent to the Dominion were completely i true.

PILOT-OFFICER J. R. HUTCHESON "We came over with a naval draft as passengers on a ship," said PilotOfficer Hutcheson. "We kept up a certain nmount of routine, taking our turn on tlio ship's defence watches. We kept fit and had 110 trouble at all. The water was a bit cold as we neared England. so we were not particularly sorry that we did not see any submarines. "We are waiting now to be posted to our stations," lie continued. "While the officers are doing a bit of extra training, the sergeant pilots, air gunners and pilots have mostly gone off on a few days' leave. The boys did not know many people over here, but already they are staying at the homes of families in England and Scotland. The people everywhere are very friendly, and when they find we are New Zealanders they are especially decent. I have found they particularly like the Maoris." Paying tribute to the spirit of the people, Pilot-Officer Hutclieson said they did not seem to be at all put out, and the damage he had seen was not nearly as bad as he thought it would be. As one sergeant pilot remarked soon after they landed: "It is not propaganda to say the British people are carrying on as usual." "That is just what they are doing," Pilot-Officer Hutcheson added. "They don't think of anything except winning the war, and they are just going ahead and doing that. It is that impression I wish to convey to you all back home, and I know the reports you get aboutvarious operations are completely true."