CRASHED INTO SEA
NEW ZEALAND PILOT'S FATE (O C -> LONDON, Jan. 30 The New Zealand Fighter Squadron recently suffered its first loss for several months. During a sweep over the English Channel, Flight-lieutenant R. H. Strang, Invercargill, crashed into the sea. It is thought that there was a defect in his oxygen apparatus. The squadron was in two flights, and one of them was led by Flight-Lieutenant otrang. » • said Flight-Lieu tenant W. V. Crawford Compton, Auckland, who has suc« ceeaed Strang as flight commander. Strang began to draw awav from the other flight and we kept with him. He began to carry out what we thought were pretty wild manoeuvres and we tried to keep up with him. "I spoke to him several times over the radio telephone, but he did not reply, and I could see that something was wrong. Finally he went into a dive and crashed straight into the sea. There was a 60 ni.p.h. wind blowing and the sea was rough. I followed him right down and flew round, but there was not a hope in the world of his being all right. It is., likely that he was unconscious when his Spitfire hit the water." Flight-Lieutenant Strang was one of the most popular pilots in the squadron. He leaves a widow.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24244, 9 April 1942, Page 8
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216CRASHED INTO SEA New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24244, 9 April 1942, Page 8
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