DIEPPE RAID

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24368, 2 September 1942, Page 3

DIEPPE RAID

NEW ZEALANDEBS' PABT AIR FORCE AND NAVY MEN (Special Correspondent) (Reed. 5.33 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 81 The New Zealand Spitfire Squadron carried out four sweeps during the recent commando raid on Dieppe and shot down two enemy planes and probably destroyed two more. Led by Squadron-Leader R. Grant, D.F.M., they were also accompanied by Wing-Commander P. G. Jameson, D.F.C. and bar. They took off on the first flight at 2 a.m., and returned periodically for refuelling, renewing their ammunition supplies and snatching a hasty meal. Wing-Commander Jameson shot down one German plane in flames, while PilotOfficer C. Chrystall, of Foxton, got another. Flight-Lieutenant R. Baker, of Dunedin, and Flying-Officer Lindsay Black, of Levin, were credited with probables. During the fourth flight SquadronLeader Grant, Flight-Lieutenant Baker and Sergeant H. Leckie, of Petone, all had combats, hut without result. Telegraphist's Story Many members of the H.X./.N.V.R. also took part in the Dieppe raid,_ includinw Telegraphist It. N. jVlitcheli, of Christchurch, and Petty-Officer -Motor Mechanic D. Gillies, of Oamaru, who were members of the crew of a motorlaunch. "We arrived at Dieppe at 5

a.m.", said Telegraphist Mitchell, "escorting a number of invasion barges carrying French Canadians. It was just before dawn when we got there. "We accompanied the barges to the shore while a shore battery pumped shells at us. They landed behind us until our destroyers silenced the battery. I had a good view of this, for I was working two hours on and two hours off and j was off at this period, so stood on the deck. As we closed inshore the Germans fired anti-aircraft, shells at lis, but the flying splinters did not injure anyone on our ship. Enemy Planes Shot Down "We put a smokescreen round the barges when they were nearly ashore. We swore when our engines packed up temporarily, but they were soon started again. After landing the troops we stood out offshore until 3 p.m., watching'destroyers bombarding. "We also saw several German aircraft shot down. Once three German bombers attempted an attack, but a destroyer shot off a wing of one and scored a direct hit on another, while a Spitfire accounted for the third. Another time six Dorniers caine out of the clouds intending to fix us, but inside of two minutes Spitfires had shot down four and the remaining two jettisoned their bombs and tore off. "We were among the last ships to leave," concluded Telegraphist Mitchell. "Our flotilla had an escort of at least 76 Spitfires for the whole of the return trip."

OVERSEAS SERVICE READINESS OF CANADIANS OTTAWA, Aug. 31 The Dieppe casualty lists which the Government lias been issuing for a week now total 856. including 165 killed. 570 wounded and 121 missing. Coincidentally there has been a quick increase in the number of home defence men applying for overseas service. This is said to have shown the value of giving full publicity to the Dieppe action, even to the extent of taking newspaper correspondents with nearly every unit. Their nccount*i of the battle have given reality to the war, especially to Canada's part in it, which had hitherto been lacking. SINKINGS DECREASE BATTLE OF ATLANTIC WASHINGTON, Aug:. 31 Allied and neutral ships sunk during the past eight months amount to 449, says the Associated Press. Three thousand seamen were lost, and 13,810 rescued. June was the worst month with 109 sinkings, after which the number dropped astonishingly to 45 in July and '23 in August. The Navy Department announced that a medium-sized Dutch merchantman was torpedoed and sunk late in .lune on the northern coast of South America. The survivors were landed at a United States port. SHOT DOWN ITALIANS NEW ZEALAND PILOTS (Special Correspondent) (Real. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Atisr. 31 New Zealand personnel of the Meet Air Arm operated from aircraft-car-riers which were part ot the lorce involved in the recent Malta convoy. Sub-Lieutenant l\ Pennington, of Wellington. shot down two Italian planes, and Sub-Lieutenants Hugh Morrison, ol .Masterton, and D. Hill, of Wellington, shot down one apiece. Naval-Cadet J. M. Armstrong, Royal New Zealand Navy, of Wellington, has been awarded a prize for special entry cadets on passing out from the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. Others passing out were: Naval-Cadets E. C. Thorno and W. H. Peterson, of Wellington, class 1; M. J. McDowell, of Oamaru. class two. Temporarily commissioned in the Fleet Air Arm are Sub-Lieutenants J. M. Howden, of Auckland, also S. It. Cameron, J. J. Urlicli, J. 1). Alexander, T. E. Irwin, 1?. Itathbone, J. C. Patterson, It. G. Peers, B. Sime, It. A. Lawson, and Midshipman «L B. Crisp. Pilot-Officer K. J. Stanford, D.F.M., writing from a prisoner of war camp, says: "Wo ran it a bit too close. 1 came down by parachute right in the raid and never got touched. It was pleasant coining down, but we sure left the plane in a hurry. Our camp is pleasant, but Ave are due for a move." The following members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force who specialised in radio-location, working in the same camp at South Devon, are .T. F. P, Allen, W. E. Farmer, S. T. MacGowan G, S. Morgan, A. D. Smerdon, A. W. Jarnian, of Auckland, and It. E. Menuing, of Dunodin.

MORE WARSHIPS NEEDED' NEW YORK. Aug. 31 Admiral E. J. King, Commander-in-Chief of tlio United States Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, told the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce that the war would he long and tough and would bring many heartaches and disappointments, but the United Nations would win. "The two-ocean navy is not yet a reality," he said. "We still lack smaller warships. The Navy expects more than 1.500.000 men for the service next year. Enlistments will be kept on a voluntary basis."