BLOW FROM AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25181, 19 April 1945, Page 6

BLOW FROM AIR

BRITISH FLEET ACTION FORMOSA ATTACKED 16 ENEMY PLANES DOWN (From Noel Chappell, N.Z.P.A. Correspondent with the British Pacific Fleet) ON BOARD KING GEORGE V.. April 13 In one of the biggest British carrier strikes of the war, bombers and fighters of the British Pacific Fleet yesterday and today, hit' three important targets in Northern Formosa. In two groups airfcraft bombed and strafed Kiirun, the'Matsuyama army airfield and Shinchiku navy airfield with good results. During yesterday the fleet was on the alert several times to resist probing enemy aircraft, and fighters had their best day .since they came to the Pacific. Sixteen fighters, reconnaissance bombers and dive-bombers were shot down, 14 of: them being destroyed in the air and two others finished off after they had made a forced landing on a. small island. In- addition five others were damaged and one Wrecked on ail airfield. The ehe'niy attacks were intercepted bofoiie .they reached the fleet and the dogfights were all just outside the ships' gun range. The enemy bag was of mixed types. One Dinah (two-engined reconnaissance), one Zeke (fighter), four Soiiias (ohe-engined reconnaissance), two Sallies (two-engined bombers), five, Oscars (fighters), two Tonys (fighters), one Val (dive-bomber) and one Tess (bomber) were all destroyed, j Supporting Americans The score was equal in the morning and at dusk, when a long alert delayed •supper at action stations. Pie and cocoa were eaten in blacked-out battleships in pitch dark. The gun crews, who had been on watch all day, were still very cheerful. ]n this strike the fleet was maintaining its supporting role for the American operation on Okinawa, a part of importance derived from the fact that Formosan fields are used by the Japanese for air strikes against the American invasion forces. The attack also timed in with General Mac Arthur s bombers' hits against Southern Formosa. This is the first time his and British forces have bombed and strafed the same island. The targets were all in the TaihokuKiirun area, Matsuyama being the centre of the island and the largest air depot in the north. Shinchiku is a medium bomber field on the west coast and the first Formosan target attacked by American bombers from China bases. Kiirun is a north coast port which, with Takao,. handles, most of the shipping between Formosa and Japan and from Formosa to the south. It has excellent docking facilities and anchorage. Efiective Bombing The first group of British bombers was unable to hit Matsuyama because of cloud, so went to Kiirun, where good fires were started in the_ docks and a direct hit scored on a freighter. Several tons of bombs were dropped. Later fighters went in to Matsuyama and destroyed a Tess on the ground, strafed a railway station and destroyed a bridge. The second group of bombers attacked Shinchiku, where also there was thick low cloud. The targets were heavily defended from the ground and the flak was heavy. The defences were apparently surprised and took five minutes to open fire. At dusk the Japanese made a number of attempts to win through to the fleet, but Hellcats and Corsairs of the I fighter cover stopped every run and no j bombs were dropped. During yesterday the fleet steamed! past the island, the first land sighted j since it left the base several weeks ; ago, proving false questions which were raised about its endurance and > showing the success of the refuelling [ and replenishment methods. During j this time the fleet struck two outposts ; of Japan, the first islands of the Saka- ! shima group and now Formosa, the ' beautiful, vaunted, immovable aircraft- j carrier in the line of the southward advance, as the Japanese described it even before the present war. Long Time at Sea

There are British, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian elements in the British task force. Although not comparable in size with the American Pacific Fleet, which is large enough for a number of fleets and more task forces, the British fleet is sizable enough. When at cruising stations it stretches to all horizons, naturally with wide spaces between. Since leaving the advanced base on the present operations the fleet has probably been continuously at sea longer than any other British fleet in the last two wars. We have sighted land only once and that but a small island. The method of refuelling and replenishing from ships of the fleet train proved its value and even although the weather at times was stormy the system generally was most successful. The fleet learned quickly and the scheme added greatly to its operational endurance and performance.

NEW ZEALAND V.C.

FREED FROM PRISON CAMP

IN ACTION WITH AMERICANS (Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 17 After spending four years as a prisoner of wn.' and 18 months under the care of British doctors who treated his wound received when he won the Victoria Cross in Greece, SergeanJ Jack Hinton, of Colac Bay, near Invercargill, managed to get some of his own back on the Germans before he was flown to England. Liberated when the Americans captured Mtilhausen, he "borrowed" an American uniform and went forward with the 44th Infantry, taking part in brief actions while they Captured three more villages. Then an American colonel discovered Hinton was a New Zealander and sent a message saying he was to go back. Hinton went back—helping the Americans to march 400 German prisoners for -10 miles. Then he caught a train to Namur, in Belgium, and travelled with 2000 Germans. Eventually he reached Brussels and was flown to England. In September, 1943, he was moved to Mulhauseii, where conditions wore very indifferent. The quarters were cramped, the food poor and the supply of Bed Cross parcels varied in quantity and finally stopped. Eventually came the news that the Americans had crossed the Rhine at Bomagen, and then one day they heard gunfire. . Hinton, with some others, climbed up the look-out tower in the camp and saw the battle as American armour and infantry attacked. "it was a very good scrap," said Hinton. "Wo saw the Germans bowled over and houses set on (ire and we enjoyed every inch of it. We did not mind anti-tank shells that whizzed about here and there." It was April 2 and that night, at 9 o'clock, two American infantrymen walked in and said, "Well, boys,' you are free." There was almost a wild celebration, enjoyed by all exdept the German guards, who were mostly old men. Unfortunately, four days previously, 400 prisoners had been' marched east at the approach of the Americans, with the result that only 225 were liberated. Hinton is now staying at Cliftonville, Mairgate. He is thin, but in good health and, like most liberated men, is just happy to sit in the sun and rest and realise that it is really true that he is no longer a prisoner. Like all returned men, he cannot say enough of the treatment he has received on his return.