NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25101, 17 December 1942, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

BRUSHES WITH JAPANESE DEFENCE OF GUADALCANAR (PA.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. “This is an historic occasion for New Zealand. It is the first time that airmen direct from New Zealand have fought against the enemy in direct defence of their homeland,’’ the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, said to-day when announcing that New Zealand airmen were playing their part in the defence of Guadalcanar. “I am now at liberty,” the Minister said, “to disclose that the Royal New Zealand Air Force has taken a further step forward in the operational zone of the South Pacific area, and has recently been engaged in active operations against the Japanese. In general conformity with the Government’s policy ■that the best defence is offence, and that the Air Force should play its part in close co-operation with the American forces in the South Pacific area, we have in recent months'increased the number of our squadrons in the islands at the request of the commander of the South Pacific force. “ Our bomber reconnaissance squadrons in the Islands have been engaged in the arduous and exacting duties of extended reconnaissance over the strategic areas between and beyond the belt'of islands to the north. It is, I am sure, a matter of gratification to the Air Force, and of pride to New Zealand. that we now have news of our airmen engaged against the Japanese.” There was no official information, the Minister added, of the nature of the actions in which New Zealand aircraft had been engaged, but several brushes with the enemy had been unofficially reported. Fuller information could not be expected while its release might prove valuable to the enemy. The commander of the New Zealand Squadron at Henderson Field, Guadalcanar, was Squadron Loader G. H. Fisher. This squadron had been in operation for the past few weeks.