SAVED BY WIRELESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25175, 16 March 1943, Page 3

SAVED BY WIRELESS

CREW OF DAMAGED PLANE D.F.M. FOR FLIGHT SERGEANT (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, Mar. 13. Wounded in both arms, a leg, and a thigh, with his hands bandaged and suffering from shock, Flight Sergeant Louglas J. Cummings, pf Christchurch, mended a damaged wireless set in a Wellington torpedo bomber while returning to Alexandria after a raid on Tobruk last September. It meant the difference between crashing and reaching the base. For his action on that bright moonlight* night he was granted an immediately award of the D.F.M. Another New Zealander in the same aircraft was also awarded the D.F.M. for his work on that flight. He is A. G. Metcalf, of Hawera, who was recently promoted to pilot officer. It was his forty-sixth haid, and his last. He declared it to be his “best.” Filot Officer Metcalf, who captained the aircraft in which also was Sergeant (“Killer") Kirk, of Christchurch, an American pilot officer from Louisiana, and a Scot, was ordered to attack a 6000-ton merchantman en route to Tobruk. It was escorted by eight destroyers. Under a full moon and a starlit sky they sighted the convoy. but the destroyers put up a terrific barrage. It was so intense that the Wellington was hit five times by flak, but Pilot Officer Metcalf was determined to destroy the merchantman. He flew within 10 feet of the sea, making it difficult for the destroyers’ guns to be trained on the Wellington, and eventually, after much manoeuvring, released both torpedoes simultaneously from a height of 40 feet. 8 Both the torpedoes struck amidships. There was a brilliant flash and the merchantman heeled over. Then a red glow appeared, but a shell from one destroyer burst under the Wellington’s starboard engine and blew in the fuselage, wounding Sergeant Cummings. It also put out of action the electrical equipment, making the wireless useless. Pilot Officer Metcalf—who is 23 years of age and a little over five feet—handed over the controls to the American. who is over six feet and a champion footballer. Then he went back and bandaged up Sergeant Cummings, who then set to work to repair the wireless. “That wireless was the only thing which got us back,” Pilot Officer Metcalf said. “ Doug, was marvellous. There was not a squeak ffom him. although he must have been suffering badly. He is one of the best wireless operators in the squadron. Nobody else could have done the job.” Soon the wireless was working and picked up vital directions. The Wellington flew on and landed “reasonably safely” in spite of the fact that a shell had partly shot away the port wheels. There were only 20 gallons of petrol for five minutes’ flying, It was a hectic trip, but the crew had the satisfaction of receiving confirmation that they sank the supply ship. Pilot Officer Metcalf, who told the story, is now an instructor in England. He has full praise for Sergeant Cummings. Pilot Officer Metcalf spent six months in Malta in 1941. and then went to Egypt, later spending a further | two months? in Malta. He bombed j Benghazi,' Tobruk, Naples, and Messina, and torpodeod and probably sank ,an oil tanker off Crete, last ' August.