New Zealanders Escape Without Injury From Disastrous Fire in Japan

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26473, 29 May 1947, Page 7

New Zealanders Escape Without Injury From Disastrous Fire in Japan

Official Correspondent with the J Force. Rec. 10 p.m. IWAKUNI, May 26. Fire completely destroyed the station officers’ mess' which housed all officers of the 14th New Zealand Fighter Squadron early yesterday morning. Two of the 150 officers, most of whom are serving with the RAF in Japan, were burned to death, but, although their names have been withheld until the next of kin have been notified, the station authorities said they were not New Zealanders. All New Zealand personnel escaped without injury, some with only seconds to spare. The loss of flying equipment and all general belongings owned by 20 new Zealand officers was practically complete. '

The fire, the cause of which is unknown, broke out on the ground floor immediately under the rooms lived in by New Zealanders, and flames cut through the wooden ceiling within a few seconds. Only prompt rousing of the sleeping men by their companions when the alarm was given soon after 1 o’clock and their promptitude in lowering themselves down knotted rope fire escapes saved many more lives. Ten of the twenty New Zealand officers were away on week-end leave or on duty.

The fire was the most disastrous of the series that has occurred in the BCOF area in the last few months. It was the fifth large-scale fire in which New Zealand personnel have suffered serious loss in recent months.

The flames jumped from the blazing buildings across the narrow roadway to a hangar in which Spitfires were housed. Teams of men, including many New Zealand ground staff personnel, wheeled out the aircraft, while others stopped the fire from obtaining a hold. At one time Major B. K. Knowles, of Wellington, Officer Commanding the New Zealand Army Education Service in Japan, who had come to Iwakuni to spend the weekend with several of his Air Force friends in the 14th Squadron directed a bucket brigade from the top of the hangar within a few feet of the flames. Loss of Belongings

Although the New Zealand officers lost all the belongings which were in their rooms on the night of the fire, some were more unfortunate than others. Several valuable flying log books which had been in thenowners’ possession from early in the war were lost. Flying Officer W. A. L. Trott, D.F.C. of Dunedin, Flying Officer C. J. Berryman, of Christchurch, and Flight Lieutenant G. R. B. Highet, D. , of Wellington all lost their study notes which they had been making for six months for examinations at the end of the year. A Distinguished Flying Medal which was won by Flying Officer R. C. Nairn, of Wellington, and presented to him by the Governor-General of New Zealand, was among his possessions which were completely destroyed. Another officer had more than £BO in sterling. Several officers lost strings of valuable cultured pearls and lengths of silk. The names of the officers actually in the building when the fire occurred are:—Flight Lieutenants G. W. Annand, E. P. Brasted and C. O. Field (all of Wellington), Flying Officers H. A. Evans (Christchurch), J. D. Washington (Blenheim), G. Jones (Wellington), N. E. Hanna (Gisborne), C. R. Miller (Roxburgh), W. A. L. Trott, D.F.C. (Dunedin), Mr B. W. Gillespie (YMCA secretary, Middlemarch) and Flight Sergeant E. A. Galbraith (Hawke’s Bay).

Squadron Leader D. F. St. George, D.F.C. (Auckland) was in Tokio attending the Empire Day Celebrations when the fire occurred. The names of the New Zealand postal officers who were in the building at the time of the fire are Captain M. T. Dempsey (Takanini) and P~"or>e

S. Kerr (Gisborne). Concert Party Leader’s Misfortune

Among those to suffer, was Mr Will Yates, of the New Zealand National Broadcasting Service, who had been touring Japan with the New Zealand concert party. He had been staying at the station officers’ mess while awaiting a plane for return' to New Zealand Mr Yates who was one of the last to leave. the building, was awakened by the smell of smoke.. With little time to soare he lost all bis belongings as well as the money he had drawn th« urevious day for the trip home. With some borrowed clothes and carrying no luggage he left on the first stage of his trip this morning.