R.A.F. PROVIDES ESCORT

Southland Times, Issue 24002, 18 December 1939, Page 7

R.A.F. PROVIDES ESCORT

Ships Guarded By Sea And Air FORMIDABLE FOE FOR SUBMARINE (British Official Wireless) (Received December 17, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 16. The following account of a spell of duty with a Royal Air Force Coastal Command aeroplane providing protection for a merchant vessel convoy is given by an occupant of one such aircraft: “Our flight started from the East Coast. Taking off in a haze of smoke blown over the countryside from factories further north, we were soon out to sea. In a few minutes we had reached the convoy. The toylike ships followed steadily in each other’s wake, while destroyers zigzagged on each side and ahead. Guarded by sea and air, the convoy was a formidable formation for any U-boat to tackle. There could be little doubt that* bombs and depth charges would send the pirate to account. “The aircraft we were relieving flew alongside while the pilots, who came from the same station and were due for a game of squash together later in the day, waved arms. The other banked away, setting a course for home. At a height of a few hundred feet we made a round of the convoy, looking down on grey painted hulls, funnels and yellowish brown decks. From above the ships seemed hardly to be moving. Splashes of spray around the swinging bows showed that they were really making good headway. Every ship must keep station. To leave the formation is to invite danger from mines. We saw a small fast steamer try to make use of her superior speed and draw ahead. She looked like a motorist trying to cut out of the convoy. Turning sharply a warship raced back and signalled the delinquent to move back into line. Soon the cargo boat’s bow wave disappeared, as she fell back to take her proper place. Soon she was in line again and the destroyer was back at her station. “We flew ahead on the patrol route. Suddenly a light winked intermittently from the bridge of one of the destroyers. Our wireless operator picked up a signalling lamp and pointed it through the window towards the destroyer, moving his finger on the trigger like that of a pistol. He clicked .out an acknowledgment. Again the distant light flashed, following us as we circled the destroyer. The operator wrote the message as he watched the signals and handed the slip to the pilot. ‘I am going to let off some practice rounds,’ it stated. We flew to a safe distance and saw the flash of an anti-aircraft gun as the detroyer fired a target shell. Tiny puffs of smoke appeared high against the blue sky and a powerful salvo followed. In the aircraft we heard the boom of the guns above the roar of our engines. In a few seconds the sky was spotted with smoke puffs and we saw a spectacle which made us heartily glad that it was not out duty to attack British warships. “Later hot tea from thermos flasks and packets of sandwiches made, a welcome interlude and in due . course we were on the look-out for the aircraft which was to relieve us. Dead on the minute it arrived. Once again greetings were exchanged and on this occasion it was our turn to hand over. We waved our arms, banked away and sped homewards. A new sentry was on duty, carrying on the guard from the air of ships at sea.”