PREPARING FOR BIG RAID

Southland Times, Issue 24765, 9 June 1942, Page 5

PREPARING FOR BIG RAID

SCENES AT BOMBER STATION MR JORDAN WITH N.Z. AIRMEN (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, June 7. The Bomber Command is working up a great offensive against Germany and the New Zealand Squadron is taking its part, having operated on five successive nights, including both of the 1000-plane raids against Cologne and Essen with the loss of only one crew. Air crews and ground crews have stood up to the strain magnificently. In fact, the 1000-plane raids put their tails right up. The New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan saw something of the squadron’s typical day. He watched it take off for Essen, and then after the raid chatted with the crews, all of which returned. After lunch they met Mr Jordan outside the crew rooms and chatted for an hour before briefing, when many sat in their shirt sleeves, while Wing-Com-mander E. G. Olson issued instructions. He sat informally on a table on which were pinned big photographs and a map of the Ruhr Valley. His jacket was unbuttoned and he was swinging one leg. Mr Jordan sat on a tall bench, his legs dangling comfortably. Wing-Commander Olson said, Well, boys, it is Essen again, but you have been there so often recently that briefing is almost a waste of time.” The New Zealanders heard directions for the route of approach to the target and the weather and asked a few questions. Wing-Commander Olson asked. Mr Jordan to speak, which he did briefly. “You boys are doing a big job. It is a great privilege to be able to see you. Good luck,” he said. The crews drew flight rations in big brown paper bags. They included orange juice for each man, barley sugar, biscuits, cheese, chocolate and chewing gum. The crews went to the mess and worked out routes. Some slipped off on bicycles for a dip. They rested after dinner in the mess or in their rooms. Then after “the operational supper,” including the valued egg, the crews went to their rooms in twos and threes for their kits, wisecracking meanwhile. 1 Nearly every man was taking a mascot for instance,, scarf tikis and charms. One wore a tattered, torn flying suit, which has seen him through nearly 40 raids. It has a skull and crossbones drawn over one pocket and a shamrock over the other. BOMBERS TAKE OFF They clambered into a bus and drove off without ceremony towards their aircraft. Wing-Commander Olson and Mr Jordan slipped into a car and went from aircraft to aircraft, where WingCommander Olson had a few lost words, invariably ending up with, “0.K.! Well, have a good trip. See you in the morning.” To one freshman making his first raid he said, “Enjoy yourself.” One by one the aircraft warmed up, the engines shattering the still of the evening and drowning the larks which were singing happily. In the dusk Wing-Commander Olson and Mr Jordan drove to the head of the flare path where control officers flashed a green lamp when it was time for a succeeding aircraft to take off. It was an impressive and thrilling sight to see the dark shapes of Wellingtons queueing up, green lights shining over their tails and red and green lights on either wing tip. When control winked the green lamp, from the aircraft at the head of the line there came an answering signal. Then the Wellington lumbered up, swung round, paused and then the engines bellowed into life. The aircraft began moving slowly and then bumpily as it gathered speed. With tail up it slid into the darkness, lifted gracefully into the air and disappeared. Occasionally there was heard a sharp “Bruupp” as the gunners tested the guns. And so bomber after bomber took off until all the squadron was airborne and silence descended 'on the aerodrome. Wing-Commander Olson commented, “Well, there is trouble on the way for the Huns.” He returned to headquarters with Mr Jordan. An unspoken thought in all minds was: “Will they all come back?” ALL RETURN Wing-Commander Olsen continued his station duties through the raid’s long hours. Mr Jordan went to bed for a brief nap until Wing-Commander

Olson called him when the dawn was painting the horizon with slender grey fingers of light. They went to headquarters and then heard the bombers’ welcome rumbling. Soon the first crews came into the briefing room for interrogation and the news spread that all the aircraft were safe. Crew after crew streamed in, received coffee, sandwiches and cigarettes from the efficient W.A.A.F.’s. Talk flowed as easily and readily as the coffee. It had been a fairly quiet trip. Some of the crews had caught a glimpse of German night-fighters—for which there is very great respect. Others were held by great cones of searchlights surrounding Essen. The pilot of one aircraft had his eyes injured when flak splinters damaged the cockpit hood. He said: “I thought I had got the Ruhr in my eye. I could not see for a time.” A medical officer immediately gave him attention and confirmed the fact that his eyes were not damaged, but they were sore and bloodshot. “As sore as hell,” he said. One front gunner was hit on the wrist by flak, but, fortunately, it struck his identity disk, which possibly saved his losing his hand. Some crews saw two aircraft shot down in flames under them.

It was now daylight. Mr Jordan saw the crews both in the officers’ and sergeants’ messes having breakfast, including another “operational egg.” Then he remained chatting with a padre until his own breakfast was ready. Meanwhile the tired crews slept and the ground crews began overhauling the aircraft and somewhere in Bomber Command headquarters plans were" being drawn up for the squadron’s next raid. May it always have such “a good trip.” NEW COMERS TO SQUADRON

New comers to the New Zealand Bomber Squadron include Pilot Officers E. Grant (Gisborne), A. S. Broun (Auckland), J. C. Monk (Auckland), T. Smith (Wairarapa), R. J. Smith (Wellington), P. Gunning (Shannon),

G. Horne (Masterton), Sergeants L. E. Ford (Auckland), C. Smith (Auckland), Caithcheon (Morrinsville), E. Hayden and W. R. Ramsay (West Coast), A. Campbell ’ (Hawera), L. Chambers (Westport). The armourers include D. Pottinger (Westport), J. Chemis (Dunedin), W. Mason (Napier), J. Walsh (Mataura), E. Gray (Auckland) and G. Garty. , , , New Zealanders flying heavy bombers who took part in the big Cologne and Essen raids included Squadron Leaders P. B. Robertson, D.F.C. (Auckland), K. Thiele (Christchurch), Flying Officers B. Openshaw (Marton), V. E. Sutherland (Wellington), Pilot Officers J. C. Murray (Dunedin), M. Lee (Wellington), Sergeants H. Alcock (Napier), R. Powell (Auckland), R. E. Stone (Te Aroha), K. McGregor (Masterton), A. Arnold (Tapanui), N. Bryson (Christchurch). They all met Mr Jordan as did Sergeants G. Dormer (Auckland), I. Culpar (Auckland), R. Thornton (Masterton), and J. A. Wilson (Takapuna) at the Halifax operational training unit.