HEROIC AUSTRALIAN PILOTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22202, 20 February 1942, Page 5

HEROIC AUSTRALIAN PILOTS

Fought Japanese Over Rabaul Battle Against Great Odds By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 1 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 19. How six Australian pilots heroically went into action against Japanese planes attacking Rabaul was told to-day by Captain Eric Howard, who arrived here with Mr E. Bishton, who sent the last radio message to the outside world before wrecking the radio station, thus preventing it from falling into Japanese hands. Captain Howard, who was master of a small New Guinea administration motor vessel, was an eyewitness of all the Japanese raids. He rescued as many persons as he could and eventually escaped to Port Moresby with 28. He said the population of Rabaul took to the hills after the first raid and Rabaul became a dead town. In the worst raid, when the Japanese came over in planes, most of which were from a carrier, six Australian pilots went up to intercept them. Captain Howard put his glasses on them and saw heroism such as could not be excelled anywhere. The Australians, badly outnumbered, went straight for the Japanese. They got plane for plane. While the dogfights lasted the air was filled with screaming, burning machines hurtling to earth. Captain Howard described another act of rare gallantry on the part of a Norwegian gunner who, with a machine-gun was stationed on the wing of the bridge. He blazed away at the swarming Japanese aircraft which succeeded in setting fire to his ship. The Norwegian remained at his post until the flames were licking around him, when he was compelled to jump overboard. He got ashore and took refuge in the hills. Since then Captain Howard had not seen him, but he had reason to believe he was both injured and burned.