SERVICE RECORD

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22791, 15 January 1944, Page 5

SERVICE RECORD

Winner Of Polish V.C.

By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13. A “Gremlin scarer” of his own design and painting was the mascot used during his operational flights by Wing Commander A. 11. C. Boxer, D.F.C., of Nelson, who recently received the Polish Victoria Cross Virtuti Militari—from General Sosnkowski, Polish Commander-in-Chief. The design incorporated the head of a tiki, two silver ferns, and the Southern Cross with the motto Kia Ora. Wing Commander Boxer painted it on a piece of square metal which he can bolt on any aircraft he is flying. “And Ido not operate without it,” he said with a grin. Wing Commander Boxer has a great admiration for the Poles, which evidently is mutual, and he formed firm friendships when he commanded the Polish flight in the Halifax Squadron. He regards them as excellent operational pilots, and although he only ■ speaks a few Polish phrases, the New Zealander and the Poles could always understand , one another by signs aided by broken English. In fact, he understood them so well that he was often called is as an interpreter. No information can be given of how he won the Virtuti Militari—it has a royal blue ribbon with ’ two black bands at either end—but here is a summary of his service record. He joined the R.A:F. in 1938, and after being commissioned took an instructor’s course. He continued instructing on Oxfords, Ansons and Harvards until March. 1942, when he was posted to a Whitley squadron as flight lieutenant. He arrived at the squadron’s station at 3 p.m. At 4 p.m. he attended a briefing and operated that night, bombing a tank assembly plant . in France. He did 14 raids on Whitleys, then transferred to the Halifax Squadron. It was here he commanded the Polish flight as squadron leader. By April, 1943, he had completed 21 operations in Halifaxes. making a total of 35 for the tour. For a while he commanded a satellite operational training unit station, and then he joined the intelligence staff of the Air Ministry where he now is. "The Gremlin scarer” served him in good stead in his operations. On four occasions he returned with one engine out of order owing to engine trouble or flak. One of them cut out while he was on an operation which lasted 13J hours. On another occasion he was over Southern Germany with only three engines working, when a Heinkel 111 challenged him. It was probably a training aircraft for it used flashlight morse. Wing Commander Boxer flash.ed back several letters, including the SOS. Eventually the aircraft drifted away from one another. Whether the “Gremlin scarer” had anything to do with the German being put off so easily is a moot point, but at all events Wing Commander Boxer insists that he will fly with his mascot on his next tour, which he hopes to carry out before long.