LOW FLYING

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23215, 31 May 1945, Page 3

LOW FLYING

Pilot Court-martialled Good Record Overseas

(N.Z.P.A.i AUCKLAND, May 30. The record of service overseas of Flying Officer Arthur Norman Sarnes, D.F.C., who was charged before a general court-martial at Ardmore with low flying and performing aerobatics over Taumarunui on March 23. read something like a saga, said LieutenantColonel L. P. Leary, opening the defence. For the prosecution, Flying Officer R. E. Tripe said the accused was charged with flying overland at an altitude of less than 3000 feet when not taking off or landing when not for reasons of weather or when not authorised. It would be shown, he said, that the accused came out of the clouds when above Taumarunui. Identifying the town, he did a roll and went off towards Ruapehu. Lieutenant-Colonel Leary said the accused in England flew 'in a Spitfire squadron for 800 to 1000 hours, later transferring to rocket-firing Typhoons, in which he flew for about 500 hours. His score w’as two and a half enemy aircraft shot down and he shared in the destruction or damage of 25 ships, one tank destroyed and aircraft shot up on the ground. In addition, he had operated against living bombs and taken part in sea rescues. Referring to the accused’s living on March 23. counsel said Flying Officer Sames encountered continuous cloud and he went down, circling Taumarunui twice in order to identify it. On gaining height a fair distance away he executed a roll. Counsel submitted that while low-flying was forbidden, there was an exception in case of bad weather. The action of the accused he said, was not of the larrikin tyne which the regulations were apparently designed to cover. The finding of the Court will be announced later.