CAMBRIDGE AIRMAN

Waikato Independent, Volume XLI, Issue 3893, 18 August 1941, Page 4

CAMBRIDGE AIRMAN

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FLIGHT-LIEUTENANT E. P. WELLS

Mr and Mrs Mervyn Wells, of Cambridge, have received a cable from .their son, Flight-Lieut. E. P< (Bill) Wells, stating that he has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The cable was sent on August 13, but there are no other details.

Flight-Lieutenant Wells has had a fine record since joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force last year. He left the Dominion as a Pilot Officer, and in England soon established a reputation as a fighter pilot. In a short time he had shot down three German planes, with two other probables.

He held the record for the best “bag” of his unit until he was transferred to tjie New Zealand Fighter Squadron. Last month he was promoted to Flight-Lieutenant and added to his record by shooting down a German plane while escorting bombers on a raid over France. It is practically certain that he downed another Nazi plane on the same trip, but of necessity it has to be considered unconfirmed.

Flight-Lieutenant Wells, who is known in his squadron as “Hawkeeye,” was recently received by the Prime Minister, Mr ;P. Fraser, who is at present in London, He and two other pilots were invited to return to New Zealand for important work, but they refused.

From the correspondence received in Cambridge, Flight-Lieutenant Wells has now shot down eight enemy planes, with mapy others unconfirmed. Mr and Mrs M. Wells have received many congratulations on the achievement of their son.