FIVE SHIPS TORPEDOED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 50, 2 March 1943, Page 3

FIVE SHIPS TORPEDOED

N.Z. PILOT AT MALTA CRUISER, DESTROYER AND SUPPLY SHIPS ( Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) London, Feb 27. Five Axis ships were torpedoed by Sqb-Lieut. Colin White, of the Fleet Air Arm and formerly of Cheviot, during seven months at Malta. He flew Hurricane bombers in the daytime and Albacores at nighi time and also Spitfires' and Swordfish. He strafed a German aerodrome in Sicily, shot up railways at Stax and Susa, and patrolled over Bona. Sub-Liei'i. E. F. Pratt, Christchurch, who was killed on January 17, flew with SubLieut. White several times. SubLieut Pratt hit two ships. “On our first operation over Sicily Pratt and I were flying four-cannon Hurricane bombers accompanied by an escort of 20 Spitfires,” said SubLieut. White. “We bombed runways, and then shot up about 50 Germans, who were parading. They went down like ninepins. “The first ship I attacked was at Spartovento. It was a 6000-tonner and had been previously torpedoed, and we were sent in to finish it. I hit it with a fish, after which it was bombed. “Sub-Lieut. Pratt was with me when we went out to find three Italian cruisers,” he continued. "They were of 7000 tons of the Condoterri class. I was the first to attack. I saw the torpedo explode with a great flash and a column of water amidships. It continued its course and we were never quite sure what became of it. Sub-Lieut. Pratt also hit another with a torpedo. We met intense flak which startea to come up after my attack. He returned with his plane pretty baaly damaged. “Our next attack by moonlight was agqinst a heavily escorted convoy going to Tunis." continued Sub-Lieut. White. “We met heavy flak. Just as I was about to drop a torpedo at a 7000-ton motor vessel a large destroyer of about 2000 tons came to the front ot it with the result that the fish hit the destroyer, which blew up completely and disappeared. It was an amazing sight. “A few days later we found a 4000ton ammunition ship off Pantellaria. I was flying at about 300 feet when the torpedo struck. There was a terrific explosion which flung my aircraft up to 700 feet, and my head went right through the perspex hood. I have never seen anything like that explosion, which sent a column of smoke to 6000 feet.

“My last attack was against a motor vessel of about 3000 tons off Maretimo. I fired the torpedo from 600 yards."" I saw a flash aft of the ship and a column of water. Later I flew over it and saw it was apparently sinking by the nose. Those last three attacks were all made within 10 days. “Once when returning from Bona after a long-range patrol I was attacked by a Junkers 99. We had a bit of a fight. I saw my cannon shells striking its tail after which it sheered off and was later shot down by two Beaufighters. We made several flights to Susa and Sfax. One morning I blew up a railway engine in a roundhouse at Sfax, then silenced a gunpost.

“Sub-Lieut. Pratt sank a 10,000-ton tanker off Maretimo. He did a great deal of night intruder work over Sicily. I understand he was flying a Spitfire when he crashed into the sea. He was one of the best of chaps and did grand work." Sub-Lieut. White observed that Malta’s airpower was now considerable.