AIRMAN RETURNS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 65, 19 March 1943, Page 2

AIRMAN RETURNS

FROM WEST AFRICA FEW NEW ZEALANDERS One of the few New Zealanders who has served in the Air Force in West Africa, Pilot-Officer Maurice O. Guthrie, has returned to the Dominion. He is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, having been in Australia when he joined up, and is now on leave in this country. For the past 14 months, PilotOfficer Guthrie has been in West Africa serving in the Coastal Command In an interview, he was modest about his work. “It’s just routine,” he insisted. “You’re ordered to go out and get a convoy—and you either get it or you don’t. As for interesting experiences, well, you simply get brassed off with looking at the sea.”

In the West African Command, to which he was posted, he was one of only three members of the R.A.A.F.. and there was only one other New Zealander, Flying-Officer - Graeme Donald, of Masterton, who was in the R.A.F. Pilot-Officer Guthrie went to Australia in 1934 in the Auckland-built yacht, Vision, sailed by LieutenantCommander Montague. He remained in Australia and when war broke out joined up with the R.A.A.F. He left in October, 1940, to continue his training in Canada. He was the only New Zealander in his course. After a period of general reconnaissance training for the Coastal Command, he went to a squadron in England, and from there was posted to a similar squadron in the West African Command. Tribute to Mr. Jordan.

“He heard that there were two New Zealanders at our station, and although it was some distance from where he was staying it wasn’t too much trouble for him to ring up the base to see if we were available. Then he came out to see us. He really has the boys’ interest at heart. He's got a grana name.”

Giving a picture of living conditions on the coast, Pilot-Officer Guthrie said, “We lived under canvas most oi the time. Social life was dull, and the food situation was pretty grim at times. The sole export seems to he peanuts, and in this connection a Canadian has an ironic experience. His people sent him a parcel and in it were bags of peanuts! “The country grows pawpaws, bananas, oranges and in some places pineapples In season, but we had to depend mostly on imported food. Naturally, owing to the shipping difficulties, this wasn't very reliable. Some of the “Boys.”

“One of the most famous dishes on the coast is ground-up chop. Usually, if the men decide to have this at midday, they set the house boys pounding peanuts. These they put in a pot will) chicken and eggs, and sprinkle with every conceivable condiment, it looks a Ixrrible mess, but it’s a most palatable dish. Afterwards the thing to do is sleep. It's something like ryst-tafel, the popular Dutch fish in the East.”