KAKARIKI AIRMAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 277, 23 November 1943, Page 3

KAKARIKI AIRMAN

IN SPITFIRE SQUADRON OVERSEAS (Official War Correspondent—N.Z.E.F.) Recd. 6 p.m. Cairo, Nov. 17. ' Passing along the “kiwi trail’’ blazed 'through the Middle East by New Zealanders ot all services since the outbreak of war are two more kiwis who really fly. They are Flight-Sergeants A. F. Swan, Inglewood, and W. J. Robinson, Kakariki, near Marton. Both are members of a famous Spitfire squadron, who have stepped oft at the “transit camp" which Cairo has now become long enough to have a look over the city and to make the acquaintance of old friends serving with the 2nd. N.Z.E.F. Both have been away from New Zealand for more than two years. Flight-Sergeant Swan trained in New Zealand and Flight-Sergeant Robinson in Canada, where he spent six months. Flight-Sergeant Robinson served with I the New Zealand Spitfire squadron in operations from England, and later both were transferred to the North African theatre, where they served in a squadron commanded by the New Zealand fighter ace, Group Captain Colin Gray, D. 5.0., D.F.C. and bar, acting throughout as lighter cover for the Ist. Army. In this squadron at that time were Pilot-Officer A. Peart, Raglan, Flight-Sergeant B. E. Young, Auckland, Flight-Sergeant “Sandy" MacDonald, Dunedin, and Sergeant P. Ryan, Avondale. Flight-Sergeants Robinson and Swan flew with Group Captain Gray’s squadron at Malta and later Sicily, and formed part of the lighter cover over the sth. Army at Salerno. In one sweep during th Sicilian campaign Flight-Sergeant Robinson performed a most uncommon feat, accounting for two Messerschmitt 109’s. With PilotOfficer Peart he was flying as part of a formation of six Spitfires when they were “jumped” by eight Messerschmitts. Flight-Sergeant Robinson describes the ensuing action simply and without embellishments. “We were cruising when the enemy planes came up fast behind.” he said. “We saw them when they were about 800 yards away, and turned sharply. The enemy aircraft overshot us. We completed our turn, and opened up the throttles and came in behind the Messerschmitts. I took one, got in close and. scored without difficulty.”

Flight-Sergeant Robinson saw a second enemy plane diving towards the earth and chased him up. Then a thrilling and exhausting dogfight occurred up among the hills. FlightSergeant Robinson had expended all his cannon ammunition, but got in several bursts with his machine-guns. "The enemy pilot must have been very good,” said Flight-Sergeant Robinson. “He was a ver.- daring flier. I think 1 hit him, though it was most difficult with machine-guns, and he tipped his wing into the hillside while doing a steep turn.” Very little opposition was encountered on sweeps over Italy and in items like that flying can become boring, they said. The pilots are still keyed up for routine flying because they do not know when action will take place. “It is the hardest thing in the world to keep looking round for something that is not there,” commented Flight-Sergeant Robinson.