IN MANY CAMPAIGNS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 4

IN MANY CAMPAIGNS

SQUADRON-LEADER FROM NEW ZEALAND (Special Correspondent—N.Z.P. A.) Reed. 6 p.m. London, Jan. 3. A New Zealand fighter pilot with an unusual experience of being trained In Kenya and Iraq and then participating in the Greek. Crete and Desert campaigns as well as Tunis, Sicilv and Italy, is Squadron-Leader O. F. Westenra. D.F.C., of DunsanCel. He is now commanding a squadron of Spitfires near Naples, in which there are also Flight-Sergeant H. I. Herbert (Morrinsville) and H. L. Tambour (Waimuku). After his training Westenra joined a Gladiator squadron in Greece in January, 1941. He shot down a Macchi 200 while operating from an aerodrome in the Tepelini area. Westenra served in Crete in Gladiators, shooting down a Messerschmitt 110 shortly before the invasion. H** next flew Tomahawks, shooting down a Macchi near Tobruk and another two near Gambut. Later he flew Kittyhawks In General Auchinlecks campaign, when he moved up Benghazi. For seven months Westenra tested Kittyhawks near Helwan while resting from operations. Then h* 1 joined a Spitfire squadron at El Aghelia after the Battle of El Alamoin He since participated in the campaigns of Tripoli. Tunisia. Sicily and Italy While providing a rover for Kit tvhawks bombing shipping at C?r»e B »•. he shot down a Messerschmitt 109.