“GRAND ROYS”

Waikato Times, Volume 131, Issue 21834, 15 September 1942, Page 4

“GRAND ROYS”

| NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN MORE HONOURS AWARDED NOT WORRIED BY WAR (United rrr?s \ = .=n. —pupc. Tel. Copyright) (Special Correspondent) LONDON, Sept. 14 Three more Distinguished Flying Crosses have been awarded to the New Zealand Spitfire Squadron—to Squadron-leader R. Grant, D.F.M., of j Auckland, and Flight-Lieutenants M. ! Shand, of Wellington, and R. W. | Baker, of Dunedin, j Mr T. A. Barrow, Air Secretary, i was among the first to congratulate I them, for he visited the Spitfire j pilots and Hurricane night fighters j the same evening as the awards were i announced. | Mr Barrow dined with the Hurrij cane crews—who, incidentally, will ! shortly use a new night fighter, the j type of which has not yet been offi- ! cially. announced—when SquadronLeader Grant and Flight-Lieutenants Shand and Baker were present. After i the dinner Mr Barrow met New Zealand sergeant-pilots, wireless operators and mechanics, was shown the operations room, and saw two New Zealanders take off on a night patrol. The next morning he attended a Sunday Church parade and then watched Spitfire crews give a demonstration of formation flying. After lunch Pilot-Officers M. R. D. Hume, of Wellington, and E. D. Mackie. of Auckland, gave a demonstration of aerobatics and also “shot up” the aerodrome, making Mr Barrow and the air crews duck instinctively as the Spitfires roared a few feet over their heads at 300 miles an hour. Mr Barrow also met Wing-Com-manders P. G. Jameson and I. S. Smith, who have the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. Mr Barrow said: “I have never seen a better crowd of young fellows together who seemed so little worried about the war. They are grand boys. All are in first-class health and spirits.” LATE DUKE OF KENT KING VISITS SCENE OF CRASH (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) (Received Sept. 15, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 14 The King today visited the locality in Northern Scotland where the Sunderland flying-boat in which the late Duke of Kent was travelling to Iceland crashed into the hillside. The King met and talked with several members of the various search parties which located the wrecked machine and afterwards removed the bodies. Among those with whom the King talked were people who heard the flying-boat crash and were the first on the scene. RAIDER SHOT DOWN OFF COAST OF ENGLAND (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 15. 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 14 An enemy bomber was shot down by our fighters off the east coast of England on Monday evening.