NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 193, Issue 22204, 25 November 1943, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN

HUGE LOAD DROPPED STRAIGHT IN AND OUT (Special Correspondent) London, Nov. 23 The No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron took part in the Berlin raid on Monday. The crews reported bad weather and icing. The squadron’s new flight commanders are Squad-ron-Leader J. K. Climie, D.F.C., of Wellington, and Squadron-Leader D. S. Gibb, D.F.C., cf North Cemterbury. The former carried out his first tour with the squadron and has now returned for a second tour. Flying-Officer lan Lock, of North Auckland, was in another Stirling squadron for the raid. He was captain of an English crew. It was his sixth operation. “We saw no fighters and no fighter flares,” he said. “We went straight in and out and dropped a huge tonnage of incendiary bombs right over the city. “We were there for eight minutes after zero and could see the spafkles of the first explosions, but few fires. It was not a bad trip, but the weather was abnormally bad.” Distinguished Services

Flj'ing-Officer Lock, who is aged 20, was formerly in the Scientific Research Department. Squadron-Leaders Climie and Gibb are both bomber captains of proved daring and capacity. They were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross last year, within two months of each other. Squadron-Leader Climie had then completed 33 sorties, the majority against heavilydefended targets. Squadron-Leader Gibb’s many operations had. included a number against shipping and dockyard installations. Little • more than a year ago Squadron-Leader Climie was a pilotofficer and Squiadron-Leader Gibb a flying-officer. The latter was educated in Christchurch at St. Andrew’s College and Canterbury University College, where he graduated in arts. They have both been on active service for more than two years.