Short History No. 2 Squadron Contd,.

Low Blower, 1 September 1945, Page 5

Short History No. 2 Squadron Contd,.

was deeply felt by every member of tlx Squadron, but fortunately was the only one suffered’..’ during the, tour. . ' A With the Squadrons move to Munda on ( th. February 1944 a new phase of operations commenced,’ Anti-submarine patrols west of Bouginville to within approximately 50 miles cf .the Mow. Britain coast, and south to within 50 miles of the Woodlark Islands were flown regularly. On 28th. February th ft? st offensive strikes werdhfTbwn by W/C. Greenaway and F/0. er-y. Bombing and. strafing of targets of opportunity wore carried out on Mew Ireland from Borpop to Cape St. George# and from Cape'. Orford north yvLprg, the New Britain coast. Similar attacks were made alorg the Bougainville coast. On one of the so patrols, while returning home along New Ireland W/C> Greenaway was. at.tachd by fou? Zeke's, vhich after making one* push at the Ventura wore driven off. At least one of t;ho enemy was damaged by accurate fire from the turret. While on patrol near’Bough nville just South of Kahili, two cf the Squadrons aircraft, pilot.cd by F/0. R.L. ‘ShuttlewSrth and F/0. R. Miller rospo ctivcly, observed an American Ventura which had be on hit by anti-aircraft fire, ditch about throe mile from Ballale Island. The Jap shore batteries opened up and lobbed shells all around the survivors of tlx stricken Ventura. While F/0. Miller stayed to cover the dew nod African . airmen, F/o. Shut tie Warth In aded fa* Stir lirg Island whore he obtained help in tlx fa? m of a ccv or of four P.SS’s and th? ee Catalinas. • The Cats experienced a n hot H tine when they went in to rescue their An© ricon comrades. One was damagecL co. d all four of the P.3B’s

We regret th. t th prolonged drought has dried up the ground and the Gardening Editor’s enthusiasm. Mo Gardening note; appear this month. Ho advises readers, however, to protect their gardens from the sun vi th a light dusting of co? al boulders.

to base the position was repeated, and F/0. .Shuttlewoth was sent out to carry on the’ search. He even tually sighted the sub and though ho made two passes at it, his depth charges failed to release on both occasions. On a third attack he salvoed his load but the enemy by tills tire had get away. Twice on the sth. March 1944 a Jap submarine was sighted. F/l. D.S. Hamilton, who was at Piva awaiting to be sent oitg on strike was detailed to search fa? tlx enemy north of Feni j.stand\ In tlx late afternoon th’ submarine was sighted fully surfaced..

wore hit, but dll airi craft together with the ■ survivors of the crashed I Ventura got back to base. I Fa? their part, in this 1 exploit both F/0. Shuttle- ; worth and F/0. Miller were ! subsequently awarded tie ' Are rican Air Medal. AVhils t ' on ‘ pa tr o 1 towards Cape St. George |F/0. R. Scott sighted a •partly surfaced submarine some distance • away. He 3 immediately went in too ' ; attack but owing to the ; tine -taken to reach the. - spot ! whobo the' sub was last ! seen the result proved o abortive. On returning