Short History No. 2 Squadron Contd.

Low Blower, 1 September 1945, Page 6

Short History No. 2 Squadron Contd.

<1 - through a. break in a rain squall- aboit eight to- ten mil? s distant The sub. sighted th) Ventura at the save time and commenced to submerge the conning tower disappearing when the aircraft was approximately two miles away on the run ini Only two of the four DiCi’s dropped on release But these were observed to fall just ahead of the sub which could be plainly seen under the water After the explosion of th) DiC;' 1 s'difficulty was experienced in finding the exact spot again owing to failing light and the woathr closing in, but it was eventually fount and a tch of oily scum 80 ft. across was observed* Owing to the lack of corroborative ‘evidence a ’’Kill” could not be credited* Whilst on an offensive p trolrion 17th# April, F/0# J.Wi Monks was hit in the starboard engine by anti-aircraft fire from Kiota-. With one motor gone he .made a. successful landing on Stirling Island* On 26th* April the Squadron n<yfr6d -to Piva and from- this -base carried out offensive sweeps around th Borg anvil 1c coast and survivor patrols for downed aircraft in St# Georgos Channel* On one of these' ptrols F/L. B#C. Thomson received a bad hit in his port tailplans# By skilful piloting he maso asucccssful emergency landing at Green Island and fcr this action both F/L. Thomson, and his navigator, F/O# C. Ycokney received the D.F.C. A further sub sighting was made by F/L. E#H# Perry while patrolling near the Duke of Yorks# At the time he was. carrying a new type of anti-submarine bomb, and although he made a first class attack, the bomb failed to explode. Subsequently it was shown Brom photos taken of oh failing bomb that the fusing was faulty and thus another submarine escaped a. watery grave through no foilt of the pilett cr crow* F/L* C*A. Fontaine, in an attack on a lap radar station at Adler Bay, compltcly destroyed the important targets. For this, and his previous excellent work in the Pacific he was awarded the D.F.C# *ln strafing attach® and Large hunting missions many Japanese this first tour, the Squadron returned to New Zealand' about 25tn. May 1944 for a. well earned rest. After ]e avc refermirg began at Gisborne and crews were nested go trans pap t Squo.arons ana other branches of the Service# They wore replaced by, now crows from Bomber OiT.U. and on th receipt of Rukahia prepared for another overseas •«.) tr/tf-r { ij t n crews comprised th Squadron which wuCameron with S /L. D.G. Collie and S/L. D.S. Han ilton as flight commanders. f n . fnu a ? >on r. moved forward in tvo echelon's on 25th. aid 28th. October 1944 fcr Guadd canal e .g a i n ferrying its own i During the flight to Santos, p / 0 * A. Ha wkins in the second ololon lo^>t bouh movers and ditched 120 miles from Santos. Two gunners and two passengers perish in the crash while tic "’‘our survivors wore picked up by c. boat so yr five hours, liter. Ims ko.s c. bad scant to the tour but worse was to follow Within a week of arriving at Guaddlcahal P/S. Strohn L°d creF railed to roturn from an Ant iGsubmarim S eoi>oh < These two loss os'locked It s^ forod a severe set back. 3ut through tn<. eficr ts of the Commanding Officer and life Flight CwTrnicrs. confidence was restored and the Squadron settled dorm to it Ac I • 1 • • 1