FAMOUS T.C. AIRMAN'S STIRRING MESSAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 230, 27 September 1940, Page 7

FAMOUS T.C. AIRMAN'S STIRRING MESSAGE.

CM ADAS BEUEF. "Pirate Huns Will Be Driven From Europe's Skies." British Official Wireless. (Reed. 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 2G. Air Marshal Bishop, the famous Canadian V.C. airman of the last war, in a broadcast, said: "It is a great thrill to be speaking on British soil when only a few days ago I was in Canada.

Recalling a quarter of a century ago. when he was "doing his humble best towards victory,*' Air Marshal Bishop said we then had difficult and unequal fighting in the skies, but, he continued, twenty-two years ago we drove the pirate Huns out of the skies of Europe. The Empire, said Air Marshal Bishoj-. was on the march and with Britain through and through. As the months g« by, he added, there would be traine I pilots in thousands coming to Britain to do again what their forbears did before them. S]>eaking of the Empire air training scheme, which, he said, was far eheaii of schedule, the Air Marshal continued: "The Kmpire plan will bring from our Canadian shores trained aviators of our lister Dominions —Australia, Xew Zealand and our own Dominion, Canada. Men from all parts of the Empire will train together, as later on they will fight together. "It will be an air force which is truly an Kmpire Air Force, binding the glorious ties of Empire which, in the words of Burke, 'Are light a.s air, but strong as links of iron.' "

Empire's Responsibility. He concluded: "To-night we think again of Britain of 18G5, girding herself to meet Napoleon, the Conqueror of Europe—as you gird yourselves nor- :.. meet Hitler, the conqueror of half <■: Europe, a role that once belonged to the mother of our Empire alone, but now lieloiigs to all the Empire. A heavy load of responsibility now falls upon a commonwealth of democratic peoples. "I repeat that from Canada I brinr you a good cheer message of courage*. We, who up till now had an easier admire more than ever before the great hard ta>k which has been yours, i bring you greetings of Canada—of Canadians with you until final victory is achieved. We in Canada say Britain yet shall stand and the Empire emerge from these times of troub?.- greater, more vital and a more decish factor in world history tiian ever before."