42 RAIDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 6

42 RAIDS

DEVONPORT PILOT

LIKED MALTA ONCE

United Press Association. —Copyright. Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, May 27. Flight-Sergeant C. A. Armstrong, of Devonport, who was recently awarded the D.F.M., has returned to England from Malta, where he carried out 42 raids. SquadronLeader F. J. Steel, D.F.C., of Napiei, Pilot-Officer G. H. Easton, of Christchurch, Flight-Sergeant K. K. J. Coleman, D.F.M.. of Blenheim, were in the same squadron. Squadron-Leader Steel is now in India. Pilot-Officer Easton is flying with British Overseas Airways Corporation in the Middle East, and Flying-Sergeant Coleman is in England. Flight-Sergeant Armstrong said: "I was posted to a Wellington Bomber Squadron in May, 1941, and carried out six raids over Germany. Then I applied to go to the Middle East. I arrived at Malta in October and liked the look of the place, so I applied to stay and this was granted. I had carried out two raids when my old squadron arrived. I did 34 raids as captain of a plane, bombing Tripoli 14 times. Naples 8, and Bengasi 4. I also attacked Taranto. Brindi.si, Misurata (in Libya). Sicily, and Patras in Creeee. 1 also bombed four convoys in the Mediterranean.

Most Exciting Raid "Patras was the most exciting and most difficult raid of all. Our target was shipping in a funnel-shaped harbour, which was difficult to approach, for the hills rise almost sheer for 4000 feet behind the town. Anti-aircraft gunners placed 2000 feet up the hills, shelled us while we dived under a cloud base at 2500 feet. We had to look lively, dodge the flak and avoid hitting the mist-shrouded hills.

"We had an Interesting time bombing Misurata when the British were approaching Bengasi. It was a beautiful night and we started big fires and shot up road transport, of which there was plenty. A piece of incendiary flak entered my aircraft, but the navigator picked "it up with his handkerchief and threw it out. "Wc had an interesting time at Malta for the first two months, but the raids altered things, Malta was bombed 60 times in Christmas week. I was lucky to escape when a 5001b bomb landed 50 yards away, while I was working on my aircraft preparing for a raid that night. "I was for two months at Suez after these operations and then came to England. On the way I met Terence Barton, of Auckland, who is a Civil Servant and gave me a wonweriul time."

Flying-Sergeant Armstrong has applied to go to the United States as an instructor.