AIRGUNER'S LETTER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 283, Issue 283, 14 March 1941, Page 8

AIRGUNER'S LETTER

LIFE IN ENGLAND DESCRIBED WHAKATANK MAN'S . EXPERIENCES Following arc extracts from letters received from a young Whakatanc Air-Gunner, F. M. Henderson, N.Z.R.A.F., "who is now serving in England and who, since leaving New Zealand in September-last has "been places." Panama Canal. We anchored off Panama two weeks four days from New Zealand. Customs officials camc out, then a party of Yankee soldiers camc out to see Ave did not mine the canal. Panama city is a few miles from the canal so we did not see much. There is a big military post just at the entrance to the Canal. Soldiers on duty at every lock with riot guns. In the locks we passed the New Zealand boat Kaikoura. They blew their sirens at us and we 3relled ourselves hoarse. Also passed an American passenger cruiser with women on board. Intense excitement among the lads as we had not seen a skirt since leaving New Zealand. British sympathisers in Colon presented cigarettes to the boys, 3 packets each. Curacao Visited. A very modern town, is about six miles from the wharf. They drive on the right ?iand side of the rotad here. We had the "wind up" all the way as our car did* 110 kilos all the way in, and we thought we would take off at any time. The town is beautifully laid out. There is a great bridge there mounted on barges. When a ship comes up the channel,, the bridge, electrically operated, swings in against one of the banks. Dutch soldiers and police were everywhere. The soldiers have a very nice uniform and ride round on bikes with rifles and swords. Six hundred Shropshire soldiers were stationed ther(>. Five of us rode 47 miles round the town for 10s in our value. We also cruised round the refinery in the course of our tour, but could not enter as it is guarded. Employees have very nice home I; and marvellous gardens, but no lawns, and there are very few trees on the island. Golf and tennis appear to be played on the dirt. Went round the waterfront and bought 121bs bananas for K0 cents. The lads rendered a few songs to a British tanker in the harbour as we left Curacao 'When we passed St. Domingo and headed to Halifax we noted that there was a very strict blackout at night. Halifax Reached. Arrived 7 p.m. one week from Curacao. Canadian air force boats came out in the afternoon and took us to the aerodrome. Entertained us at tea, and took us back at 7 p.m. Canadian air force train 7 days per week but receive more pay than Enzedders. In the morning they came again and landed us at the wharf in Halifax. It was thanksgiving day, and shops were therefore closed. We had quite a job changing our money on this account. Halifax has a population of 80, 000 but is old-fashioned, and clingy. The dinginess I thought was probably on account of the smoke from passing ships, as even the trees had a dirty appearance. The main street is not as well laid out as the Strand in Whakatane, though there are trams. As for night life, I thought there was as much doing in Taneatua. The town is built on a hill which sfpes down to the harbour A and some of the streets arc very steep. Halifax contains the oldest cemetery in North America. There are no hotels, as it is a dry area. We saw also table upon which Montcalm was laid after the Battle of Quebec.

Convoy Formed. Next day the R.N.Z.A.F. played the naval ratings at football, giV4 ing them a hiding. To-day as we lett Halifax, the Air Force cutters and crashbcat came round our ship. I here is an armed merchantman ana some destroyers in tlie convoy and at dark to-night there were 25 ships in formation and more com-* ing. Everyone to-night feels the cold, and we are tearing round in sweaters and flying boots. Next day we sighted our convoy from Bermuda, but they have n,ot joined us yet. Coastal planes picked us up three times to-day. The fog lifted after lunch and the convoy is reforming.

Five more ships joined us the next night and we noAv tally '4|. I have been on sub-watch to-day, we all have to do an hour. Some of the boys have by now seen about 12 subs, the German High Seas Fleet, and what's left of the Italian Navy. What imagination will do. Weather Being Cold. We saw several bits of wreckage from a boat which had been sunky Lovely weather to-day, raining like nothing on earth and cold as ice. The poor tankerS are having a tough time. They have only about three' feet free board and the seas wash' right over them. The glass is still falling.

Did I moan about the weather the other day? That was nothing to what we are having now. Half tih,e time all I can see of the tankers is the masts. There are onlv 27 of the convoy left, the others being scattered. This morning a small boat came floating bottom up, with about 100 feet of her showing. The cruiser put a couple of shells into it and sank it. We are on watch day and night now, and carry life jackets all the time. When I go to bed [ have my boots inside my pants by the bed. my overcoat on a chair with the pocket full of smokes, gloves and scarves, and my shirt inside my pullover so I can put them on together. Well, at six this morning the alarm went,, and I was on. deck in a minute. We stood by for ten minutes before we learned to our relief that ic was our escort from England. Man Overboard. Four hours later one of the destroyers came alongside us and started to signal. We could see the crew qujte plainly. While we were watching, a wave rolled her and a' chap went skidding into the sea. As soon as the alarm was given they shot full speed astern and manoeuvred to pick him up. Owing to it being so rough, he was there for half an hour before being picked up Arrival at Liverpool. The waves are as high as the top deck (I should say 45 feet) and while on watch I had to look up to some of them. Convoy is starting to reform to-night and we should reach England about Guy Fawke's Day. We arrived at Liverpool on November 3 and were met by Mr Jordan. Went to a base not far from London next day, and spent two days on identity cards and photos, pay, etc. after which we went on leave. We stayed at the Victoria League, which is a very nice place specially fitted up for H.M. Forces. Quickly cut cut all our "chips," hence my S.O.S. Visited the N.Z. Forces Club, where we obtained meals for one shilling that would cost us 2s 6d. a I a cafe. There was quite a deceut sized.< air raid one! night, and we wandered home amongst the whistling of bombs. Between bombs and anti-aircraft, the newcomers got no sleep.

The damage, while bad enough, was not as bad as I expected, and the people bear it well. I visited a shelter, from curiosity,, not necessity. London got too heavy on our pockets, so we accepted a spot ofi hospitality in Liverpool for a couple of days. Our host, an Aussie, was a very good chap. We viewed a cathedral which was commenced in 190(5, and is still in the course of construction, also went under the Mersey Tunnel, three iniles from approach to approach, a wonderful piece of work. It has four traffic lanes in it. Only one raid while we were there, so we could ream round at night. We got posted to our stations and took the train for Scotland, half going to the north, half to the south. I. went to the former. Sorry 1 can tell you noth-« ing of what we do here. With all the streams and lochs Scotland is very pretty from the air. My cobber here is a Polish pilot, and the way he got cut of Poland sounds like a novel. The Scottish are a very good crowd. There are some in the next hut to us.

(Further extracts will be published in our next issue).