AIRGUNNER'S LETTERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 284, 17 March 1941, Page 8

AIRGUNNER'S LETTERS

FURTHER EXTRACTS LOCAL MAX'S EXPERIENCES In our last issue appeared a number of extracts from letters received from Sgt-Gunncr F. M. Henderson, son of Mr and Mrs W. S. Henderson, of Whakatane, who is serving Avith the R.N.Z.A.F. in England. FolloAving arc further interesting accounts of his experiences: — Edinburgh Popular. I lurve just completed a marvellous Aveek's ieave in Edinburgh (Noa". 28). I got the money you cabled just as I Avas going on leave, so it was timed nicely. We had a look round Edinburgh castle, and saAA r some of the old weapons and armour. There is a line memorial hall there, Avith a separate memorial to all the Scotch regiments who serA r ed in the last Avar, each one haA r ing its oavu crest and motto on it. On Xmas Day my pal and I toured round again, and included the Forth Bridge. That night the taa'o of us were entertained at dinner by tAvo elderly Scotch ladies. They did us avcll, wi th a Avhopper turkey and pudding. Protecting Trainees. On arrival b&ck in London oil Boxing Day I tore round to N.Z. House to sec if there Avas any Xmas mail in, and Avas met by the gladsome tidings that it Avas now adorning the lap of the ocean—the first of my mail, I belicA T e, to be sunk. I got your Xmas parcel, but lia\ 7 e noAV had no mail for nearly a month. That night Ave ran into a beauty little Blitz in London, first for three nights. Next day avc took the train for our new station at Salisbury, 800 miles south of our last one. Here avc 11 y Lysanders, and our job is to protee; the pilots in training, as Ave are in the danger zone. There are only gunners and pilots here. I must tell you about the Spitfires avc saAV in London. They just tootle along about 400 an hour, so avc can't say "there he is," its a case of "there he Avas." Also trails of smoke like skywriting told us Avherc other planes had been, about 15,000 feet up. I Avent to Aldershot to look for Sandy St. George, but found the engineers only stayed in England a fortnight. Just a line to tell you the latest turn. To-day they asked for live volunteers for Deliant lighters, so up hop live Noav Zealanders and myself amongst them and said "you needn't look any further." We avc re taken into the office for a talk, so before I close this letter I may be able to tell ycr. something. The volunteers had to be able to send and receive 30 Avords morse per minute, but I can do that noAV. Incendiary Bombs. There is inches of snow over the ground to-day and it is a great sight from the air. To-day Ave had a demonstration on dealing AA'ith an incendiary bomb. They are a hexagonal piece of metal about 18 inches long AA ith a diameter of about three inches, filled with explosive composite.

L got a parcel to-day from Wiiakatanc Ladies' Committee, for Avhich I Avill certainly wile my thanks. Got another eablc from yon to-day also, and am now awaiting the dibs, as I aio. still recovering my financial status Avhieh received a rude shock on the Edinburgh leave. Have been over to the officer i.n charge of Gunners since J started this letter, and I am to be transferred nevt Aveek to a Defiant training unit. I have just collected a letter from the Mess, sent by airmail from Ngongotaha on November 13. Here's hoping for a lot of fun ant! plenty of fights at my new unit. The Defiant Squadron. Only two of us were sent hero after all, so now tlie old gang has broken up, after being together since "wc left New Zealand. We had a parly of couvsc, lie Tore I lei'l. We intended to stay a night in London, but the Blitz Avas so bad Ave pushed <in to Retford and spent the night. The train being two hours late,' Ave arrived at 2 a.m. and you can imagine the fun av-.: had getting a bed. Finally Ave got to bed at seven and had a few hours sleep before leaving for our new station. There are eight Enzedders here, and the Fligh! Commander is a New Zealander who came over before the war. Tisey arc very decent chaps here.

On Sunday I took my first seat in the Deliant, and they are a Avonderful kite, going much faster than anything I have been in preA'iously. Sitting behind four guns gives me great confidence, especially Avhen I can let go 4100 rounds a minute. To-morrow I go up to 25,000 feer for an oxA'gen climb, so Avill tootle off to bed early. Please send some tobacco, it costs 4s per tin, and my English pay can't run too much of that. This station is easily the best I haA T e been on, the quarters and mess arc simply maiwellous, and Ave are only tAvo in a room. We have even W.A.A.F.'s to serve u.-l in the mess. Cold Conditions. In a later letter Sgt. Gunner Henderson reports that the Aveathev is A-ery cold, Avith snoAV falling for long periods. He adds that the men ahvays Avelcome heavy Hying sox, Avhich reach to the knee. They haA'c handed in their combination Hying suits have been issued Avith heavy leather jackets and trousers, which are lined Avith fur. The jacket has a high collar and the men Avear them around the station as AA'cll as Avhen aloft. Strain on Pilots. The trousers issued arc not popular, he says as they are bulky and make it aAAdnvard to bail out if need be. "I am with an Irish pilot noAv'" continues Sgt-Gunner Henderson. "He is from Belfast and is a Ser-geant-Pilot avlio Avas on Spitfires during the battle of London. He Avas shot doAvn once and baled out from 25,000. The time of the big November raids most of the pilots here Avere on Spits or Hurricanes and this chap tells me that it has greatly aged them. He is only 2.J but lie's started to go grey." We arc going on ss 48 hour leave and I tiling I Avill go to Edinburgh although I'll only have one night there.