AIRMEN'S BRAVE EXPLOITS

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

AIRMEN'S BRAVE EXPLOITS

Great gallantry Avas shown in the air and on the ground by two young Rhode:?ian airmen during and after an attack on the enemy in Abyssinia. They were the crew of a lumbering reconnaissance plane in a South A frican squad ron. After shooting down two Italian bombers and one fighter they .survived the threat of death by plane crash, wounds, thirst and exhaustion. When the two young men Avere over encray lines they sighted three Italian bombers. The pilot, although his plane was slower and clumsier than the bombers, dived on them. The first burst sent, one doAvn. He turned and got another, and so scared the third that it beat a hasty retreat. On the AAvar5 r home three Italians dived at them and the position looked hopeless, but the rear gunner held his fire and opened up at the last minute. Borne on Back He sent one doAvn on tire, but the other two swooped again and hit the gear gunner in the hand and the pilot in the body, arms and legs. Tlie pilot, though only semi-con-scious, brought his plane down. The rear gunner found him in a faint at the controls,, lifted hi.m out and dressed his avouikls. Then he tried to stem the bleeding of his oavh hand. They Avere ,'JO miles from camp in the middle of a Avaterlcss desert. The rear gunner despite the tremendous heat and weakness from loss of blood, took the iron rations from the plane, hoisted the unconscious pilot on his shoulders, and set off for camp. They completed the trek in two days, being without water or food 011 the second.