FERRY COMMAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 21, 5 November 1943, Page 3

FERRY COMMAND

AIRMAN'S DESCRIPTION Some vivid sidelights on his work in the Royal Air Force Ferry Command, operating from Canada, are given by Pilot-Officer C. C. Harris in a letter to his parents in Hamilton. He describes the Ferry Command as :tn organisation whose purpose. is to deliver aircraft to all parts of the Avorld. to keep the Allied, airmen in the air. Among t'lro personnel are men from all countries-!, including Great Britain, Poland, Norway). South Africa, India. Australia. New Zealand, Canada and America. "I do not think much is ever heard of the Ferry Command and the hazards that are encountered by them during delivery flights." sa}*s Pilot-Officer Harris. "It seems as if it is an" obscure organisation, which is just one of many Avliich help turn the wheels of the mighty war machine. It is a dangerous game, but not any more so than operations on the fighting front. "The men who make up the crews are all hand-picked. All. know their respective jobs thoroughly. The pilots, are used to Hying every type of ship from Puss Moth to a Fortress." The writer mentions some of tin; dangers that must be faced. "When we get away out over the middle of the ocean we run into all sorts of weather, thunder, storms), rain, lightning and wind. Every ear is tuned to catch the slightest cough of a motor and, the pilot's eyes never cease roaming over the instrument board. Everything has to be perfectly correct when one iM 600 miles from the nearest land. "Sometimes we may fly for hours on end without ever seeing the sun or even the. ocean, and this alone is a strain on all the crew. As soon as we emerge into the clear again everyone is hard at work, checking again. Hour after hour this goes on sometimes for as long as eight hours on end. When land is eventually reached the crew gives the usual "thumbs up' sign to denote a successful delivery once more and each man offers a little praj*er of thanks to our Maker. Just another ferry trip carried, out successfully." Pi loft-Officer Harris emphasises the trying nature of his job. "On j an average Ave get only five hours' sleep a night during our trips," he writes. "1. have llown over the. qcean for as long as eight hours on end and it's tiring, believe me. Each day we are in the air for about seven hours on one stretch." PilotOfficer Harris asks his parents to enlighten anyone who says that the Ferry Command is "a cushy job."