N.Z. PILOTS OYER BENGAL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23965, 4 June 1943, Page 5

N.Z. PILOTS OYER BENGAL

JAPANESE RAIDERS ENGAGED (Rec. 10 p.m.) CALCUTTA, June 2. New Zealand fighter pilots played a major part in the smashing defeat of a strong Japanese raiding force over Chittagong, in Bengal. Diving from more than 20,000 feet on 31 enemy bombers and fighters, 14 Royal Air Force Hurricanes destroyed or damaged 13 of the enemy. Two more fell to anti-aircraft fire. Seven of the Royal Air Force pilots were New Zealanders. Two British machines were lost, but the pilots of both were saved. One of them was Flight Sergeant John Rudling, a former Auckland bank clerk, who bailed out when his cockpit caught fire. Villagers gave him a royal welcome. Women who had been wounded by a Japanese strafing insisted on kissing his feet. The natives sent him back to his base by horse and sampan. Flying Officer Robert Stout crashed a Japanese bomber by striking it with the wingtip of his Hurricane. He brought his own aeroplane safely back to its base. Flying Officer Anthony Cooper, of Wanganui, led one of the Hurricane formations and destroyed a Japanese fighter. Flying Officer V. - Jacobs, a former Auckland schoolteacher. damaged two fighters and probably destroyed one bomber. RECIPROCAL TRADE AGREEMENTS ROOSEVELT’S AUTHORITY EXTENDED v (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 2. The United States Senate has completed legislative action on a measure extending Mr Roosevelt’s authority to make reciprocal trade agreements for a further two years. The Senate rejected a long series of limiting amendments. The Associated Press of America says that the renewal of the authority constitutes a victory for the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull), who insisted that any alteration would be inter'preted abroad as an indication that Congress did not desire to co-operate with other nations *jn solving post-war