DUTCH AIRMEN NOT NAMED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23968, 8 June 1943, Page 4

DUTCH AIRMEN NOT NAMED

SQUADRON NORTH OF AUSTRALIA (Special Australian Corresp.. N.Z.PA.I (Rec. 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 1> For fear of Japanese reprisal* their families in the East Indies, Dut'.n heroes of a Mitchell medium bomber squadron operating from a northern Australian base cannot be named, even when they win decorations. They ® r ® known as “the incognito squadronNewly commissioned officers tradition* ally take the oath of allegiance w*; the left hand on their bombers P r ®* peller blade. “Only in death are om* cers freed from their aeroplane, **• plains their Dutch commander, ' All the members of the squadron are covinced that, like the Americans, who bombed Tokyo, they will be sUn> marily executed if they are capture* by the Japanese. One of the lieutenants of the squadron received tn® Dutch D.F.C. for gallantry while attacking a Japanese invasion convoy off Java. He sank three enemy amps* including a cruiser, ’ Austral fins and Javanese make up the air crews of the Dutch pilots and navigators. While most of the Dutch airmen now speak English, in the nrsi days of the squadron’s existence Australians had great difficulty in unde?* standing orders given by the aircraft commanders. The squadron’s notices arc published in both Dutch and