AMERICAN COAL DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 5

AMERICAN COAL DISPUTE

“VIRTUAL DEADLOCK” IN DISCUSSIONS COMMENT BY MINERS’ LEADER (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rcc. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON. June 8. A virtual breakdown in the negotiations between the coal mine operators and the United Mine Workers of America developed late to-day. The president of the United Mine Workers (Mr John L. Lewis) termed the conference "a farcical proceeding in every respect.” He added: ‘‘The sullen, morose attitude of the operators is an insult to the coal miners and to the.national interest.” The operators’ only comment was that a report was being drafted for the War Labour Board. The Associated Press of America says that the deadlock is believed to have arisen on the issue of portal pay (that is, payment for time spent travelling between the entrance to the mine and the face). DISTINGUISHED N.Z. PILOT SQUADRON LEADER KEITH THIELE EXPERIENCES IN RAIDS ON GERMANY (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON. June 8. When Squadron Leader Keith Thiele, D.5.0., D.F.C. and Bar, of Christchurch, left New Zealand in June, 1941, he took a flying helmet which he had used throughout his training. He continued to wear it for his first tour, and although a newer and lighter type of helmet was issued, without the heavy ‘rubber ear-pads, Squadron Leader Thiele 1 remained attached to his New Zealand headgear. On his fifty-seventh and final operation that helmet saved his life. He was over Duisburg when shrapnel shattered his windscreen. He felt hj terrific clout on the right ear and when he landed he found that his ear was swollen like a cauliflower, and embedded in thei rubber ear-pad was a flak splinter. He has no doubt that his favourite helmet prevented him from being killed outright. At 22, Squadron Leader Thiele is one of the small and distinguished group of New Zealand airmen who have won triple decorations in this war. His career, like his ability as a pilot, is outstanding. After leaving the Christchurch Boys’ High School, he was for two years and a naif a reporter on the “Star-Sun." He joined a Canadian squadron for his first tour, rising from pilot officer to squadron leader in five weeks. Squadron Leader Thiele did 21 raids in Wellingtons on that tour, and 11 in Halifaxes. taking part, in all three of the famous 1000-aeroplane raids. He was awarded the D.F.C. after that tour, but not being attracted to instructing, he asked ter return to operations, giving up his rank of squadron leader to do so. He was posted to an Australian Lancaster .squadron and was soon promoted to squadron leader again.. He carried out the scheduled 20 raids of his second tour, but he applied for an extension and was allowed to carry out four more before being ordered off. He has now been posted to Transport : Command—still protesting that he wants to do more raids. Five Times to Berlin Squadron Leader Thiele has had more than his share of “shaky dos.” Twice he flew a Wellington back, from Germany on one engine, and twice he had two of the engines/of„,hjg Lancaster out of action, but IqMed, safely. He has been to Berlin five times, the first occasion being when •37 bombers were lost because of the bad weather. That night the ack-ack over Kiel stopped one of the Wellington’s engines, but Squadron Leader Thiele flew on and landed with only 30 gallons of petrol. This again happened over Bremen, when he was returning from Hamburg. Again he got back safely. While approaching Berlin on his fourth raid in Lancasters the'reargunner complained of a lack of oxygen. Squadron Leader Thiele turned on the emergency supply and the reargunner said that it was better, but later he reported that he was not getting a full supply—afterwards it was discovered that he was using an old type of mask, which iced up, his breath freezing at 19,000 feet. Squadron Leader Thiele was only two miles from the target, and he had to carry on and bomb, but lie seat another gunner back to give aid. After bombing, Squadron Leader Thiele dived under oxygen height and put in “George” (the automatic pilot). He left the flight engineer in charge and then summoned the remainder of the crew to get the gunner out. While they were doing so flak hit the Lancaster twice. The rear-gunner was unconscious when they got him out, and he subsequently died. Engine on Fire Then came the Nuremburg trip. One engine caught fire while over the sea, but Squadron Leader Thiele feathered the screw, got the fire out, jettisoned his incendiaries, and carried on with his “cookie” (a 40001b bomb). He bombed the target and then returned over Germany and France at 1000 feet, flying for seven hours with* three engines. Next came Duisburg. While running up to the target he saw a cone of searchlights holding another aircraft. They suddenly picked up Squadron Leader Thiele and shifted their entire attention to him. He was only two minutes off the target, so he carried on and bombed in spite of the blinding lights. Then he turned, dived, and made for home. It was then that the windscreen was blown away and the ear-pad saved his life. Flak also blew away half the starboard outer engine and riddled and set fire to the inboard engine. Squadron Leader Thiele put out the fii'e with an extinguisher and, gradually losing height, set out for England, but the Lancaster maintained height at 500 feet, and he put it down safely in England. It was that flight which gained him the award of a Bar. Only a week earlier, when returning from Stuttgart, flying low, a chance rifle shot hit the leading edge of the wing. It must have been one of the luckiest shots of the war. for it cut the cooling pipe of the starboard outer engine and also put out of action part of the hydraulic system, with the result that only one wheel could come down. But Squadron Leader Thiele returned safely and landed on one wheel and without the flaps. He speaks diffidently of his experiences and dismisses them with: “It is all luck in this game. I am absolutely certain.” But anyone in the squadron will say that he is a first-class pilot. U.S. ARMY’S FLYING HOSPITALS (Rec. 10 p.m.) CHICAGO, June 8. The United States Army's flying hospitals carried 30,000 wounded from the combat zones with only two deaths during transit, according to BrigadierGeneral David Grant, Chief Flight Surgeon of the United States Army Air Forces, addressing the Medical Association. He added that at present members of the staff took over any type of aeroplane and converted it for carrying wounded, but soon there would be special hospital aeroplanes fitted with operating theatres, and also helicopters designed to pick up wounded from the fighting fronts. He disclosed that two aeroplanes recently flew a 25-bed hospital to Alaska,