"OPERATION GRUB" BEATS FLOODS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1947, Page 6

"OPERATION GRUB" BEATS FLOODS

Bomb.racks laden with food supplies, two R.N.Z.A.F.- Hal'vjsrds from Ohakea roafed down oy^r'a marophed hquse at Pirinoa, Southerm ■•Wairarapa-/'' 'ybsterday, in answer .to an • S.O.S. received about four honrs earlier. Below, the 12 oceupants of the- house could be seen waving franticailly. The machines cireled and withdut the necessity of a dummy run scored a direct hit with their paraphuted fobd. . • Returnir^g. . to . p.hakea- ;shbi,'tly berofe 4^30 Seanv ii^ll and % ^ pilb-fe,: reported ( Ko hang-up's. ' ' B'oth •• aifcraft ; returned saf ely. ' ' The Wairarapa police received an urgent distress telephone call from the

house yesterday morning, and with little chanee of reaching the farm house by land, immediately eommunicated with Air Department. From there the joo was passed on to Ohakea. 'The Commanding Oflicer, Wing Com mander D. W. Baird, A.F.C., telephoned the house at Pirinoa to ascertain the immediate requirements of the inhabitants. These were rapidly assembled from the 'station 's ration stores and paeked into two parachute suppiy containers. Before 2 p.m., Iess than three hours after Ohakea had been notified of the operation, the two planes took off. Equipped with maps of the area, and instructions to look for a white house with green roof standing on a rise and surrounded by about oue and a half acres of dry laiid, the aircraft had little difliculty in finding the spot. Flight Lieutenant ftcanneli stated on his return that the aircraft found the' house immediately. It stood- very near the vast. area of flooded land but the food floated saf ely down to the waiting' arms of the marooned people. It is understood that all 12 people were sufferinn from colds.