N.Z. PILOTS TO THE FORE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 22, 21 October 1942, Page 5

N.Z. PILOTS TO THE FORE

Part In Le Creusot Raid GROUP CAPTAIN’S WARM TRIBUTE (By Telegraph. —Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Received October 20, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 19. New Zealand pilots were in live out of six of the first Lancasters to bomb the Le Creusot armament works in the 94-bomber raid last week. New Zealand navigators, bomb-aimers and air gunners also took.part. They included Pilot Officers R. O. Calvert, D.F.C., Waikato; D. H. Palmer, Wellington; A. R. Loader, Taibape; R. W. Stewart, Whakatane; Flight Sergeants V. S. Moore, D.F.M., rJ'aumarunui; H. W. Player, Fetone; Sergeants ’P. L. 'Singer, # A. M. Singer ‘’(twins), J. L. Williams, Gisborne; R. C.rosgrove, Auckland; J. W. Collbert, Te Pula Springs; D. V. Davies, Raetihi; J. B. Price, Grey Lynn; R. Menzies, Hastings; R. B. Pickford,’ Rata. All agreed that the raid was “a piece of cake.” They met only slight flak over the target, but it stopped after the first two bombers released their, bombs. Player said; “We had no exciting incident in the whole trip. We prepared for the take-off shortly after midday and soon picked up other sections and then swept out over the coast, flying almost wing tip to wing tip. The weather was perfect. The only bad spot was over the sea When we flew at nought feet. “We hedge-hopped over most of France, but climbed when nearing the target and my heart sank when I sighted a thick cloudbank as I thought it might upset the whole operation, but luckily it cleared. “I have never seen buildings disappear like they did when our bombs fell. They collapsed like a pack of cards. It was better than any earthquake. “We saw little signs of life over France, only a few people working in the fields and a ploughman who threw himself flat when he heard the roar of the engines. Others outside a village waved and gave the V sign.” Menzies said: “The worst part of the trip was waiting for something which did not happen. It seemed impossible that the Germans would let us get away scot free.” Moore, who recently spent 36 hours in the sea in a dinghy when forced down after a raid against Bremen, said: “Le Creusot was the best show I have had. Jerry was conspicuous by his absence.” Commenting on the New Zealander s part, a group captain said: “They are a credit to the Dominion, and also to the men who trained them. We, always look on the New Zealanders ad the backbone of our bomber crews. They are grand chaps.”

SKILFUL AND DARING

RAID War Cabinet’s Message (RUGBY, October 20. The Secretary of State for Air, Sir Archibald (Sinclair, has sent the following message to the commander of the Bomber Command, Air Marshal Harris:—“l am desired by 'the War Cabinet to convey its congratulations to you and the officers and men under your command,' who planned and carried out the successful attack on the Le Creusot wonks. The skill and daring with which this great daylight raid was planned and executed and the weight of the blow you have struck against German war production from occupied France are fully appreciated by the Government.”

DEADLY LANCASTERS

Good Dividends Over Europe (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 18. The destruction of the Schneider works at Le Creusot. is greeted) in the British Press as a very remarkable operation which promises yet greater development. “Every detail,” says the “Daily Telegraph,” “encourages the hope that, contrary to the theory so far generally accepted as a result of experience in the Battle of Britain, it may be possible to devise a successful technique for heavy daylight attacks on targets in Germany, and thus, weather permitting, to keep up continuous bombing of the enemy day and night.” The “Telegraph” also notes the contrast in losses with the Augsburg raid, end the “Daily Express” says: “Its eight-ton load has made the Lancaster the backbqpe of the big night raids, and its speed and fire-power make it as terrible a menace in daylight as in the dark.” The “News Chronicle” says that the raids on Lille and Le Creusot were partly inspired by the same tactical idea —dislocation of Germany’s internal communications. “The Lille works and the Schneider factories,” it says, “both manufacture locomotives, though the Schneider works also produce heavy armaments on a large scale, and there is a very new concern which turns out locomotives in big numbers. < _ “The damage done in these two raids will have serious effects throughout the Reich. That is why the Allies are putting all they know into, smashing communications. The bombing of engineering -works, railway centres, and marshalling yards, and the shooting-up ot locomotives in northern France are all aspects of a single, co-ordinated . plan. It is already yielding good dividends. When Germany is called on to fight on two or more fronts its full value will for the first time be clearly revealed. ’ Cloud-hopping Raiders.

Cloud-hopping raiders were active all day over coastal areas of England. They bombed and machinegunned about a score of districts, but little damage and few casualties are reported. For the first time since January, .1941, London had three daylight amrts as a result of single raiders over the outskirts of the city, At least two raiders were brought down. . Six of the towns attacked were in Last Anglia, and one town was attacked three times. Tlie ground defences brought down a Junkers 88 in flames over an East Anglian town. The Junkers blew up, killing the crew. Bombs dropped on a town in the Thames Estuary hit offices and shops, resulting in a number of casualties, some of which were fatal. Rescuers are still digging for those who were trapped. A Dornier flew so low over one East Anglian town that residents saw tue bomb doors open. The Dormer a>so machinegunned the town. Another raider machinegunned a train entering • station, and damaged several coaches, but no one was injured. Yet another raider machinegunned a train at an inland village, two persons being seriously injured. The Admiralty states that a Juoa which attempted to cross the east coast of England this morning was shot “bwn by anti-aircraft gunfire. f roin .. trawler Lovania and anti-aircraft gum at a naval base. It crashed inland and later exploded.