SALERNO LANDING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 17, 15 October 1943, Page 6

SALERNO LANDING

N.Z. Pilots’ Work In Seafires FOUR DAYS’ PATROL (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, October 33.

The important part taken by Seafires of the Fleet Air Arm in the Salerno landing has now been made known. Seafires from the escort aircraft-car-riers Battler, Unicorn, Hunter, Stalker and Attacker flew standing patrols over the troop landings for four days and then flew from landing grounds ashore for three days till the R.A.F. arrived. , . The R.A.F. aircraft were based in Sicily. They had to make three-hour flights to 'Salerno, where they could only patrol for half an hour. It was hoped they could occupy the aerodrome at Moiitecavino on the day after the initial assault, but a German counter-attack made this impossible, and therefore tlie full weight of the task of. covering the troops fell on the Fleet Air Arm. The opinion was expressed that the landing would have failed without their support. Several New Zealanders . who were among the pilots included Lieutenant I*. A. J. Pennington. Wellington. One of the New Zealanders said: “From Gibraltar we went to Malta, where, in addition to our AA oolwortli Carriers,’ there were the Rodney and Nelson and many other warships. It was a wonderful sight. Our force left Malta on September 30, and the next morning we were off Salerno Bay. “We began our first patrol at dawn. It was a beautiful clear morning. We patrolled all day, flying for about one hour and 20 minutes in each patrol, We did low cover, while other Seafires acted as high cover. It was a marvellous sight to see the troops landing below. There were long lines of landing barges going into the beach. Once there were two lines of between 50 and 60 barges making for the beaches. Exciting Time Ashore.

“We expected that our work would be finished after that day and that the R.A.F. would land at Montecavino, but our patrols had to continue for four ’days. Then some of us went ashore. We had not seen any German fighters. Ave could hear them on the radio telephone occasionally, but they seemed to be scared of Seafires. That time ashore was the most exciting part of the operation for us. “AA’e had to use a landing strip in fields in an area occupied by Americans. They refuelled the Seafires with fourgallon cans of -petrol. This was a slow and laborious job. Next morning we carried out a weather patrol, but when we landed to refuel some Foeke-Avults came over and started bombing, but the American ack-ack kept them well out ot harm’s way. , . “We moved to another landing strip later in the day only 400 yards in front of a British artillery position, and carried out patrols till dusk that night. Junkers BS’s dive-bombed us for nearly an hour. This was not so good, as often they would switch off their engines and glide in before dropping their bombs. With the result that they exploded without warning. AVe turned in at about 10 p.m. to-sleep in an. old dry drain with a blanket or two, but sleep was impossible, for only an hour later the British barrage started, and it lasted froin 11 p.ni. till 4 o’clock next morning. With the guns only 300 yards behind us. we could feel the concussion. The dm was terrific. We again flew at dawn, bub no Germans showed up. Germans Given Fasting.

“At about 10.45 a.m. our bombers be-o-an to arrive. First there came TOO Mitchells, followed later by 100 Bostons. They were unmolested, and gave the Germans hell. That afternoon the R.A.F. arrived, so we could set off to find our carriers, which bad retired toward North Africa. As we left Italy we could see the dust raised by the bombing, which still formed a screen to 2000 feet. AA e flew from Salerno to Paterno. in Sicily, then to Castelvetrano, then on to Bizerta. from where we returned to England. We would not have missed the operation for anything. “The- keenness to get ashore and fly from the aerodromes was so intense that there was nearly a scrap between pilots as to who should be allowed to go. AA e were very interested to meet the Americans there, and were much impressed by their varieties of , concentrated food, which were done up in neat packets, and also cans of ham and eggs. AA’e had more than we could use, so gave some to the Italians. Their condition was pitiable. The thing that interested us most about the whole operation was the lack of German aircraft. It was most disheartening.” Other New Zealanders with the benfire’s Salerno operation included Lieutenants D. K- Evans, P. Bethel. P. Bourke, all of AA’ellington, H. Morrison, Masterton, S. Lang. Palmerston North. G. Reece, Hamilton, and also G. Bourke, Sub-lieutenants R. A. Gowan, Christchurch, R. Colbeck, AVaikato, and- also H. Foot.