GALLANT FLYERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20086, 4 November 1939, Page 7

GALLANT FLYERS

ROYAL AIR FORCE AWARDS BESTOWED PRIDE OF THE KING EPIC FLIGHT STORIES THRILLING EXPLOITS (Eluc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reccl. Nov. 3, 2.20 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 2. Four Royal Air Force officers and one sergeant-pilot stood at a hangar “somewhere in England” to-day while the King pinned on their hearts decorations for gallantry' on active service. The ages of the recipients ranged from 21 to 20 years.. The Distinguished Flying Cross was conferred on Acting-Flight-Lieuten-ants T. M. Smith, J. Barrett, K. C. Doran and Flying-Officer A. McPherson, and the Distinguished Flying Medal to Sergeant-Pilot W. Will its. Acting-Flight-Lieu tenants Smith and' Barrett rescued the crew of the Kensington Court. Acting-Flight-Lieut. Doran led a successful attack on an enemy cruiser in September. Pilot-Officer McPherson. aged 21, carried out a dangerous reconnaissance flight, resulting in a successful attack on enemy naval forces, the details of which have already been cabled. Saved Plane and Crew Sergeant-Pilot Willits saved the plane and crew when the pilot was shot in the head and collapsed at the controls during an air combat. He moved the body, obtained control at low attitude and navigated the machine 140 miles to the base.

The ceremony marked the end of His Majesty’s visit to air stations in northern England and the Midlands, in which he inspected the coastal bomber and fighter commands, saw pilots engaged in war activity, heard stories of dangerous flights into enemy territory and of engagements with enemy planes.

An hour before His Majesty arrived at one station, the personnel of the reconnaissance flight over South Germany on October 27 arrived. They gave him vivid details of an epic flight in which they encountered freezing weather. The men boro scars, burns and blisters. They told their stories simply and earnestly after which the King commented: “I am proud to have met such men.” Trapped in Machine

The airmen described how the engine of cue machine failed owing to ice and snow conditions. The pilot ordered the crew to abandon ship and told the crew to jump. He saw three go, but there was no reply from the gunner. He assumed he had already escaped. The pilot jumped and the machine crashed on a hillside. The gunner was still trapped in the cockpit with a loose wire entangled round his neck, but he fought his way from the blazing machine. The men made their way separately through the night and were reunited in a little village.

During the same raid, the engine of'another machine caught fire. The two gunners became senseless with the cold. The pilot made a forced landing in which he struck tree lops. The machine caught fire.

Assisted by the other members of the crew, the pilot dragged the gunners out, memorised and then burnt their secret papers and eventually reached the base.