JAPANESE ROUTED
N.Z. HURRICANE PILOTS AIR BATTLE OVER INDIA HALF FORCE DESTROYED IRv Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (10 a.m.) CALCUTTA, June 3. New Zealand fighter pilots played a major part in the smashing defeat of a strong Japanese raiding force over Chittagong, in Bengal. Diving from more than 20.000 ft. on 31 enemy bombers and fighters, 14 Royal Air Force Hurricanes destroyed or damaged 13. Two more fe.ll to antiaircraft fire. Seven of the Royal Air Force pilots were New Zealanders., Two British machines were lost, but the pilots of both were saved. One of them was Flight Sergeant John Rudling, a former Auckland bank clerk, who bailed out when his cockpit caught fire. The villagers gave him a royal welcome. Women who had been wounded by a Japanese :trating plane insisted on kissing his feet. The natives sent him back to his base by horseback and sampan. Flying-Officer Robert Stout crashed a Japanese bomber by striking it with the wing-tip of his Hurricane. He brought his own plane safely back to his base.
Flying-Officer Anthony Cooper, of Wanganui, led one of the Hurricane formations and destroyed a Japanese fighter. Flying Officer V. Jacobs, a former Auckland school teacher, damaged two lighters and probably, destroyed one bomber. • ■' -
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19430604.2.46
Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21112, 4 June 1943, Page 3
Word Count
205JAPANESE ROUTED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21112, 4 June 1943, Page 3
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