N.Z. AIRMAN IN THE WAR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 116, 2 June 1937, Page 5

N.Z. AIRMAN IN THE WAR

-Press Asan.-

^Non-lntervention Agreement a Farce" MANY FOREIGN PLANES

(By Telegraph-

-Copyright.)

(Beceived 2, 10.55 a.m.) FBEMANTLE, June 2. Captain E. N. Griffiths, a New Zealand aviator, who arrived by the Maloja, said that he had heen on aetive service with the Spanish Government forces and the nonintervention agreement was a farce. Eebel aircraft were all either German or Italian, and they were mogtly imported through Portugal. Government planes totalling about 300 were mostly of Bussian origin and werfe outnumbered by at least two to one by the rebel air forca Mr Griffiths, who was wounded while fighting enemy planes at Toledo on September 29, hopes to return to Spain after three months' holiday in New Zealand. Mr Griffiths said that he was a member of the last Byrd Antarctic exnedition and sdnce had been flying commercial machines in China. Considerable help with men, manitions and planes had come from Kussia for the Loyalists, while with the rebel forces there were about 120,000 Italians and between 40,000 ancl 50,000 Gerrnans. "It seems to be a fight until oue or other side is exterminated, ' ' said Mr Griffiths. The Bussian machines, he said, were first brought in in seetions, but now factories had been equipped in Spain and they were turning out complete planes at the rate of two daily. Explaining his participation in the hostilities, Mr Griffiths said that in August he was engaged to fly plands purchased by the Spanish Government from England. These activities were subsequently stopped by the British Government, and he then received an offer to fight as a pilot for the Government forces. He joined a squadron at Madrid of 20 members, of which 16 were killed and three wounded, while the other was still fighting. Five were British and only one other and himself escaped.