NEW GUINEA FIGHT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3267, 24 May 1943, Page 3

NEW GUINEA FIGHT

CALLING ALL PLANES TRANSPORT OF EQUIPMENT One night in December, a call went out to all available civil aeroplane; to proceed at once to a certain aerodrome, says an Australian report. Those in the air dumped their passengers and freight at the .nearest landing ground and within a few hours the certain aerodrome was ordcing them to New Guinea. There, they found their job was to fly personnel and equipment to Buna. Joining the ferry fleet they earned enormous quantities of munitions, guns, food and personnel to improvised strips within a mile or two of the front line, bringing back wounded. One pilot made 29 trips. When the job was done BrigadierGeneral Whitehead, U.S. Army Air Force/ said: “The extraordinary devotion to duty by the operating crews of'the airplanes is, in my opinion, an outstanding performance. These crews have operated in all kinds of weather and in the face of enemy opposition. Their skill in operating from emergency strips indicates the highest degree of flying proficiency.” But, says the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr B. Corbett, this is only one of the jobs these men have done —fine jobs of silent work in unarmed aircraft without fighter protection right under (or over) the enemy’s nose.

The high ddgree of skill which made flying safe in commercial operations had proved to be equally efficient, prompt and reliable in many a gallant movement which had reflected credit on all concerned in civil aviation.