NEW ZEALAND BOMBERS

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 241, 13 October 1942, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND BOMBERS

W1TH SQUADRON 1N BR1TA1N NEWS OF THE PERSONNFL. PICTON OFFICER FINISHES OPERATIONS.

P.A. Special.

LONDON, Oct. 12.

The High Commissioner, ^ Mr Jcrdan, on a visit to a New land Bomber Squadron, was told that its casualties had been few since the raid on Hamburg, when they were fairly heavy. Mr Jordan learned that German nightfighters were providing increasing opposition, but Flight-- Sergeant R. C. Reynolds (Lower Hutt) , and Sergeant Bruce Philip (Amberley) had each shot down a Junkers 88, while Flight- Sergeant" K. A. Chankshow (Greymouth) and Sergeant B. Neal (North Auckland) were among New Zealanders who had taken a "bang" at night-fighters. Fligh t - Sergeant Reynolds, who was a front gunner, said: "We were returning from a raid, and were 4000 feet over the North Sea, when I saw tracers behind and below. Then I picked out a Junkers, apparently attacking another aircraft near us. The German passed in front of my turret, and I fired a good burst, after which he went down in flames." Sergeant Philip, who was a rear gunner, said: "On the Bremen 1000bomber raid, when there was bright moonlight and the Northern Lights, I spotted a Junkers coming out of the Northern Lights. I told the pilot to dive to port into a dark patch, bring - ing us below the Junkers, who was in the moonlight. I opened up when he was 200 yards away, and he returned the fire with two cannons and four machine-guns. After I had fired 1000 rounds we fell away on the starboard wing. I saw him silhouetted in the bright moonlight with his port engine on fire. Later I learned that an Australian pilot officer saw him crash." Reynolds was in an all-New Zealand crew which has completed its operational tour. The others were Flight Sergeants J. L. Wright (Hamilton), C. W. B. Kelly (Christchurch), M. A. Carter (Hastings), and A. L. O. Neal. They had painted on their Wellington a grinning Donald Duck coming out of an egg-shell. Philips was in a crew with Sergeants W. Gordon (Kaiapoi) and A. Drew (Auckland). They also have finished their operations, as have Sergeant H. V. Allen (Christchurch), Flight Sergeant K. Sutherland (Invercargill), and Pilot Officers E. A. Letchford (Picton), and L. Chambers (Westport). The squadron's present "oldest inhabitant" is Pilot Officer W. G. Horne (Masterton), who has nearly completed his operations. '' Recent newcomers include Pilot Officer G. H. Jacobson, of Awaroa, who has earried out nine raids. He was shot up over Duisberg on his third raid, when he was held in the searchlights for half an hour. His aircraft was severely damaged, and flew over the Dutch coast in daylight, but returned safely. Another all-New Zealand crew comprised Pilot Officers L. G. Trott, of Otorohanga, W. J. R. Scollay, of Wellington, and D. L. Poppelweil, of Gore; Sergeants M. Manawaiti, of Timaru, and H. Hamerton, of New Plymouth. They have completed an operational tour. During the recent heavy raid over Bremen Pilot Officer Trott levelled out his aircraft preparatory to bombing and photographing, when flak rockecl the Wellington, surrounding it with cordite smoke. They bombed, then dived to port at over 400 miles an hour. Both engines were cutting out when Trott pulled out of the dive. The aileron trimming tabs had jammed, making the aircraft almost uncontrollable, but the pilot managed by holding the stick right over, otherwise the aircraft showed a tendency to slow-roll. Others at present with the squadron include Flying Officer F. J. Chunn (Te Awamutu) , Pilot Officers E. F. Downes (Dunedin), E. L. Haydon (Palmerston North), and C. P. Omerod (Gisborne), Sergeants C. R. Davey (Dargaville), E. G. Firth, E. Worsdale, H. R. Welch, A. Scott, M. T. Parata, . J. S. Voice, V. A. O. Dimock, K. H. Yeoman, E. A. Garty, I. C. H. Sullivan (all of Wellington), H. J. Huglll, E. W. Harvey, D. Wellington, R. H. J. Broady, B. A. Franklin, R. L. A. McFarland, D. Clearwater, E. L. D. Ashwin (all of Auckland), J. G. Barnes, J. A. McConnell, W. J. Barclay (all of Dunedin), L. H. Parkinson (Opotiki), V. Watters (Whangarei), R. J. Carter (Taumarunui), F. W. Marshall (Tauranga), C. J. Shalfoon (Opotiki), W. J. H. Berriman (New Plvmoulth), WT. A. N. Hardy (Wanganui), and H. R. Manerton (Patea) . Mr Jordan also visited Ely Hospital, where there are several New Zealanders. — — V —