New Zealanders In Mosquito Squadron

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 60, 14 March 1944, Page 4

New Zealanders In Mosquito Squadron

“THEY ARE WONDERFUL TRIPS” (Special Correspondent.) Received Monday, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, March 12. One of the many New Zealanders who are participating in the latest big raids on Germany carried out his 75th operations when he bombed Berlin on March 8. He is Flight-Lieutenant V. S. Moore, D. 5.0., D.F.M., of Rotorua. He is in a Mosquito night-bomber squadron which includes Squadron Leader S. D. Watts, D.F.C., of Morrinsville, and Flying Officer A. A. Matheson* D.F.M., of Carterton. These Mosquito night-bombers have several roles in the present offensive. Sometimes they bomb ahead of the heavy bomber force and sometimes they arrive about an hour later so that the wailing sirens again cause the Germans to seek cover and hamper the work of the A.R.P. They also carry out diversionary attacks to keep the German defences guessing where the main blow will fall that night. In addition they carry out straightforward raids when the weather is too bad for heavy bombers. Even small forces can set the sirens moaning in all the big cities in Northern Germany, causing the people to go to shelters. I light-Lieut. Moore, who won the D.F.M. in August, 1942, and the D.S.O. in June, 1943, is now on his third tour, having previously operated in Lancasters. Squadron Leader Watts is on his second tour. He did 22 operations in Whitleys from August, 1941, to March, 1942, and returned to operations last November. He has now done 26 raids in Mosquitoes. He has been twelve times to Berlin and his last visit there on March 3 coincided with his 28th birthday which was celebrated by bombing the German capital. Flying Officer Matheson, who is a well-known footballer, won the D.F.M. in June for work as a highly-skilled navigator. Squadron Leader Watts, commenting on the operations, said the most interesting were those following up the heavy bombers. ‘‘When the target is still 200 miles away you first see the target indicators light up the sky, then the flash of exploding bombs and the bursting of tho flak. Next you seo small fires beginning which continue to grow until hy the time we are-pver the target everything is as light as day. We sometimes get punctures from flak but not too often, and we see a few fighters. The result is that the casualties are pretty low. The reason, of course, is the Mosquito’s speed. Wc often take off au hour after the heavy bombers have left and bomb the target after them, but still manage to return an hour before them. They are wonderful trips.” In addition to bombing Berlin in the Mosquito Watts has also raided Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Mannheim. Flying Officer D. H. Tudhope, of Hamilton, recently completed 40 operations in Mosquito bombers. It is known that the Mosquitoes can carry a 10001 b. bombload. It is understood that the U.S.A.A.F. has not yet reached the peak of its strength here.