AIR WARFARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24420, 4 October 1940, Page 6

AIR WARFARE

NEW ZEALAND'S PART CASUALTIES TOTAL 187 SEVENTY-NINE DEATHS t - . ,• (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) - j WELLINGTON. Qct. 3. • Casualties totalling 4 occurred ”to* New Zealanders*in Royal Air Force in Great Britain since the war began. This statement was made by the Minister of Defenc (IVIr F. Jones) when he gave a review, in the He use of Representatives to-night of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. .The individual figures quoted by the Minister were: ■ :.Cf yTV Killed .. .. . 79 Missing (believed killed) .. 23 Missing .. ■ • • • • • 49 Prisoners • • 15 Wounded -.. 21 A decision to provide additional squadrons in New Zealand was indicated by Mr Jones, who said that the country was going to d* its job in the event of war coming to these shores, as well as interesting itself in the defence of ■the British Commonwealth. Tnat expansion would mean additional ex* pcnditure and buildings. Expansion in Dominion , “We want to provide a better, protective ferce for New Zealand,” he said, “ and we are going to use'the Air Force, in conjunction with the 'Other forces. We do not want-to interfere with the personnel for the Empire training scheme, - which will cost £7,500,000 over three years and a-half. Great Britain is providing most of the aircraft for that, and we have been well .reated,”

Previously the high educational standard required 1 for the Air Force prevented many men from joining, the Minister said, but under the new scheme 3000 lads were attending secondary schools at night or taking the correspondence course for training, as pilots. That was a splendid achievement. The force in New, Zealand today totalled 5714, of whom 383 were officers. The men numbered 5331, of whom 727 were technicians and.64B air crew,

Mr Jones said that before the war 402 men were sent from New Zealand to. the Royal Air Force, and from the outbreak of the wan until September 19, 1940. 641 had been sent. The figures were: Pilots, 189; observers, 98; air gunners, 179; armourers. 30;- wireless operators, 50; fleet air arm. 95. A total of 85 more men would be sent shortly. Including those already left, the output by December 31 next would be 1465, comprising 674 pilots. 322 -observers and 469 gunners. Mr W. A. Bodkin (Opposition, Central Otago): Are they all fully trained? “Yes," replied the Minister, “but they will receive additional training overseas. The figures include some of the observers and air gunners who are going to Canada about the end of this month.” One Thousand Men in R.A.F. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition,; Stratford) : How many of our- flying men have been participating in the war at Home up to date? “ We have approximately 1000 men in the Old Country,” replied Mr Jcnes. He said that the building- up of the Air Force in New Zealand had been justified by the results. ' ■