BRITISH AIRMEN

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 260, 17 November 1939, Page 1

BRITISH AIRMEN

OBSERVER’S SELF-SACRIFICE ASSISTANCE IN FREEZING CONDITIONS SKILL OF BOMBER PILOT LONDON, Nov. 15. In the course of one air raid over Germany, carried out, for the greater part of the distance at an altitude where the,temperature was 20 degrees below zero, an aircraft was bit by anti-, aircraft fire while returning from its objective and the gunner was wounded. To reach him, tlie non-commissioned officer observer found it necessary to discard bis parachute harness, lifesaving jacket and warm outer clothing to squeeze through the narrow opening inside the fuselage. Finding his companion badly' wounded in the hand and thigh, he dressed the hand wound, hut decided to leave the more serious thigh wound untouched, realising that loosening the clothing would probably result in a dangerous loss of blood. Warming him with bis body and encouraging him with reports of progress the observer remained! with the wounded man till they were clear of Germany. He then returned to the front cockpit and attended to his navigation duties till liis base was in sight when be again made his way back to the wounded air gunner and stayed with him until they landed. Throughout the whole flight fr.om Germany the observer was without Ins flying clothes in a tempera Urn; never above freezing point. The skill of the British bomber pilots was shown on one occasion when an aircraft was attacked at a height of 24,000 ft. by a Messcrsclunitt fighter. Using evasive action, the pilot- eluded 1 hi:; opponent, but lost height, so quicklv in. the process that lie was soon down to a. level where be was immediately engaged by enemy anti-aircraft fire. While the anti-aircraft guns were firing the German lighter held off till he was out of range. He then renewed the attack, but without success. The. pilot <>f the aircraft engaged, on this occasion has since been decorated for 1 1 is , f ,,gallantry' in this and in an earlier and still more daring reconnaissance flight from which he brought hack information and photographs of or.tstanding importance.