SUCCESS OF N.Z. PILOT

Southland Times, Issue 24834, 28 August 1942, Page 5

SUCCESS OF N.Z. PILOT

“COBBER” KAIN’S OLD SQUADRON (Official War Correspondent). A desert landing ground, August 25. A New Zealander in Flying Officer £. J. (“Cobber” Kain’s old squadron who shot down a Junkers 28 behind the Alamein line last night, Warrant Officer E. L. Joyce, D.F.M., of Hamilton, js one of three New Zealanders at present in the squadron. Warrant Officer Joyce is almost the exact opposite of Flying Officer Kain in stature and nature. Known among desert pilots and in his home town as “Nipper,” he is thin and stands scarcely higher than the cannons on his plane. As with most New Zealand pilots, he says little about his successes in almost 300 hours’ flying above Egypt and Libya. The quality which amazes his fellow pilots and the one which has made him one of the Middle East’s most successful night-fighter pilots is his uncanny eyesight. Last night he saw the Junkers—a reconnaissance plane which is believed to have been photographing the back areas—from a distance of two miles. Warrant Officer Joyce dived on the Germans and fired a burst into them. There was a terrific flash and the Junkers exploded in the air. MESSERSCHMITT SHOT DOWN On an earlier day operation over the Alamein line Warrant Officer Joyce’s squadron intercepted a formation of Stukas. The Hurricanes had just begun the attack when 12 Messerschmitt 109’s appeared. While others of the squadron attacked the Stukas, Warrant Officer Joyce’s flight stayed as cover. Joyce followed a Messerschmitt and destroyed it with a two seconds burst into the cockpit. He damaged a second plane with shots into the wings. While he was attacking the first enemy fighter a Messerschmitt which was diving on him was shot down in flames by Joyce’s No. 2 pilot. In the same engagement another New Zealander in the squadron, Sergeant A. S. Wilson, of Mid-Canterbury, shot a Stuka down in flames. The squadron’s total for the fight was six planes destroyed, six probables and eight planes damaged. Joyce, whose brother, Private Arthur Joyce, is serving with an Auckland battalion of the New Zealand Division, joined the Royal Air Force three years after he left high school. He flew with fighter squadrons in England before coming to the Middle East about 16 months ago. His score includes two Junkers 88’s, two Messerschmitt 109’s and two CR 40’s, all within the last four months. The CR 42’s he chased

over the front line and shot down when they were at “zero feet.” Another New Zealander in the squadron is Warrant Officer R. L. Baker, of Wellington, who joined the squadron at the end of last year. He has a score of two certainties. “Cobber” Kain’s respirator and scarves made from his parachute are treasured possessions of the squadron. Until recently there were many men in the ground staff who knew him during his adventures in France. One sergeant still with the squadron played full-back 'in a football team in which Flying Officer Kain was a wing-threeauarter.