BALLOON CREWS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1940, Page 8

BALLOON CREWS

British Official Wireless.

PRAISE FOR EFFICIENGY

Rugby, Sept. . 24. The gallantry and devotion to duty of balloon crews is warmly praised in the following message from Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril Newall, Chief "of the Air Staff, to Air Vice-Marshal Boyd, air officer commanding the balloon command: — ' "At the conclusion of a year of war- I must convey to you my admiration- of tlie splendid way in which the balloon crews in your command have performed their duties. They have throughout been called upon to work long hours, often in conditions of much discomfort and exposed to all weathers. Until recently your command had few opportunities of service of a spectacular nature. On the other hand, their success cannot be measured by the number of enemy aircraft they bring down,^ , but by the general efficiency with which they play their part in air defence. "By keeping enemy bombers and fighters at a height where they can be effectively engaged by our fighters ■ or antiaircraft ftre they have been invaluable members of a team, upon the success of whose whole operations tha .safety of the entire country depends. With the opening up of air warfare over this country on a large scale during the past month many balloon crews have . carried out duties of a most spectacular ahd successful nature, often under a heavy attack from the enemy."