KNIGHT OF THE AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1940, Page 5

KNIGHT OF THE AIR

YOUNG NEW ZEALANDER’S DARING DEEDS

SERIES OF ATTACKS MADE WITH CRIPPLED PLANE. ENEMY MACHINES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, May 9. A young New Zealand fighter pilot has just brought his damaged Hurricane safe to England from France, after an extraordinary experience. The aircraft was'severely damaged before the pilot left on his journey home. The gunsights were gone, and the only instruments working were a compass and the oil, temperature and pressure gauges. He had only his eight machine guns, loaded with ordinary ammunition.

The starboard petrol tank was leaking when the airman decided to land at an aerodrome in northern France, to refuel before continuing his flight to England. When approaching the aerodrome he saw that part of the town nearby was in flames and,, just as he was preparing to come down, he observed two Dornier 215’s, begin to dive for a bombing attack on the aerodrome. Immediately he got on the tail of one and gave it two short bursts. There was no doubt that he hit the •enemy aircraft, although he had no gunsights. The second German machine tried to escape in the clouds, but the Hurricane pilot followed it, blazing away with his guns. Having got rid of two Dorniers, the New Zealander was about to land when he was attacked by a number of Messerschmitt fighters. Unable to cope with all of them immedaitely, he circled the town for about 10 minutes, giving them occasional bursts. When he landed at the aerodrome, he found his starboard tank spurting'petrol. He had his port tank fuelled and, with a bayonet, widened the holes in the punctured tank to allow the fuel to escape. Then he took oil' again with only 50 rounds left in each of his eight machine guns.

“With only that small amount of ammunition, I was almost helpless,” he said, “and later it was just my luck to run into another formation of six Messerschmitts, when I was practically out of petrol. Anyway I gave the leader a burst as he came head on for me. I am sure I hit him and I dived down past him towards the ground. After that I just put my skates on for home.

The aircraft was decorated with a coat of arms the pilot had designed for himself. It incorporates most of the unlucky signs. In the centre is the figure 13, round it a sketch of men walking under a ladder and another showing three cigarettes being lighted from the same match. Under this challenge to bad luck, the New Zealand had printed this inscription: “What the Hell!” HIGH COMMAND SIR E. IRONSIDE’S NEW POST. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, May 26. It is officially announced that General Sir Edmund Ironside has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces. General Sir John Dill succeeds Sir E. Ironside as Chief of Staff, and General Sir Walter Kirke has been retired. GERMAN BOMBING ON THE CHANNEL COAST & NORWAY. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) BERLIN, May 26. A communique states: "Our Air Force attacked Zeebrugge and Dunkirk, also Ostend, where gunpowder and marine stores wore set on lire. A transport was seriously damaged, while four merchantmen and one warship were hit oil’ Calais on Saturday. A large warship cruiser was set on fire in the Narvik area.”