DAMAGED PLANE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1941, Page 4

DAMAGED PLANE

TAKEN ON TO ATTACK COLOGNE INDOMITABLE DANNEVIRKE PILOT. AWARDED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, July 20. A R.A.F. Flying Officer, David Leatham Prichard, of Dannevirke, has been awarded the D.S.O. The citation states that Flying Officer Prichard, on a night in June, carried out an attack against Cologne. While he was at some distance from the target, and on the edge of a dense belt of searchlights through which he had just flown, his plane was attacked by a fighter which fired, from close range, a cannon which damaged his engine, almost severing an aircrew blade, while the rear-gun turret was completely put out of action. Flying Officer Prichard, although forced to fly at a reduced speed, with a subsequent loss of height, and with all his powers of defence gone, continued his mission, overcoming almost insuperable difficulties before finally dropping his bombs on the target area. Flying Officer Prichard, despite a harassing return journey, skilfully flew back to his base, where he successfully crashlanded his plane, without injury to the members of his crew. Flying Officei - Prichard on a previous occasion, when returning from a raid on Brest, displayed great flying skill, enabling his crew to shoot down an enemy fighter which was attacking his plane. Flying Officer Prichard, throughout numerous operational' flights, displayed high courage, skill and devotion to duty.