SERVICE IN RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1941, Page 6

SERVICE IN RUSSIA

ROYAL AIR FORCE WING STORY OF FORMATION. TOLD BY OFFICIAL NEVIS SERVICE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, September 25. The story of the formation of the R.A.F. wing which has gone to Russia is told by ,the Air Ministry news service. The commanding officer of a north of England station received a message a few weeks ago stating briefly that a new wing was to be formed there and would proceed overseas at short notice. Though nobody at the station kne it at the time, that marked the bir’ of the wing which has gone to Russ and has already claimed seven Na fighters. The first of the new wing to arrive w; a squadron leader, an original, membi of the City of Glasgow Auxiliai Squadron. He was followed by stream of others. They came by bi and train from all parts of the countr some from squadrons already famoi and some from operational trainir units or depots. None of them kne where they were going or what wi in store for them. The first inklir came when equipment officers we: ordered to issue to every man in tl wing—ground crews and administr. tive officers alike —the warm batt dress that normally is issued to flyir personnel only. Then, one Augu morning. Wing Commander 11. H. ( Ramsbottom-Isherwood, the New Ze: land leader of the wing, gave orde to entrain. The journey to Russia he begun, though none of the rank ar file and few of the officers knew Besides the leader from New Zealan there are Canadian, Australian, Sco tish, Irish and of course English pilo in the wing. One of the intelligence o fleers comes from Jamaica. Many i the pilots have been in combat wil the Luftwaffe in sweeps over occupie territories. The entire personnel of H wing arrived safely in Russia.