Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

HEROIC WORK

OF UNARMED AUSTRALIAN PILOTS HUNDREDS OF LIVES SAVED. SINCE WAR WITH JAPAN BEGAN. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) MELBOURNE. March 25. Running the gauntlet of enemy bullets and bombs, Australian civil pilots, in unarmed and comparatively slow machines, have saved hundreds of Australian lives since ■ the war with Japan began, states the Department of Air. Others have risked their lives by flying aircraft heavily laden with essential materials from the mainland to military areas in New Guinea. Java, Timor and other places. The story of their heroism during the bombing of Darwin, Broome and New Guinea, and the part they have played in the evacuation of women and children from the threatened areas is told in reports which have been received by the Minister of Air, Mr Drakeford. In eight days 762 persons, most of them women and children, were evacuated from New Guinea to the mainland in two civil aircraft, one w'hich carried an average of 301 persons per trip and the other an average cf just over 16 persons per trip. During these operations there was not a single casualty. Magnificent work done by the staff of the flying-boat base during the air raids on Darwin has probably saved the lives of 100 to 150 mercantile marine personnel. These men were rescued from the harbour and jetty in two launches, which were finally sunk by enemy action. The launches operated during a bombing attack and under constant machine-gun fire and in the vicinity of a ship which was set on fire.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19420326.2.19

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 March 1942, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
254

HEROIC WORK Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 March 1942, Page 2

HEROIC WORK Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 March 1942, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert