AIRMEN OVERSEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 April 1942, Page 3

AIRMEN OVERSEAS

NEW ZEALAND BOMBER SQUADRON TRAINING AT ADVANCED STAGE. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S VISIT. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, April 16. The New Zealand bomber squadron is ijow completing its training, its crest includes fern leaves and the Scotch thistle, because the squadron was formed'-in Scotland. The crest will be painted on all the aircraft.

The New Zealand High Commissioner in London, Mr Jordan, accompanied by an air liaison officer, John Gamble, Wellington, and a naval liaison officer S. R. Skinner, arrived in time to see the squadron flying over the station in its first big formation flight. The New Zealanders are operating Hampdens and at present are engaged in long-distance flights for navigational practice. They will later learn bombing and mine-laying. They have a comfortable mess and each flight has its offices in farmhouses. One is named “Slapfanny Farm Incorporated” and the other “Honeysuckle Cottage.” The A flight selected a white horse as its mascot, each member wearing a miniature, one of which was presented to Mr Jordan. This flight also started a “rumble bock.” in which offenders’ names are posted, with mild fines imposed for minor offences,, for example, taxi-ing with flaps down, taking off without signing. Aucklanders form the majority of the mpn in the squadron, for which reason Mr Jordan was told that they hoped Auckland would officially “adopt” them.

When Mr Jordan last saw the squadron in Scotland, it was fretting because of the protracted training. This time they greeted him with smiling faces, since they were flying from dawn to dusk, but they will not be thoroughly happy till the start of operations. New Zealanders in the squadron total 68. They will operate 20 Hampdens. They speak in the highest terms' of the English commanding officer, a wing commander, and also of their English flight commanders.

While Mr Jordan was talking to them he saw a squadron of Bostons calling in to the station for lunch after a bombing raid against Le Havre. Among the crews was Pilot Officer Observer I. S. Rutherford, Poverty Bay, who has completed his fourth trip in Bostons. Some of the machines bore signs of flak punctures acquired over Le Havre. Mr Jordan spoke to a Canadian who had a piece of flak pierce his aircraft two feet from him. Mr Jordan also talked to Pilot Officer Observer H. W. Thomson, Invercargill, who is flying Hudsons. He escorted destroyers who returned from the raid on Saint Nazaire. He told Mr Jordan that Sergeant K. J. Summerhays, Auckland, and Pilot Officer B. Beechy, Christchurch, were flying Hudsons in Gibraltar.

Flight Lieutenant B. Wheeler, Wanganui, is in the same squadron as Pilot Officer Observer Rutherford, but was absent on leave. The station commander told Mr Jordan: “Your New Zealanders are grand boys.”

“KEEN AS MUSTARD” NEW ZEALANDERS IN FLEET AIR ARM. LONDON. April 16. Eighty New Zealanders of the Fleet Air Arm initial training wing were inspected by the High Commissioner. Mr Jordan. Mr Jordan was told that 600 New Zealanders had passed through the establishment, of whom 96 per cent had qualified. They learn navigation, map-reading, meteorology, field training, lamp-flashing, sema-» phore, aircraft recognition and practical seamanship in an eight weeks’ course, including one week of examinations. An officer told Mr Jordan: “They are all very good lads and as keen as mustard.” He proudly related the exploits of “our New Zealanders” on the Rugby field. The men now ratings will go to '.n elementary flying training school, where they will receive their wings and commissions, and will then finish at the operational training unit. They easily master most of the course, except naglvation, which is inclined te be a stumbling-block. They are training in buildings a century old, built by French and Turkish prisoners of war, whose graves can be seen.