BRAVE AIRMAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1943, Page 4

BRAVE AIRMAN

TRIPLE DECORATION WON CRIPPLED PLANE TAKEN HOME FROM DUISBURG. WITH TWO ENGINES WRECKED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. With his plane badly damaged by r repeated shell hits and himself dazed by a blow on the head from a splinter, Acting-Squadron Leader Keith Frederick Thiele, R.N.Z.A.F.. of Christchurch, flew out of the peril which faced him over Duisburg, coaxed his struggling bomber back to Britain, and made a successful crash landing. His bravery, determination and superb airmanship have been rewarded by a third decoration to add to his D.S.O. and D.F.C and Bar to the latter, and he becomes New Zealand’s ninth airman to win the distinction of a triple award. , His record is all the more meritorigus because it is little more than a fortnight since his D.S.O. was announced. The citation states that Squadron Leader Thiele was the captain of a bomberattacking Duisburg on a night in May. Flak severely damaged the plane when it was near the target, but Thiele flew on. His machine was picked up by searchlights on its bombing run, but he held a straight course to make sure of accurate bombing. As the ■ bombaimer completed his work, the plane was repeatedly hit by bursting shells. One burst and smashed an engine, and soon afterwards a second engine was put out of action. The plane suffered other damage, and Thiele was struck by a splinter. He showed courage, skill and determination of a high order. Thiele is just over 22 years of age, and was formerly a reporter on the “Star-Sun,” Christchurch. His parents live at Sydenham, Christchurch.