TORPEDO-BOMBERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1943, Page 3

TORPEDO-BOMBERS

FINE RECORD OF NEW ZEALAND SQUADRON. LONDON, June 1. The New Zealand Hampden TorpedoBomber Squadron has attacked during the last 10 months at least 85,000 tons of enemy shipping off the coast of Norway. It has destroyed approximately 10,000 tons of ships, which were seen to sink, probably destroyed 12,000 tons, and damaged 28,500 tons. The results of the remainder of the attacks could not be observed.

This is a very fine record, for the squadron flics under some of the worst weather conditions any squadron operating from Britain has to contend with. The squadron will be two years old in August. It is now commanded byWing Commander V. E. Darling, an Englishman. A recent visitor to the squadron was the New Zealand Minister of Defence. Mr Jones, who said: “I was very glad to be able to meet these boys, and also the boys of the Nev; Zealand Catalina flying-boat squadron, who are impatiently waiting to start operations.” Among the New Zealand personnel of the Hampden squadron are Flying Officer F. K. Moynihan, Nelson; Flight Sergeants P. E. Booth and G. A. Ward, Wellington; J. A. Brown, Napier; A. E. Collett, Waipawa; F. D. Grehan, Lower Hutt; E. A. Hurley and L. R. Landed, New Plymouth; S. Macpherson, Rotorua; V. E. Nelson, Masterton; and H. R. F. Smith, Taihape; Sergeant W. H. Thompson, Wellington; and members of the ground staff, Corporals T. A. Allen and W. Dawson, Hawke’s Bay.