NOTED AIRMAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1943, Page 3

NOTED AIRMAN

SQUADRON LEADER THIELE MANY ADVENTUROUS BOMBING FLIGHTS. ' LIFE SAVED BY OLD STYLE HELMET. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, June 8. When Squadron Leader Keith Thiele, D. 5.0., D.F.C. and Bar, Christchurch, left New Zealand in June, 1941, he brought with him a flying helmet which he used throughout his training. He continued to wear it during his first tour of operations, and, though a newer and lighter type of helmet was issued without heavy rubber ear-pads, Thiele remained attached to his New Zealand headgear. On his 57th and final operation, that helmet saved his life.

He was over Duisberg when shrapnel shattered his windscreen and he felt a “terrific clout” on his right ear. When he landed he found the ear swollen like a cauliflower, and embedded in the rubber ear-pad was a flak splinter. He has no doubt that his favourite helmet prevented him being killed outright. At" 22, Thiele is one of the small distinguished group of New Zealand airmen who have won a triple decoration in this war. His career, like his ability as a pilot, has been outstanding. After leaving the Christchurch Boys’ High School, he was for 21 years a reporter on the “Star-Sun." He joined a Canadian squadron for his first tour, rising from pilot officer to squadron leader in five weeks. Thiele did 21 raids in Wellingtons on that tour and 11 in Halifaxes, taking part in all three of the famous 1000-plane raids. He was awarded the D.F.C. after his tour, but not being attracted by instructing, he asked to return to operations, giving up his rank of squadron leader to do so. He was posted to an Australian Lancaster squadron and soon was promoted to squadron leader. He carried out the scheduled 20 raids for his second tour, but applied for an extension and was allowed to carry out four more before being .ordered off.

He had the unusual distinction of receiving an immediate award of a Bar to the D.F.C., only two days after it was announced that he had been awarded the D.S.O. He has now been posted to the Transport Commandstill protesting that he wants to do more raids.

Thiele has had more than his share of “shaky dos." Twice he flew a Wellington back from Germany on one engine and twice he had two engines of his Lancaster put out of action, but landed safely. He has been to Berlin five times, the first occasion being when 37 bombers were lost through bad weather. That night, anti-aircraft fire over Kiel stopped one of his Wellington engines, but Thiele flew on and and landed with only 30 gallons of petrol. This happened again over Bremen when he was returning from a raid on Hamburg. Again he got back safely.