IN DEADLY PERIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1943, Page 3

IN DEADLY PERIL

BOMBER CAUGHT IN CONE OF SEARCHLIGHTS WHEN ATTACKING DUSSELDORFF ALL FOUR ENGINES FAIL TEMPORARILY. NEW ZEALAND PILOT'S STORY. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) LONDON, June 16. “It was as bright as day, - ’ said Flight Sergeant G. V. Helm, Invercargill, the pilot of a Stirling in No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, describing his experiences when held in a cone of searchlights over Dusseldroir in the big raid on June 11. Flight Sergeants D, M. Stewart, Tirau, and J. G. A. Fisk, Wanganui, were in his crew, also two Englishmen and two Scotsmen.

“It was our fourth trip together and everything was fairly quiet till we reached the. target When we were badly coned by searchlights, - ' said Helm. “We were just about to bomb, so I continued to fly straight and level till the bombs had gone and then weaved violently. We could hear the shells crumping round and lumps of iron flying through the Stirling. “Our weaving was so violent that all four engines were stopped temporarily and we dropped 1000 ft. before they picked up. One piece of flak hit the mid-upper turret and also the hydraulic pipes. We got out safely, but there was oil everywhere from leaking pipes and Stewart's navigating instruments were all over the ‘kite,’ mostly falling on top of the bomb-aimer. - ’ Other New Zealanders who took part in the raid included Squadron Leader R. Broadbent, Auckland, Flight Lieutenant J. Joll, D.F.M., New Plymouth, who is carrying out his second tour with the No. 75 Squadron. Flight Sergeant M. C. Williams, Woodville, Sergeants J. M. Lee, Central Otago. D. P. Bain, Auckland, D. N. Luxton, Hamilton. E. S. Wilkinson, Nelson. R. O. French, Fielding and Joll were recently promoted flight lieutenants.