ADMIRED BY FOE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 November 1943, Page 4

ADMIRED BY FOE

HEROISM OF FLYING OFFICER . TRIGG. TESTIMONY OF FIRST OFFICER OF U-BOAT. ' (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, November 2. The admiration of a German submarine first officer had much to do with the award of the Victoria Cross to Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg. The German first officer and a few l members of his crew were the only ones to see Flying Officer Trigg’s attack. The German officer told the story when he was picked up by the Royal Navy. This information was given by Wing Commander D. W. Baird, A.F.C., commanding officer of the New Zealand Catalina Squadron, writing to R.N.Z.A.F. Headquarters in London. “On the same day as we were attacking a submarine,” he says, “a Liberator from another squadron sighted a submarine about 90 miles from our position. It was hit and burst into flames during the run up to drop depth charges, but the pilot carried on and got the submarine. which sank 30 minutes later. The Liberator went straight into the sea and all the crew were lost. Its dinghies floated up to the surface and were used by the survivors from the submarine, who were later picked up by the Navy, after a Sunderland had located them, thinking they were the Liberator crew for which it was looking. The Liberator was not in wireless telegraphic contact throughout the action, so nobody knew anything about it. The story was told by the German submarine first officer, who has the greatest admiration for the Liberator crew, which was largely New Zealand. As you may imagine, we are very proud of being a New Zealand squadron. Just now the Air Officer Commanding signalled a short account of the Liberator's marvellous show to all units here.”