'Planes For New Zealand Now In Action
OW that the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, has made } \ known New Zealand’s proposed contribution to the Empire air training scheme in Canada, it can be stated that this Dominion has already made considerable sacrifice. Before war broke out, a comprehensive scheme for air force expansion in New Zealand had been fully approved and was being put into operation. This included the purchase of six Wellington Bombers for training purposes at air force centres here. These huge ‘planes were to have been flown to the Dominion by a specially selected group of New Zealand pilots, mechanics, wireless operators and other personnel trained in England. When war was declared, however, the British Government requested the New Zealand Government’s permission to retain the machines and the men in England for immediate service. This request was agreed to readily, and the Wellington Bombers and their personnel immediately went into action with the Royal Air Force. It is thought here that some of the bombers took part in the first British raid on the Kiel Canal. Three New Zealand wireless operators were in that raid, as well as New Zealand pilots. The wire- less operators have since written to relatives and friends describing their adventures. But only briefly. Strict censorship prevents a full description of the raids from being made public, but the men have stated that the first big raid took place in a terrific storm, with lightning flashing round the machines to add to the prevailing excitement. Far below them they were able to see a German submarine. Under the original agreement with the British Government the Wellington Bombers were to have left England in October, and would have reached the Dominion in November. Meanwhile older types of available aircraft are being used for training operations in New Zealand, but newer and more advanced types are to be obtained shortly from overseas sources.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 28, 5 January 1940, Page 2
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320'Planes For New Zealand Now In Action New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 28, 5 January 1940, Page 2
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