THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 26, 1941.
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
INVADERS
They take neutrality -seriously in Eire. The Very Reverend M. Hamil ton, Administrator of Ennis and chairman of Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Associa - İ tion, has just withdrawn his nomination for the presidency of the associa tion's congress because "of the introduction and toleration of foreign games among the mem- bers of the National Army" He thinks it an insult to the memory and sacrifice of Ireland's dearest martyr to read in the papers of the Rugby] team of the Regiment of Pearse. And (he says).
at a time when the man- power of the nation is being rallied and disciplined to resist at- tack from any possible invader of our land it is surely a travesty of national loyalty to al- low foreign games to be played on the recrea- tion-grounds of our de- fence forces.
But why should the very reverend gentleman stop at the recreation-
BRAGGA- DOCIO
DA VILLAIN-A OF DA PIECE-A
Gate
Privileged Pilots
war
Little is heard of the work of the Air Transport Auxi-
grounds? Surely cards are liary: it does not attract the spot- "foreign" (unless there is light. Twice within a few days it
Capt. and
the
aircraft that were
J.
looked
By- Wentworth
Day
miniscences-shades of the Sun- beam Tigress!-with a couple of ex-racing drivers, and drank an- other cup of tea with a boot manufacturer.
His "Nice Day's" Work
An A.T.A. pilot's job would not be easy for the best All-round pilot in the world. He is almost invariably a man who has been peaceful, English, very refused for the R.A.F. because much "away from it all." Yet, as of age or disability. His job is to we swung inside the barbed collect new aircraft, either from wire fencing of their domain, the factory or from the "collect- there stood blue-clad sentries ing point" and fly them to what- with fixed bayonets and we felt
need units of the Service ever them. The result is that no one day's work is ever like another.
For example,
Mr. my host,
whose Fairey,
father the dive-bombers which the cal
the
the pulse of war.
Waiting Aircraft
lost gallant members with an Irish bridge or an Irish loss of a 'plane-Amy Johnson Horsey-and the nap), and what of chess tragedy of their death drew brief body of pilots and draughts and darts? attention to that What is there left for the of no Service rank or status, who, on flying duties of a special kind, patriotic Irish neutral to have the right to fly anywhere
In Britain at any time. do? And is there not
What, then, is the work of the treason in high places, Air Transport Auxiliary?
They pilot Spitfires, Hurricanes, for did not Mr. De Valera wellingtons, Ansons and the most himself once play Rugby hush-hush for Blackrock College and ever wheeled on the tarmac. They wear a private uniform of their the Minister of Defence own--or just civilian clothes. indulge in Association? They must be ready to fly any-
In anywhere,
almost Still, once you set about any weather.
but some of preparing against
They are paid, in-
them refuse to take the money. vasion you might as well Yet they fly more types of air- do the job thoroughly, craft than many a Service pilot has ever seen, and though they and "foreign games" are are sometimes found in areas It was a queer, unfamiliar sight, no doubt as insidious a thick with the enemy, they carry no arms and fly machines with- form of English penetra-out guns or bombs. In fine--they tion as any.
have all the fun of war, some of the risks, none of the glory; and nothing to hit back with.
MISUNDERSTOOD
friendly towards
thing,
Some of the men were of no particular calling-men of leisure
in the piping times of peace
of dawn.
among
Aircraft of all sizes, shapes, Richard colours and designs were to be builds found there. They lined the aero- put drome, glimmered dimly in pigeons at Taranto, was refused enormous hangars, peeped shyly for the R.A.F. because of a spinal from belts of woodland. The injury. Yet he has several thou- to fly all types of noses of aeroplanes stood up stiff sand flying hours' experience and dark and triangular in the mist is qualified
machines. That morning he took off in a Spitfire to the Midlands; delivered it; collected a Welling- ton, which he took on to Scot- land, and then came back Home an Anson-"Nice via Bristol in varied day but a bit tricky com- ing home, what with mist and barrage balloons. Risky things, those."
for the scene lacked: the Service trimness of an R.A.F. station, yet it transcended in its variety the cheerful cosmopolitan muss machines of all sorts which one remembered on a civil airfield in the jolly days of peace:
of
We went to a long, low shed and
The idea of A.T.A. was born in entered an uncarpeted room fur nished with chairs and a time the brain of Mr. d'Erlänger last worn piano. A stove burned redly. August. He saw the day coming Maps and charts chequered a when British railways and: roads table. The room was full of men. might be wrecked,
devastated "Afraid it's not much of a areas virtually isolated and the mess," said my host and guide; R.A.F. perhaps unable to maintain "but you'll meet the boys communications. That was when several you know here, too:"
Banker Air Chief