Page
.6
EXPLOITS of the
GOLDFISH CLUB
*One detall however w still missing, and not to de discovered for TIL GTA V months. Towards the 'end of the rear Professor Lindemann. note Lord Chemoell, told me that the Germans had atted their night 1ghters with a new kind of radar set. Little was known about it except that it was called "Lichten- "atein and was designed for hunting our bombers. It was imperative to ind out more about it before the start of our air ofen- sipe. On the night of December 2, 1942, an at- craft was presented as a deco"...、
Winston S. Churchill, *The Second World War."
P
ILOT-OFFICER
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 9, : 1955.
How much can man endure? Today the China Mail starts to tell the most thrilling of all stories of what the human spirit can rise to... of the unique fraternity of airmen who came down in the 502 and survived
THE NIGHT
WE SNATCHED
THE GERMANS'
H. radar, Jórdan
G. JORDAN walked
back to his quarters
Wbs
to
tell
igaray, the wireless operator, and he would pass a « coded message directly to base.
Then
from briefing, deep when he was sure, when he could say without any doubt in
in thought.
It would be cold in
Wimpey tonight. There
the transmission of the new Geman A. I, and the
the his mind, this
was frequency is so-mid-so, he would
no heating half-way down instruct. Big to send a second the fuselage where his coded group to base, and as far equipment was as the planners were concerned
special
mounted.
it didn't matter then what happened to the aircraft, As planners were far
19
concerned.
the
RADAR
SECRET
He wondered if they wouki ever be successful in locating and
Tonight the main force of. Paillon, the pilot-a Canadian confirming the frequency of the
Certainly aircraft were bombing Frank like the rest of Jordan's crew. new German radar.
fort, Jordan's aircraft would "I've got something peculiar the Germans had been far too
link
main stream here. up with the risk
I don't suppose it's any canny to
newly their equipped aircraft on flights out some hundred miles or so before thing, but it might be. Some
Then, just before thing I've never seen before side occupied Europe, so there the target. was no chance of capturing the they reached Frankfort, they anyway, I'll call you again in
would turn north and stay on a minute.? equipment. It seemed that these
course for decoy flights were
the only this new
minubes. possible way.
Unmolested
THEY had now Bown 17 times to targets in Germany invit- ing interception, and 17 times they had been unmolested, while
some
الله
"Roger." * Jordan felt within him the If anything
profound followed them, "awakening of they could be almost sure that excitement, the culmination of
German +
radar- weeks of tension equipped night fighter.
it
was
Excitement
The conviction was growing in him every moment that the source of activity on his equip- ment was the new Lichtensteia.
But for practical purposes 11
still .no more
than a was suspicion. The questing aircraft was some miles distant and its signals were weak. He spoke to Bigoray.
other aircraft were being shot JORDAN'S aircraft took off at down with uncanny facility by two minutes past two that the newly equipped Hun fighters, night and set course for Frank- It was almost as if Jerry knew fort five minutes later. that the old Wellington le trois
They crossed Belgium unevent 1474 Flight was up to no good. fully and joined up with the Their main worry at dest had main bomber stream. Now was been, to ensure that the "neces- the time to look for an inter-
cies was passed back to the U.K. before disaster overtook the structed so as to pick up the gressively stronger. They would decoy aircraft.
turning questing radar radiations
"Send the first coded group with the Agure 492.”
Meanwhile the signals from
From the astrodome they saw the Ju 88′ pair above them, its pilot evidently mystified.
Hardly had the Ju 88 broken away from its first attack when a second attack developed from starboard.
Turret jammed
JORDAN was hit in the jaw.
Drawing:
by
ROBB
by RALPH BARKER
Throughout the period of the attack Byoray bad been send- ing the precious message re- peatedly, without receiving any acknowlediment, Apart from the few moments when he 'went forward, be bad never left his set, He finally* received acknowledgement at 0305, minutes after the attack started,
Shattering
Joined tks BAM Vin radio operator air-gumber to 1940 a 222^» pleted 2.000; Hyg hours betura dən moblitzl ~! tion 2 rejoined 'B.LF, 1948.
for drust
and shouted at Bigoray to jump, Bigaray looked down, sow that he was stil over the sea, and refused to go. "Someone' must have made a mistake. Even when it was d to him- JORDAN went back into the that they were
fuselage Here he lay for he was unconvinced. sotne tile. The temporary Jordan made up his mind. collapse in his nervous resistance They couldn't afford to apend accompanied by a nerve any more time flying round in shattering pain in his head. He circles. He reached down and to be of grabbed realised that if he was to further uge
be must try to get a
4
as n
grip on himself. He struggled to his feet, and went forward to talk to Paulton.
Rigoray by the shoulders and pushed.
Bigoray landed safely din Famsgate.
'Here we go
PAULTO
"How are we malding, out, Ted?
"We're still airborne," said Paulton,
looks like
might make it we go."
we
AULTON · tumed the aluminque.ft. once again and headed out to sea. Now for the ditching.
"Jettison escape hatches. Here with any luck. He lost height 14 rapidly as But what do
we do.
No
when he could without gaining speed
and then strOM
miles out to mea
we get there?ppreciably about three NO throttle he began a long low fat,ep- control, only proach towards the open beaches one alleron, no under-carriage, near Deal, easing the sticks back no daps. no brakes. I daren't gently of intervals
to reduce risk a landing."
"What do you plan to do,
He still had no airspeed indi- then?"
entor and could only guess at Paulton was silent for a the aircraft's
speed from the. moment, turning over the possi- feel of the remaining controls. bilities in his mind.
"I
¿
The answer
When he thought he had re- duced speed down to about 100 knots he pulled the stick back into his belly and the Welling- ton sankt slowly on to the water COULD ditch her," he said. Bever
Everyone was braced for the could ditch her off shock and the aircraft came whole English tranquilly to rest about: 200. What about that?" yards off the coast near Deal That sounds like the answer.” Vachon, standing up under the
release dinghy
shore, Channel
anxi
they
of 482 magacycles which in all probability came from an A.I Lichtenstein Bghter," he said. "I've logged the characteristics of the signal, and there's no doubt that we've already got a good deal of gen. If we dive now to get clear of the stream, turn through 180 degrees and set
we should fell back into the 'weil course for home, manage to evade the fighter. On of the aircraft, but struggled to Then he pushed them through "
wei Y1 ke bar, Well Jettisoned astro-natch, palled the other hand, if we carry on his feet again to watch for the the hole in the fuselage. the
next attack. investigation we shall almost direction of the
Jordan watched grimly while cross the Channel the shortest the certainly ve caught and "Pecay" - Grant the
from
her down about The dinghy had inflated, but attacked."
gunner, put in a burst as they masticated the sheet of way and ditch off the Kent scrambled out on to the wing
Now it halt # mile one fighter broke away and this signals were printed. evidently decided the Hun pilot they crashed, one would get in the dinghy and paddle like a sonk-away
that their mission had ashore. It's a
It's a natural" to put the front turret out of know
pouring in through Inaum and
back -stepped Yawing well. action as
Grant was been any different from that of
one bullet-holes. They serable engine at a
high on to the half-submerged wing. wounded in the leg. The turret an ordinary bombes,
The others were scansing the It's your party...."
jammed and he could not get
They had lost height from boost, the Wimpey plodded on
down 14,000 Seet
across 500, and
last shore The Belgium. This was the answer Jordan "out,
in the hope of seeing rescue craft. Straight Paulton was at a loss to know hazard before they reached the signs of had looked for.
the anti- ahead of them they could see what
to attempt Channel was now manoeuvre
what looked
be & Royal When they were clear of the Marine station, with uniformed coast and out of range Agirea evidently preparing to
*Your party
DAULTON answered:
"Well
rice paper on which the coded coast. I'll shore. Then we it was gylling and bubbling
to
ready,
"See if you can free him; will. Wet However, owing to their aircraft barrage at Dunkirk.
"In that case I think we'll keep you, Big?" called Paulton, going according to plan. We know the probable detalls but we may
sary information about frequen-dan's special receiver, con- the questing aircraft grew pro- certain while we're here,"
of be
two
in north As soon as he received signals other aircraft, began to give minutes. He called Paulson. which he identified as being indications which could" not "at" "I've just sent a message to likely to have emanated from unce be recognised as emanating base telling them that I'm the new German di interception from friendly aircraft. He cried receiving signats on a frequency
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as well find out for to clear his message, went for- word. Meanwhile, Jordan could tell from his equipment that the the-Ju 88 was about to try an attack Jordan
called He from underneath, Vachon and Grant, but they were powerless to interfere and the aircraft was now defenceless,
"Stick
the nose down, Ted Jordan.
"Make him
They arned northerly leg at 0431. called the crew.
look now," he said think we're bring
the Wellington
height steadily.
1 called Bigorav
to
Water was
of the gas Paulton eased the launch some kind of craft.
stick back again and
Just when
it seemed certafo gained that the Royal Marines would He be first on the scene, a rowing-
boat appeared round: the
Pro- "Better send out an montory and bore quickly, down" SOS, Big. Tell them on them. The Marines were we're going to at launching two motor-boats bur tempt
ditching
the rowing-boat would beat somewhere
the them to i
88 was Anding its choice of French Bigoray, who was still trying proximity to the ground the manoeuvre more restricted, aunt now that the Welling- ton was flying so low fts outline easily inte dark the merged
Jordan background. knew that if only they could shake the fighter off for a moment its be rader would not effective at this height, He went forward and spoke to Paulton.
called
"Don't
followed."
The range began to close more overshoot." rapidly and Jordan warned the, Faulton held the nose down. for B moment and crew again. He could only make stoeply
"We've got to shake la rough estimation of distance avoided the full cone of fire, but
this fellow off some- but by the time they turned on a stray shell caught Bigoray as
*TTY to the homeward leg at 0442 his he went forward to free Grant, how," he said.
can't get at Feeny for the turning back towards receiver was becoming saturated
said Bigoray. He the target" and be computed the range at moment," less than one mile.
went back to his set and began transmitting his message again
"Towards the tar
zain get?" The saturation of Jordan's saying thing of his injuries yes. His A.I.'s no him at this that same Barry, the navigator, then went good to receiver culminated
It we moment in a burst of cannon forward and succeeded in get. height.
shake him off for a Are as the enemy fighter closed ting Grant out of the turret.
moment, that's the
to
within shooting range.
Vachon, the tall-guaner, trying
desperately to pick out the lines
of
an aircraft, saw nothing until
Point-blank
This is the badge of the Goldfish Club --Founded in
192 for all fliars who
had, either. haled out of i ditched? tä
the ses
last place he'll think looking for
LS."
13
off
Kent coast near Deal
sent
Eigoray the Stepped aboard
- SOS and · then re
were hailed by two message on Lichtenswarthy fishermen in the sprin in case it had not rowing boat
peated the last coded HEY
been correctly
18-
#Ahoy there!".
ceiver the first time. They waved and shouted at They reached the the fishermen, and as the English coast at 0720. rowing boat pulled alongside the Paulton called the sinking aircraft: they stepped in
the sea one by one
Simultaneously the
Paulton turned sharply back the fighter's gindre disclosed its Nin, and a hall of can- watching from
NOW the fighter fred from towards the target and Bars position. He swung his turret
mon fire tore through the fabric saw the Ju Ba pass nearly one else answered be flipped undo the Marines. Determined to towards it and shouted. "It's
the estadome,
I'm going to ditch flowed in
the two Royal as soon as it's day- light, fellers," he said. Marine motor-boats appeared on the scene
arriving in a Burry of "Can't possibly get her down on wash and rocking the overladen STUDway. "Is there anyone
But the two Men of Kent had who'd rather bale put over land rowing-boat, dangerously, before, we ditchanapa
not put out in their rowing-boat Biguray waited, and when no
to, surrévader; the glory of rescue his microphone
#1 guess: Fd at the fuccinge by Jordan's thousand feet above them, on a
keep their rescue to themselves, equipment
This time Jondan different course, a pilot good up in and they glared scorfully at the
a lot was hit in the eye. Dazed and evidently mystified Soon they let me that to be tick trim Royal Marina, motor-boats. sturmed, his head drenched with lost sight of it altogether.
I'm not sure
"Take them ther bouts,
away," blood, he felt no distress or fear
good
at getting out in a my they said, "We'ms doing this " Barry went forward again "Have a look at him, will you, EFORE be could steady the of insecurity, only
revengedl ander Somehow from the astrodome to pick up Jordie?" Jordan, could see that turret and train his guns, they must htt back
the threads of navigation and Bigoray had lost a lot of blood
Paulton set from the wounds in his blinded, shortly afterwards
legs, Panitia bad begun a series of He wasions were course or name.
It was Retie
Ju 88. Port quarter."
Stinging pain
BE
vidient corkscrew, farms, Jordan, and if further
* passionate
| realising that there could be no, to be made he must hate help. more than a gesture. Ee knew for this to Paulton,
with
He
was riddled the Somewhere, where he
and shock in his left art" and "Dox had been shot away, was shot away and the engade the distance. the
We'll
We'll try and drop him on further doubt that the signals He called Barry to come back that the aircraft
of a town," said be had been receiving came from and help him, but his micro- holes and badly damaged. Paulton... the new Lichtenstein, turned phone and headphones жете he wondered how long he won't. land on a rooftop but to tell Bigpay to send the dead; be looked down and saw would be able to keep it under won't be so isolated that he'll second coded group.
As he dimly that his inter-communica control The starboard throttle be liable to bleed to death." In turned he felt a stinging pain
tion
town of began to crawl forward was stack at phus-three boost, Ramsgate wes ning
Uits knew that he had been hit, through the fuselage to enlist The port throttle was jammed myriad shoots through the soil
and inoperable. Delpy
Both engines of night We'll drop • him on "Get the second message out, Barry's
Navigation
were running
sad the edge of Ramsgate. Blg.. It's Lichtenstein all right.
roughly
Wellington Frequency 482. Get that out at while, the aircraft was still irregularly and he had to Paulton held
and Barry steady
on course spiralling and corkscrewing and control over them, Jordan brought Barry back and
prepared to give Bigray Vachon had found the Ju 88 tried to explain to him how to
signal
to jump. Just then and was pouring, .303 bullets at
Bigoray remembered something.... it from
haven't clamped the key the rear turret gums. Continue operating the equip Jordan, his left arm limp at his
all costs."
Kerst.
the
continual
impossible
attacks of the
Sitting target
the
side, continued to operate his There was still no respite from MAKING any kind of landing down," he said,
"Can I do 17 asked Jordan. equipment and to log the results. night fighter. Vachon was hit affair. There
would be a most trazardous
where several "Must do it mysel," said Another long burst of cannon
Both Bigorny In spite of his wounds from the Ju 88 was directed in the hand and Fery wounded men on board.
went back and took over in the turrets were jamed and they he pushed past Jordan point blank at the rear but, astrodome.
Vachon, wounded in the
It now seemed to fondan that would be a sitting target if in- dragged himself back to his set.
tercepted aga
There be clamped down the shoulder, suddenly found his
slenderest
transmitter key, "That mean controls seizing up and knew they had not even the
chance of avoiding destruction. Pruton decided to try to gain they can get a bearing on you. that the turret was unservice. He angered his precious notes. more height. He eased the Up to the time of the ditching no: one Whatever happened they must stick back and was greatly en- anyway. You'll see that Big
trying desperately not fall into enemy hands..couraged when the aircraft touches it, won't you?" hand to clear his message bezore He picked up his pages of answered. He climbed slowly Harry was timing the drop it was too late, could raise no notes and tore them deliberately to 5,000-feet and then levelled exactly and he gave the signal reply from base.
Auto hundreds of tiny pieces, out
Tabla,
MANDRAKE THE_Magician
| LOOK, METER KERM, YOU PAID TEN
MILLION FOR THEM PITCHERS. WHAT'S
ONE MEASLY MILLION
TO GET EM BACK?
YOU DARE TALK
LIKE THIS BEFORE THE POLICE
'THEY'RE COOL ONES TAKE.
THEM TO ACELL
so the second. Jordan, saw..it
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis
CAIN'T ADMITTING NOTHING BUT I HEARD THERE'S A TIME BOMA
IN THE BOX WITH THEM PITCHERS. AN EIGHT-DAY CLOCK-
IF IT GOES OFF, GOOD-BYE,PITCHERS! GOOD-EYE, EVIDENCE! GOOD-BYE, TEN MILLION ? GOT IT?-
Postscript
JORDAN, who lost his right-
eve as a result of his Wounds, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his part in this- action. stayed on in the Service after the war,
granted a permanent commission, and is note a squadron-leader. Paution and Barry," who received back- dated commissions in 18 R.C.A.F immediately after. ward there marded his 132C and Vachon Bigoray and Grant the* DiFM, Barry B ALOUD: G squadron leader in the RCAP. at Ottawa, The self-efacing Bigoray, who was commissioned soon afterpards, was killed on operations in 1944.
From the pobit of view of the Radio War the fight was com- pietely successful, and enabled the experts to unravel the last knot in the German air defence network To quote Churchi again. The gap in our know ledge of the German · night defences was closed"
[These extracts are from "Down in the Drink," to be. published by Chatto, and
Why Windus] NEXT WEEK
Mutiny in the air!
TALK
ABOUT
MAGIC!
Have you seen
Admiral
AIR CONDITIONERS D BEAR AND REFRIGERATORS