1940-09-11 — Page 9

THE MOUTH FRESH & THE BREATH SWEET

Mr. Thurtle (Soc., Shoreditch) will ask the War Secretary if Lt. Col. Cyril Rocke, who has broadcast from Rome, Is still it is understood, had received re- drawing retired pay. tired pay from 1920 until Italy

another probably destroyed-that was the record › with which we returned to Mal'a after I had gone out in a flying boat to experience the thrills and dangers of a British air patrol over the Mediterran- ean, cables a special correspondent with the R.A.F. in the Mediterranean. (It later became known that a total of four Italian 'planes had been shot down). Enemy fighters attacked us all the way back, three men were wounded and the petrol feed and rudder were damaged. But the coolness of the pilot and the magnificent team-work of the crew saved all our lives and also saved the costly flying-boat for Britain.

try. The damage, though dangerous at the time, is only a matter of patching up.

We made an early-morning| take-off and as the sun rose we scoured miles of the mo- tionless blue Mediterranean seek- ing enemy submarines and ship- ping. Off Sicily, with Etna looming in the background, we spotted something. The pilot swung his machine towards it.

Bombs Scream. Down

enemy

length with guns blazing. I was too busy to count the number of attacks

or 'planes, but one machine dived out of sight, apparently out of control, and the gunner who shot him] believes that the 'plane must have crashed.

Pilot's Skill

to

tary law,

and is

Col. Rocke,

not liable to

entered the war. Since then pay has been suspended as he is living in an enemy country and it is not possible to send it to him. An officer who has retired from the Army is not subject to mili- suspension of pay under the Army any mention of forfeiture of pay Act. There does not appear to be for what is regarded as a repre- hensible act, such as a wireless broadcast from an enemy coun-

Col. Rocke is 61 and command- ed both battalions of the Irish Guards in turn in the last war.

TAX ON NEWS AND KNOWLEDGE

Although no formal decision has yet been reached by the In between attacks there were Parliamentary Socialist party on still a hundred and one things to its attitude towards the proposed do. Standing in a blinding shower-sales tax on newspapers, periodi- bath of petrol I helped to wind in cals and books, it is almost cer- As we drew nearer, it took the bomb racks. Grease on shape as

our tain that they will oppose it. опе of the escorted fingers made it impossible water-carrying vessels which

Even if no instructions are is- grasp anything firmly and petrol sued to the party, a strong body Mussolini uses for supplying his vapour made one feel sick. troops in Libya. With the crew at

of members will press for the action stations, I held my breath;

abandonment of what they des-1 while the flying-boat went into a

cribe as "a tax on knowledge." steep dive and three bombs went

Their opposition will be based screaming down. They churned chine along with consummate skill, a tax, the necessity for ensuring The pilot was nursing his ma- on the difficulty of imposing such up the water into swirling foam desperately improvising ways to the widest dissemination of a ac- immediately behind the vessel's stern and sent smaller escorting out of action, When the friendly emergency, and the inability of compensate for gear which was curate news in these days of ships scurrying away in opposite coasts of Malta came in sight the higher prices which are bound directions.

Italians were still attacking. But to ensue. *** Only*à¦few minutes later we with all our guns firing, we made, the reader will have to pay more It will be argued that were attacked. The first I knew them keep their distance and no than the tax produces. was when a noise like violent more damage was done. A bullet; typewriting began all over struck the goggles of a gunner, the fuselage. Something ripped but the glass did not break. through my clothing, but whe- As the enemy 'planes finally! ther it was a bullet or glass sheered off. back towards the didn't stop to sec.

bases. we set to work stopping

not

As bullets pinged around me, I holes-in the hold preparatory to tore open the communicating door landing. We knew the petrol and and looked aft. The Italian fighter oil could not hold out much longer, which had attacked us was hurt-and with our hearts in our mouths ling headlong towards the sea, a we-flow-low-over Malta's mine- mass of flares. But the rear gun-flelds and landed safely. лег who had shot it down

Still was

Gur troubles were slumped over his gun. Both the quite over. As the sound of the midship gunners had blood trick-engines died away, it was replaced Jing down their legs. Smoke was by the screaming of sirens and pouring up where incendiary bul- we knew we had run into an air Jets had burst, and I felt petrol raid. Tensely we waited for the spraying in my face.

[crash of bombs but it proved to be a reconnaissance raid and we were not in any more danger. Bri- tish anti-aircraft guns, however, For a minute it seemed we were roared deafeningly and we heard hopelessly ablaze. "Get ready in later that they had sent at least case we have to bale out," the one machine down. ravigator told me as I met him The remainder of the story is carrying extinguishers and tins of baths and drinks

water.

Fire Threat

for everyone,

But with stampings and medical attention' for the wounded dousing we controlled the main and all possible care for the 'plane. outbursts, though for some time Now she is safely home it is a afterwards we had to keep our question of careful patching up eyes skinned for smoking rags and and mending, for there is no big

scale damage,

cushions.

Then we moved the wounded} forward and bound up their in- juries. Fortunately they had_only| flesh wounds in the legs, and, us- ing pencils for tourniquets, we made them as comfortable as pos- sible.

MAJOR WINTLE REPRIMANDED

MAJOR ALFRED DANIEL

Everywhere there was urgent] work to be done and we were still flying along the coast of Sicily, WINTLE, ACCUSED IN THE where squadrons of Mussolini's RECENT "OFFICER. IN THE fighters are based. The fitter who TOWER" COURT MARTIALI had manned the rear turret CASE, HAS BEEN SEVERELY waved to me and showed me the REPRIMANDED IN RESPECT} damaged rudder mechanism. IOF THE CHARGE OF ASSAULT. clambered up to the tall pilot, but|ING AN AIR:COMMODORE. he already knew and was using] The decision of the court, which his engines to steer.

Holes Everywhere

acquitted him on charges of feigning infirmity and of 'con-

Gills

SOLID

DENTIFRICE

FOR

TEETH

BRIGHTER AND A HEALTHIER MOUTH.

Its clean foam gives the whole mouth a grand feeling of fresh-

ness.

**

Because it is solid there is no spilling, no waste.

Gibbs is the most eco- nomical dentifrice' you can buy.

Sole Agents:

John D. Hutchison & Co., Hong Kong

SCM2B

"BRITAIN DELIVERS THE GOODS"

•

WE CARRY THE STOCKS

DO YOUR PART

SPECIFY

ALL BRITISH BUILDING SUPPLIES

V CEMENTONE

CEMENT COLOURING

POWER

NEWALLS'

HEAT & COLD-

· INSULATION

PUDLO

CEMENT WATERPROOFING

POWER.

PHILPLUG

PLUGGING & JOINTING MATERIALS

ELECTROMATIC /

SADIA'

ELECTRIC WATER

HEATERS

FULLY-AUTOMATIC OIL-BURNERS

TURNALL

'EXPAMET'

EXPANDED METAL FOR ALL PURPOSES

'FALCO-PERFECTA’

FUEL-OIL

COOKING RANGES

'CRANE !

BOILERS, RADIATORS,

ACCESSORIES

duct prejudicial to good order and ASBESTO CEMENT PRODUCTS, CORRUGATED SHEETS, FLAT military was promul-

NEW ZEALAND'S SPITFIRE FUNDS

I took down a message for gated last night-Reuter." transmission to headquarters, but we could not send it, for the radio was soused with petrol and we did not dare to risic a short cir- cuit. There were holes everywhere but the machine kept on flying as though nothing had happened and the crew moved about their emer- NEW ZEALAND HAS ALREADY gency duties with marvellous RAISED £50,000 FOR THE PUR- calm.

CHASE OF "PLANES FOR BRI- Then came the next attack,|TAIN AND AIMS AT RAISING and I watched gunnars pumping £100,000. bullets at Bredaṇmonoplanes an Of this sum, £33,000 has been they swooped above us, soaring contributed to a fund, just closed, dizzity into the deep blue sky started by the "New a Zealand and diving down fi kulong u föNG ELET of Auckland Reuter

SHEETS, DECORATED SHEETS, SOIL &R. W. PIPES, PRESSURE

PIPES, ASBESTOS WOOD, ETC.

“SOLE AGENTS:

DODWELL & CO., LTD.

Phone 28021