1940-11-02 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 2, 1940

SEE AND TRY THE

STUDEBAKER

WITH THE R.A.F. BOMBERS ON A CHAMPION

RAID

NEUTRALS WHO, WITH the competing claims of the belligerents before them, may be inclined to doubt whether our bombing raids on Germany and Italy are always quite as effective as the Air Ministry reports, would doubt no more if they could see for themselves the skill and care with which every raid is planned and carried out.

announces the operations officer. The group captain rods. This is inevitable at times, however good the engines. A mark is put on the blackboard beside "D for Donald's", name." A couple of hours later "D's" engines can be heard in the distance; he daks for permission to land, und, hav- ing got it, he comes down. After a time he enters the room, ́re-

ports to the intelligence officer on the engine trouble, and disappears' again. Meanwhile news is' com~. ing through of the other raiders. "J" of Y squadron, flashes the message "Off target at 01.21." Hel can be identified by his call-sign. One of the ground staff records

from most of the bombers. The

The public sees only the somewhat bald official announcement that aircraft of the Bomber Com- mand, have successfully attacked a military objecthe time on the blackboard. tive in one of the enemy countries, but behind it lies All through the night the re- ceivers keep up their whining. a history of scrupulous preparation, of dogged de- At intervals news comes through, termination in highly trained crews to carry out the until something has been heard difficult and dangerous tasks allotted to them, and station commander glances at the X of the use of every known scientific means to help clock. "No news of "F" of

squadron yet?" he asks. His the aircraft get safely to and from the targets. voice betrays a slight anxiety. himself As though to reassure is nothing haphazard sure you are over your bit

he adds, "He

wants to leave it."

Sometimes the

message tells of fallure to locate the objective; more often it announces briefly, "Target bombed," and gives the time. If the primary objective cannot be found the bomber will try to locate' the alternative, Sometimes a morse message

on

There

of about these raids, Each is plan- the target and then let 'em have ned with the utmost care some it." Or, "The hangars are time in advance. For days be- the east of the aerodrome over. fore the bombers start, experts here" (again indicating the spot). are busy getting together all the Once more he points to the pho- available data about the objective, | tograph. "Look out for aircraft Large-scale maps are studied, on this part of the aerodrome. photographs and plans are brought No need to tell you about the out, and each navigator is equip-defences; you know 'em pretty ped with a special chart show-well already." The crews grin. ing even the smallest details of They have visited this spot more the factory, aerodrome, power-than once. station, railway, or canal to which he must find his way.

I

Plotting The Course

never

*

brings news of tragedy. "S.O.S.

from 'G' sir," says the operation officer quietly; "been hit by Flak'.' The damaged aircraft continues to report its progress for some time, and then there is silence. Its position is worked out on a large- scale map of Europe spread on the table and a flag is stuck into

The Plans Outlined Sometimes questions are asked and the photographs or charts On the day of the raid the are flashed on the screen two or giant bombers are serviced and three times to clear up some dif-

The men overhauled, rather like horses be- ficult point. Then the station the appropriate spot. ing prepared for an

discuss in undertones the possibili- important commander gives the final in- race. Every part is examined, structions, tells them the take-ty of "G" having baled out and "Last heard from the electrically operated off time and the precise minute got down safely,

02.37” is chalked on the black- machinery, the engines and fabric, by which they must be away

board beside his name. to the internal telephones, bomb from the target if they are to releases, and guns. Then the get home before dawn. The bombs are loaded into the racks, crews listen, as unconcerned as.

the

Speeding Home

petrol tanks filled, 'guns armed, though they were being advised

Time drags badly. Somewhere and the aircraft are dispersed on on a peaceful practice flight.

aerodrome, under armed They note the alternative objec- in the expanse of darkness out- guard, to await the time of de- Jives which may be attacked if side the operations room 20 or 30 bombers are speeding home. By parture.

they fail to locate the primary Meteorological experts having one. Then they troop out and now they are over the sea. Re- supplied the reports which tell make for the crews' rooms. Here quests for a "fix" (a location point) the crews what sort of weather cach crew works on its own. Once come through from the aircraft, they are likely to

off the ground they will fly alone and surely and methodically they experience,

"p""" reports everything is ready for the and may not see the other air are guided home. "briefing," which forms an in-craft until they are back on the that he has been hit and his un- dercarriage may be damaged. dispensable-part-of-every-bomb-aerodrome again.

Telephone calls are put through ing raid. Towards tea-time the Pilots and navigators discuss to the casualty crew to stand by, pilots, navigators, wireless opera-

and plot their course ao as to and the control tower men are tors, and air gunners, fresh from make the best use of distinc- told that "P" is to be given pre- a good sleep, begin to file into tive or well-known landmarks ference when he comes in to land. a large room fitted out very much such as rallways, Autobahnen, One by one the bombers approach like the lecture hall of a tech- canals, rivers, and lakes. The their aerodrome, get permission to nical institute. Usually there is navigator gets busy with divi-land, and come floating down like a white screen and a projector, ders, parallels, and scales, and giant gulls. The station comman- and always a blackboard,

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His undercarriage, comes down after all and he makes a perfect landing.

Each navigator as he enters is handed an accurate chart Preparations complete the crews showing him the contours of go off for a meal. Soon they the country in the area of the are back in the "robing rooms," One after another the crews target, together with a detail and they emerge in flying kit t troop into the operations room to ed plan of the objective itself. find lorries waiting to take them make their reports. They look -What follows is a very in to their aircraft standing out on tired but contented; most of them formal affair. Officers and men some distant part of the aero- have had a successful night. They sit around in easy chairs, smok- drome. Most of the men have answer carefully the questions of It is a ing pipes or cigarettes, while the flasks of tea sticking out of their the intelligence officer. station commander and the intelli- pockets. Night flying is a cold friendly but thorough "third de- gence officer give them a great business, even in summer. All gree." The men describe how

deal of useful information about carry little bundles of food and reaching their target and about their parachutes. Soon one hears the site they are to attack.

Risks To Be Avoided

...

they found the target and where they saw their bombs explode.

the roar of the engines being The Intelligence officer knows warmed up, and then, in the everything about the target from gathering darkness, the great a long and careful study of all bombers taxi across the landing. the data. This enables him to The crews listen intently and field and take off. One obliga- assess the accuracy, of the crews' make notes. It is difficult totory circuit of the aerodrome and reports. realise that these calm young they are away. Inside the opera- They report things which they men are being "briefed" for ations room someone` chalks the saw on the way out and on the dangerous task.

is no departure times on a blackboard. journey back ships, signals,

There

trace of doubt that they will have Nothing much more is to be done lights, and guides to future targets! bombed this aerodrome or power for two or three hours, and Then the crews go off to break- station and be back again before only a skeleton staff of wireless fast, and the intelligence officer dawn. Photographs and plans of operators remains while the others sifts the information, assesses the the target are shown on the who are to be on duty all night damage, builds up a complete pic- screen while the intelligence off-go off for their evening meal. ture of the raid, and prepares his

cer points out the vulnerable spots to be bombed. He tells the crews what most of them

““Just In Case"".:

report for, the Air Ministry.;

To-morrow the world: will read that the RA.F. has bombed such

read this modest statement of their

know already. the dangerous, Just before midnight the opera- and such a target. The crews will well-defended areas to be avold- tions officers come back and the ed on the outward flight over station commander strolls in activities with quiet satisfaction Germany or enemy-occupied ter- He says that he has decided to The task which they had been ritory. Then come details of stay up just in case anything allotted has. bean · successfully the known defences in the targoes wrong." Actually he does carried out, and next day their get area. No attempt is made this every night his men are colleagues will be doing a similar to minimise the dangers; if there operating, although he will be job with equal success. are strong anti-aircraft batteries on duty in the morning. In the

or balloon barrages the men are adjoining room trained men are The Diwall Festival will fold so plainly, but they are also interpreting the splutters of be celebrated by Indians in through complicated wireless sets. They the Colony under the auspices of

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Donations will be received by The South China Morning Post. Cheques should be shown the best listen for news of their bombers the Hindu (Association; Sindhi made payable to: War Fund---South China

them.

The Flak (anti-aircraft) and and frequently pick up morse Merchants: Association and the searchlights are pretty heavy to calls from aircraft belonging to Indian Association of Hong Kong the north," says the intelligence another station. Presently. one & South China, In the Gloucester officer."Attacle from the south of the operators writes something Hotel-to-morrow at 5 pm. The

east to north-west. There are 13 on a slip of paper which a mes- celebrations should have taken All high chimneys on this factory, senger loses no time in taking place on Wednesday, the actual

•

so you can't miss it. Here are into the "ops" room. "D for date of the Festival, but were on account of the. the vulnerable spots (indicating Donald, of X squadron, is turn- postponed the points on the screen). Make ing back with engine trouble, sir," Black-put.

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