1956-11-17 — Page 6

Page: 8

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1956. !

OUT OF THE SUN

PART TWO OF THE INSIDE STORY OF MEN WHO LIVED WITH DANGER

BADER SHOT DOWN-

IT WAS A DAY

OF DISASTER

N that fateful day-August 22, 1941-things

went wrong right from the beginning.

immediately after take-off our wing leader, Douglas Bader, found that his air- speed indicator was unserviceable. Typically, he refused to turn back. But perhaps it was an omen of the disaster ahead. For this was to be Buder's Just flight of the wur,

Until this day we had been inactive for a spell. So inactive, that Buder decided something must be dono about it.

A party had developed 20 evening the offers mers int Tangmere. The station com- inander. Group Captain "Woodie" Woodhall, was There and some of us, including Bader, started complaining about Jull in the fighting.

NIGHT CALL

the

ON'T beef at me. Douglas,”

"DON'T

snid Woodhall. "I don't lay

on the shows. You should com-

plain to the AOC "*

oti,

"Well. Jet's ring him up. replied

Bader. Come where's that blower?" By this time I was rarely surprised by anything Bader might do.

Even by his standards, how- ever, it was highly unconven- down!" tional to ring up ùn air vice- marshal in the middle

the

Johnnie Johnson - Group Captain J. E. Johnson, D.S.O., D.F.C. - is man who shot down more enemy planes than any other fighter pilot of the war. Today he

tells how he flew with Douglas Bader, the legless hero, on Bader's last

wartime operation.

By JOHNNIE JOHNSON

A Group Captain J. E. Johnson, D.S.O. & 2 bars, D.F.C. and bar

"O.K.,

of the

I have them.

"Shall I come down, body?" Ken again.

"No. Cover us,”

night to demand more action.

We listened in awed silence

were the

Π

"A group of German soldiers dashed across the sand dunes towards their guns.”

Before

DRAWING BY OLIPHANT

Going 1 plunged into the concealing phoned the Opa Room for in- everyday uniform, but the joft Billy Burton, and we were soon finished we would be in the air

this we had rarely vapour of the cloud at 400 miles Imation. He Was told fbot A WILS much larger than lis heading for the French coast agam and Cocky was plotting thought of his artificial limbs,

controller Dogs an hour, throttle wide open. My the

had contacted

and it was only when we swam But this time we were his new search lines, This gave again. instruments blind-flying

airfield. every coastal

Bader opposite number.

his stumpe few A

feet above the

together - and enw by useless-gyros toppled

tılm had not landed Neither had

curiously Jop-sided only

Channel, and although It was But immediately we were air- ond how he thrashed his way of the dok-

Casson.

appearance and Wis apt to only a quietly lifting sca

bomo

Woodhall called We tanned out alongside Bader wild manoeuvres

from out of the deep water with his as Bader bulled some startled in a steep, turning dive.

irritato The fight.

more watched our height carefully. Tangnere and cancelled our powerful arms that we remen- officer at Group hend-

For a time I must

serious-minded senler officers. Quarters into putting thu butterfles

as always when the careened madly about in the likely he was dead. So it could through to

Air Vice Biomach,

shooting was about to begin. 1 thick cloud, My Marshal Leigh-Mallory's beef- side.

Stair

cat!

1

11,

were active in my

1

some to

The incredible had come have pass. Bader was missing. Quite

altimeter happen even to him. checked my gun-sight, saw that stopped unwinding began to go the button on my control column in the opposite direction.

Speed

That you, siz? Douglas here, was turned to "Fire," tightened

of the

Now he was tracing with THE SEARCH his forefingern, are on the Calais, through Cap Gris Nez down to

thought you'd tite to know. my straps. And all the time I could corre off fast. Before had been such that the réalisa- map, running from

the truth was

I had the ugly

of being sucked hard

the

The man's influence upta ús lion of intolerable.

almost

Boulogne,

The squadron was stood down

we have carried out was simultaneously watching the sensation That exactly one Wir show in the other planes in the section, against last fortnight. The cannons are welching the Huns and the atome side of unwinding getting rosty and the boys are fed up. More fighter sweeps, siring my rear-view mirror.

-that's what We want. Good show, sir Fir Goodnight."

Bader

thank you

slammed down the receiver and stuck his pipe back

mouth

in is

The AO.C. has promised we won't be left out of any shows. It might be a good idea

to get some sleep."

The dividunt

mos!

irrepressible

ATTACK!

WE were attacking down sun, and Bader was leading us in

again. I came out of the cloud

and some of the pilota

In a spin 6,000ft. above France.

Setting course for the Straits silently

I now just below cloud.

drifted

away.

for the ready making

to slide back into cover in case of trouble.

A solitary 109 passed beneath

to bounce the centre section of me. It could be a decay, Or it the enemy formation. The 100's could be an opportunity for me big were flying in the same forma- to get a bit of my own back.

tion as ourselves-loose sections

of four planes in line abrenst,

Cocky was lining up on the There

In- in Fighter Command extreme starboard Hun. then stumped off to his room. It

WAS

NO SIGHT

YAWED the tall of my Spit-

a spare target on the port

fire to get a view of the blind the spot behind. of

mcys.

Cocky Dundas. the "A" Fight- Commander. studied the mop

to

ទ

of the Pas de Calvis area which was pinned the wall of the pilots' hut.

Dundas was a freckle-

Aftor

I lowered each lanky,

was almost the last telephone side, so I skidded across below call he was to make for nearly the oft-stained bellies four years. And it must certain other three to swing in along wing and searched the area be faced youth ly have been one of the most side the New Zealander. For the low. There was nothing to be just 21. fateful he ever made.

last time I saw Bader in the air seen. closing in for a kill.

'BIG SHOW'

LEIGH-MALLORY

kept

Dropping well

his

soft

of

Leaving Stowe cloud he below

began

to

Yorkshire

We

fight

Out to starboard Billy Burton base i stalked the Hun from serve his articles ied his section down to attack, beneath, so that I should climb to a

Huns aw But the

underbelly. BONGOT him and toward

to Another quick look behind and were promise. A couple of days broke in a steep climbing turn, 1 let him have it. later a "big show" WILS lait aring a doglight. Exactly the

ordered to give

in the Bethune uren.

Lieutenant "Cocky" Dundas. I

the

As we formed up for take-off

the

side.

My first burst of dre

together for

long time; inter

man

ort

my

wedding and godfather to my younger son.

Dundas.

astonishing

aptitude for expensive living."

on and the Tangmere wing was saine happened on our left The cannon shells apowed into Cocky was best

where Flight-Lieutenant "Buck" target-support where

the thin fuselage, and as I con- led his four Spitfires into inued my Casson

Journey home a The squadron taxied out over

fight.

plume of thick black smoke the brown, scorched gross-first Our central section closed into marked the Messerschmitt's fall Douglus, then Sergeant Jeff range. was travelling at a very to the French felds below. West, on ex-civil servant from high speed and my plane pro- Near the coast. I put my nose Even at this early stage of "Come hore, Johnnie." I stood New Zealand, then Flight vided an unsteady gun platform down and dived out towards the his life he had developed beside him. "Our fight was } kicked on rudder to safety of the Channel at an astonishing aptitude for about here." Ho stubbed the was fourth man, on the right of straighten out on West's port maximum speed.

expensive 1lving. Once or twice area of Bethune with his finger. leading section of four.

each week he insisted on dining "If they were shot down then of German soldiers out of mess, A group went

when a bottle of that's that; but if they weren't the 12 Spitures of 010 Squadron, wide and I strained to hold the dashed across the sand dunes wine with

together too badly hit both Douglas and meal, led by Ken Holden, raced across bucking Spltore steady with towards their guns

and I gave with an

assortment of drinks Buck would have made for the the airteld and rose into the stick and rudder. The Hun them a ripple of cannon fire.

before and after, was the rule. coast. Right?" I On the beach pulled into a climb, and I hung

BDW more Once, stranded at Brighton, he' Then the troubles started, on, knocking small chunks from Huas. Another burst of fire and chartered a taxi all the way to "OK" I answered. Batter's faulty air-speed indlen- his starboard wing.

I was out of France, hot, sticky, Tangmere because he disliked

elfort but buses, tor added to his difficulties

Twenty-three pairs of

eyes and spent wing leader. And the third had watched Bader launch his supremely, happy to know that dew miles newly attack. From the corner of his Dover was only a

His hair oil came from arrived from the North and eye, Cocky, in the spilt second away.

address in briefed to provide

As I flew home westward exclusive falled to rendezvous, We had to our leader open fire. press on without them. We had an appointment to keep.

air.

squadron of the wing,

DE

with

WO

trip. We were to

return and bered his infirmity, land, for other squadrions would take up the search,

house n small

At Tangere we had simply judged him on his ability as a leader and a fighter pilot, and HEN

Woodhall had broken the for us the high sky would never" he www the small

DOWN to Thelma Bader, who be the sardo, W

waves breaking against was living in the yellow sands Cocky swung near Bognör, us to the north, and we flew parallel to the coast towards

We all bad a deep affee- Cap Gris Nez.

enemy tion for Thelma. On many ONE was the confideri!, gunners were soon on us, and evenings, after the day's fighting cager, often scornful volet. the theils from the big coastal was done,

The

from our

LEGEND

we relaxed in her Exhorting us, sometimes cursing batteries bracketed the four home, the tension gently seep us, but always holding us Spitäres; but Cocky ignored the

ing

strained minds together in the fight, flok and held his search line.

and bodics, Heaven knows she

Gone must have had enough tension

was the

greatest But tactician of them all Today Round the cliffs to Gris Nez of her own to cope with. to sec

a small shore-hugging sho Bever showed 13. Sho marked the end of an era that convoy of Ave or six tankers never, by the slightest word or was rapidly becoming a legend. escorted by a

seemed heavily armed gesture,

anxious to E-boat which turned broadside hold Douglas back from the

on when we approached. On to dangerous sky. Calais. More lak and the se seemed to boll where a flurry

of shells struck the water.

The clusive, Intangible quailties of leadership can never be taught, for a man either has

She fed us with all the beer them er he hasn't. Bader had

full measure and on · She listened them in we could drink.

steep tum with eyes focussed on quietly to our endless "shop" every flight had shown us how the sen at this low level and she laughed at our jokes and to apply them. He had taught back to Le Touquet, Suddenly allowed us to share our troubles us Nip peeled away, and we saw with her. him attacking something on the water.

"What's the form, Nlp?" de- manded Cocky.

"I think it was a small sub- marine. I thought I'd give it a squirt," answered Nip,

OUR LOSS NOW

NÓW Douglas had gone, and she waited alone in that

true meaning of courage, spirit, determination, guta. call it what you will, Now that he was gone was our tank to. follow his signposts which pointe:

ahead, way

ed

the

A few days later we heard little house & few miles from the that Bader was a prisoner.

way a tremendous relief ent alefield.

spirits scared in every depart. the station when Cocky went down there that ment of

announce- "IRC-form," ordered Cocky. evening after we had landed to Woodhall made an

the loudspeaker over not after submarines tell her what Iitle he could of ment "We're

our last flight together, He system. this trip,"

want to her door bearing a But it We never tho

same bunch of flowers in one hand

at Tangmere after and a bottle of cherry in the ngin

Douglas went missing The other.

golden days were behind us-- and they had been golden days, despite the sweat and terrors of constant combat, despite the

A DINGHY

Thelma

Was dry-eyed and EFF West sighted a dinghy

bobbing up and down, but it outwardly calm.. And

and perhaps she stayed empty

throughout. symbolic of our search. We saw ordeal, she never broke down, grievous personal lossen, wo

WILD

"Good. Then there may be

it

Loo

*

ner.

to

a large enemy rescue foot, but she was even able to sympathise suffered.

Was deserted and we with us in our loss.

I cut my tooth both air an chance that either of the Cocky kept us out until our turned to the north again.

·Individual fighter pilot à und as I had stayed down at dis a leader during that "valzmér could be in his dinghy some petrol was getting very low, permal, checking the Spitfires at Tangmere. I learned the an whore in this area If they Bond are in mid-Channel the air-sen and we barely had enough to for the next day's operations. basle principles which / wore " lop cover, before firing his own guns, w along the English coast I heard Street. His uniforms were rescue boys will find them. But trickle back to Hawkinge at Then I ned in my combat bring me to success during the

report. commander calling tailored in the West End and if they're near the French coast low revs.

It was some consola-fallowing years of burd ligirting Up to that moment everything, the station was going O.K...

Bader. Several times he lined with red silk, n

tion to know that between us, before the Luftwaffe wan" inally customs then they'll be picked up by followed by the Auxillary, the Hung unless we find them Wawero met by Nip Heppel, Jeff West, and I beaten and broken, EEN Ken Holden, meanwhile, was repeated the calli

Hello, Douglas, Woodie here, plots.

Jur: Messer- circling above, assessing the Aght and ready to lend a hand. Are you receiving?" THE flok spat at us with Its Then he spotted a fresh gaggle,

of 100's-about 30 of them- customary venom crossed the French coast high swarming in above our squad- above Lo Touquet; Franée un zon. He switched his eyes from

FTER & time 1 ficked my folded below, like a map. But Bader and dived instantly to A dransmitter switch after a while there was thicken intercept.

"Break-for Heaven's sake,

"Hello, Woodle Dogsbody ing cloud, covering angst of the countryalde and reaching up to break!" The shout over the Four calling. We had o stlit fight. wireless was sharp and insistent. I last saw Dogsbody on the tail

INTO FLAK.

about 12,000rt.

08 WO

In the Bethune area Bader But there was no call-sign. had begun a gentle orbit to port when Kan. Golden's voice, caly

and matter of foot, alléd our carphones.

Hello

GET OUT

HOME

of a 100

The group captain acknow fedged my massage, and a seitled back

• to finishing “journey, Something must have gond WHIRLED my plane into a wrong with Bada'y vidio,

climb Dopabody, 109's below, confused, savage maelstroms, he was coming? home on the

tp."

Bader dipped first one wing and then the other. Our forma tion wavered as we all tried to spot the Huns.

of twisting Spitfires and carmon- decle, too low in hear tho call pilting Messerschmills. Three, from Tangment Huns were just bebind me, their.

It waslu kumpossible y that, ha

... leader not more than 100 yards "Wharu • the hell are they

oway. I saw his cannon blink He wa Ken? I can't see the basket 3ng like electric lights, and two

vorticos from tile gripy dinky

Bader's voice was sharp and he lightened - Naturn to Thola

“Under your port wing"

Blader banked for another «

of

I kept going, round. wdiral,, lösirar height “Loward clouds below.

Burton

first."

sympathetic Intelligence officer, who told us that thero was still had destroyed

echmitts in the fight, To show his status as

"When do wa také, off?" The no news of either pilot, A

We were silent when we member of the Auxillary Air question was asked by "Nip" was very interested in Nip's.

Heppel. Together with Sergeant account of the small submarine, drove to the mess, for we knew Force he should have worn two West he had been listening, but wo.only half listened to his that even if our wing leader small brass A's, ono on each intently to the conversation, queries, for we were watching was still alive he won have lapel of his tunic. Ther

Cocky obtained permission, the "ground crews fofuel our little chance of evading 'capture symbols were present on Cocky's from both the controller and Spitfirea. After this task was with his fin. jegs,

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

•WHEW**

THAT WAS A

CLOSE

NO MORE OF YOUR

THE BOT

WILL

A HYPNOTIC TRICKS,

NOW

„AGAIN "HOLD. THEM, JAX,

THE MASTER FROM MARS TAKES AN ODD APPARATUS FROM THE WALL.

By Leo Falk and Phil Davis

ARE YOU

WHAT **

GOING

TO DO

TO UST

(COPYRIGHT)

NEXT WEEK

MY, NARROW ESCAPE ON THE DIEPPE RAID

CADBURY'S