1956-12-08 — Page 6

•Page G

THE CHINA MAIE, ✨ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1956.

DRAWING. BY OLIPHANT

A

WHAT MAKES A FIGHTER PILOT CRACK UP?

THE strain of commander and taking my own

constant combat section, down to fight. flying began to tell

T

on me. The war

was four years old. And I had been with fighter squadrons for three

of those years, without break.

xix

the

It was as if the Huns roused a deep, personal antagonism in me anel a "probable" or "dam- aged" did not seem enough. For some reason the enemy alreraft bad euch to be destroyed.

More than once I found my- self at ground-level in single- handed combat with no quarter asked or given,

We all know the meaning of fear and felt it according to our

During the past months I had led Canadian wing 011 120 temperamentis and training. operations into hostile skies, never know a phlol who tell And my personal score hund side this category. Our simple increased from right kills duly was to control"

to 24.

Fatigue was affecting both my body and my brain. Passed the danger grade Now, after a sweep, I felt warhed on 1 got into the tabit of making straight for my aom where I would fall into a úlful, restless steep In the un 1 fotmd the bout y flok more tighteningg slips ever before. Thres lously, Waen the black smoke puff of this deadly stuff bort whirled around me, I used to make some type and flippant comment to chee the boys thrigh the danger arra Now the Hippant comments enaties harder. And the continenten of the stomach, the auxious glaners.

nod tempampasitar pressure gauges caine myrice easily.

found also that I who re acting differently to the mesenice of the Messerschmitts and the Focke-Wulfs,

When we saw large goggles, It was my job to manoeuvre the wing into the best tortical post- 1on and take the Canadians inta The fight.

MY FIGHT

WHEN WO

Sit

small enemy formation. 1 had pre- viously detached one

(8:0 pairs of Spitfires to bounce the Huns while we watched the fight and guarded our own plots, that during this last month I have got into the habit of handing the wing over a squadron

10

this tear anal prevent its natural transition to punie. And I was having to #ght back my fear horder than ove before.

Others in authority had noticed the signs. One day. when I had led the Canadians rat four missions, I was lying down before the evening rural,

B MacBrien, dhe wirbeld pommander, knocked out enter- vi He came straight 1 that point. "Well, that's it, Jonume. Your ear's over. Codefroy takis zeer Lie wing tomei pr«W", yard better get uff Jave,"

**ET

STAFF JOB

་1

n

FE Cuntatis laid on a tres.

ine farewell Air-Vice-Marshal "Dickie" Dickson.* Bur group

Trendous gur at night to that

commander, was present and aš a late hour wwely decided that the wing should be stood down on the following day

The usual perches were made and it was strongly hinted that the Canadians would offer me The leadership of another wing after a rest.

I was presented with a beauti- nt gold watch and felt like an nki man retiring after a lifetime with the thro

Aller

fortnight's 4

leave, with Paul in Norfolk, reported to Uxbridge m ʼn stuff ofler.

'I was having to fight back my fear harder than ever before'

Concluding OUT OF THE SUN by JOHNNIE JOHNSON

Group Captain J. E. Johnson, D.S.O. & Z bars, D.F.C. & bar

ה

the

I wish one or 51 three-pit He told nw that six dew team whose Job was to plan aml Canadien quadrons were en-ordinate the day-to-day to arrive in England from activities { the

Group Spaciou and the wings of 83 Group, which were preparing for the lynstora,

My Do was Pet Jameson, the brilliant New Zealand Bighter pilot whe has led LoveT Dieppe on the day of the big raki the year before, I liked hims and enjoyed working with him.

The work, anyway, was Inter- esting. And it the early days of my kur as a staff officer i was a wonderful feeling to wake up in the morning with the err- iain knowledge tha I would juid not, that day, be shooting out to the death, high up in the dangerous

of sky

Northern Europe.

It

A. Be weeks passed The strain anxi Krustness seeped away. After a time I began to feel the urge to get back Inte the battle. The invasion could not be long delayed and I was not going to be left behind.

And so I was delighted when. early in the Now Year, 1 re ceived a visit from a distin- Noe chairman of the Joint guished Canadian fighter plioL Chief of Staff.

tomed Paul Davoud.

Reliability...

...that's rugged for your roughest, toughest days.

"

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Dominion. They woult be formed into two wings one of Typhoons, one of Spitfires—and prepared for the invasion, Would i kad the Spitfire wing"

Would I not! I went at oner to see the air vice-marshal and he agreed that i should go to the Canadians in early March.

I spent the week-end with Melton Mowbray my kindly at before joining my new wing. Paula Joined me from Norwien. During mur few hours together I told her that I had left the security of a staff appointmein and was about to begin another lour of ops, She had married a fighter ptjou and hud always taken i for Granted that would want

the to no

thing through.

My ok father, who, of the age of paced the streets of Melton Mowbray as a War Re- serve police officer, was quietly proud that I was returning to the fray.

THE THRILLS

I

LTHOUGH I knew what dangers lay ahed, it was good to return to the connude- ship and carefree life of the fighter squadrons, once more to take my place at the spearhead of a Spitiue wing and to know the thrills of leadership.

Apart from the fight

my pilots commanders, were mostly without fighting experience, But they were fine material and they were well and truly blooded during the hord fighting which led up to D Day-the day of days we had so long awaited.

equadron and

My wing was the first to land In Normandy after the bridge head

was established. And it was

during

the

ground troops could eventually deploy into open country. But we

were hot sỌ Suje thai

ibis object could! only be achieved by the wholesale

der. truction of Chen at the death of great number Its In- habitants

$

uf

50. of the bornbe were fuse To ex- plenke up

14

six hours after

the ttack, 50

that there would not

Jarge a umefug before the grount forces went In early next morning.

Flying low on the fringe the attack. I distinctly sw German tank thrown into air, like a child's try. turning over and over it fell to the ground.

100

second was steaming south, Both were over the centre of avolded the highway and each the other with a careful little swerve.

{

H

the and

before

Instead of turning to the north to set course for England after dropping its load, one of the Lancasters came down in a fairly steep dive towards the strongly defended enemy-held territory south of the city.

I watched this manoeuvre in some amazement, as the Lanens- ter would soon find itself a

solitary larget for the German flak. Perhaps the alternfi had had its controls shot away damaged and could only fly in this fashion.

or

But next the bomber levelled out and I saw it flying duc south only a few feet above the main Caen-Falaise road.

Amazed, I watched its antics. What the hell was the pilot up to?

I

had

a most curious sensation, coming down to land on terri- tory from which we had been accustomed to receive all types of shot and shell previous four years.

Early in July-after we been in Normandy for three weeks-It was decided

to use heavy bombers for a massive saturation attack against Cava, where enemy strongpoints con- timed, to hold up the Army's advance.

We provided

A LARK!

SOON discovered the object

Speechless, I watched the role of fighter-bomber being carried out, and most effectively, by the four-engined heavier,

"Enemy

abandoned

vehicles and

drivers

their

dived

for shelter as the

Lancaster pounded

along."

with the sx Spitfires of blue aireraft hit the ground at well section well above,

Draper gaining

reported

on

Us

A

it

and The

over 200 miles an hour.

distance For two 100's

short

tho trom

uneven остов behind, carcered We broke round towards them surface of a meadow. Then it a stout and, holding a steep turn for hit n dyke, tore into

wu complete ciretas,

began hedge, and pitched into the nir

The wings lo close in on their tails. But once again.

were torn apart, they evaded the issue by half- tall rolling and diving steeply to tuselage twisted as it fell to the deck.

the earth, where it disintegrated Our skirmish had drawn into a thousand pieces.

from the scene vi away

the original melce

ww and now DUT soon it was all over. The Hound ourselves alone over a

original glamour boy had layer of white cloud. I was climbed away to the north for perfect backcloth on which to

NO RECORD

UN

TOP PILOT

his homeward Journey and the spot chemy aircraft and 1 TUE. moncal

higher.

109 sprung

Cr of

that

Mosser-

second was pulling up from his cimbed my small section suil schmitt smacked into the strafing run.

ground I became the top allied A

What a long, the lighter pilot. cloud, climbed and levelled out way I had come in the three 2,000ft below. We were ideally years since a hat and exultant poised for

Offcer Johnson had attack, Pilot well hidden in the strong sun. landed at. Tangmere to report

"One 109 at en o'clock, Bill, his first victory Going down. All clear?"

I flow alongside the Lancaster as it settled down for the fight back to Lincolnshire and waved to the gay adverturers inside.

two We had

bomber scon

would never be recorded in any official log. Long after the war I discovered that the pilot of the first bomber was an brick-layer from Scotland call- ed "Jock" Shaw. At the time of captain of his own my story he was the mod Lancaster. and was to win the D.F.C. and

Later he bar.

served as adjutant,

missions that evening which

ex-

עתן

My personal score bad stood

surprise

In the early autumn we "All cicar, Greycap I'm rested for three weeks at fillers covering you.**

L'Eveque, west of Paris.

This was perfect leumwork.

While we were there I was

I could pay undivided attention struck by the behaviour of

to the Hun below and I hit his

another pilot in the wing whosD ugly yellow rose with a long, personal score was of particular stendy burst,

interest to all of us,

This was Squadron Leider Wally McLeod

BLACK SMOKE

nt 29 when we crossed tu France. Soon il mounted to 32 THICK black smoke

so I was level with "Sailer"

move.

He found it hard to relax nad mode no secret of the fact that he was out to increase his score poured 21 victories.

of

from the Messerschmit!, Ometally he was recognised of the low-level flight. The

to fly and as the top-scoring fighter pilot rocd, which was one

of the Malan, the great South African but he continued enemy's main

darted for the protection of the of the Royal Canadian Alz supply rotnes, fighter pilot who had such cloud.

Force.

Although Screwball was packed here and there with brilliant success against heavy stationary tanies, armoured cars, odds during the first two years reflected on the wisdom of this greater number of enemy air

Wo tore after Alan and I Beurling had destroyed ས and vehicles. As it swept down of the war. His score had not,

victories I did not know the eraft, most of those the road. both front and rear until then, been equalled. turrets of the bomber were in

My chance to pass him came depth of this layer of cumulus were attained whilst he was action and the gunnero were on the last day of June, I was cloud and it could reach to the serving in the Royal Air Force, target-cover ring long bursts

flying Into

My fying with 441 Squadron when ground.

This was a very fine point of 7 during the attack. As the erremy vehicles.

the controller old me that Instruments had toppled in the distinction and simply meant waves of four-engined Lan-

another squadron of Spitfires dive and I was losing height that Wally was the top scorer casters made their run in from There was considerable was having a rough time with very rapidly. If the cloud was of the R.CAF, but Beurling

the enemy

Bighters some slx or very deep, then perhaps there held the record for Canadian seven miles away.

Could we wouldn't be sufficient height to pilots. lend a hand?

}

but

the

the sea, I portioned my Spit- amount of light flak, fires to the west of the town, pilot obviously scorned this We had been told that all the small stuff, since he accus targets were contained in an tomed to a nightly barrage of area approximately two miles hoovy flak over the Industrial in length and just short of a cities of Germany. For him this mile in depth. But well before affair was a bit of a lark and the smoke and debris from the like a schoolboy away from the first bombs which hung over vigilance of his prefect he was

STEEP TURN

Ceen in the calm evening sky making the most of his freedom. As Swe sped south we saw the

obscured the scene from out. view, it was quite apparent that a number of bombs had fallen well outside the target area.

CHILD'S TOY

As

I watched the terriblo A destruction "wrought on this French city, I could not help 'but wonder whether we were using a sledge-hammer to crack a nut.

of its base,

blind

recover when we plunged out Wally intended to title this untidy matter once and for all But I was committed to the simply by prasing Beuling's chase and wo dived into the total.

swirling white blanket,

For

Lancaster carried a background of towering while nesy blinded me, but my foMETIMES Wally would ac-

were

curtainly

second of time, which COMBAT FILMS seemed an oternity, the cloud held and imprisoned my buck- A dogfight, silhouetted against ing Spliore, The

glaring white. Next the

company us when we walked out a slow wide turn to retrace cumulus

cloud.

Spitfires, were

groundless, as the layer across the stubble in search of its flight cthwards to Caen. Messerschmitte and Fock was very

thin

and I

But dropped partridges.

several Umsa Majestically, it ploughed along Walin climbed, turned, and into a safer world, bounded by i found him 'n our darkened over the straight road with rear dived. mo it seemed as it wide horizons of green and gold cine-projection caravan analys- and front guns blazing away. the Hun had a height advan patchwork felds.

ing his combat dims and trying Thero toge. Enemy drivers and

crews more of them.

The 100, conspicuous by its to discover whether or not ho abandoned shote vehicles and

trolling banner of emoke, was could have despatched dived for the shelter of the

Louving six Spitares as top some 800 yards ahead and I previous opponents with fewer hedgerows $ the Lancaster cover I took the other six over cloved in for the kill. But the rounds of ammunition. pounded along.

My combat arcn.

two Messerschmitt was out of con

flo had the catinoTLS-

of hig section leaders soon picked out trol and struck the ground at a Spitfire stripped and checked. sultable targeta and, with their shallow angle.

He worked on hie aircraft until wingmen to guard their tails, I For a moment. I had thought it shone ke jewel in the sent them down to attack.

the enemy pilot was trying to sunlight, and his edle tople of My Own wingman, Bill pull off a crash landing, If so, conversation was air, fighting. Draper, and I were left alone he was 'far too fast, for the (Continued on Page 7, Col. 1).

But what was this? Another Lancaster had appeared on the We were all aware of the scene and was carrying out military necessity to break the similar tootics, The first enemy at Caen so that

our Lancaster was flying north. Thu

MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN

́NARDA, IVE CALLED

WHERS WE GOING

TO THE

DESERT

THAT'S HIM

TO SAY GOOD-BYEZ|

FEW

CAN'

·YOU MORE

THAN

THAT

the

•WE MUST DELIVER THIS PACKAGE. SOME MEN MAY TRY STOP US,

- AND GET IT. THAT

MUST NOT

HAPPEN,

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

UNDERSTAND

BOAR-R-D! There's More than Magicin

CADBURY'S

It is Perfection