1959-05-26 — Page 4

THE CHINA · MAIL, · TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1959.

Dam-Buster's epic escape

Just 16 years after the epic Dam-Buster raid that shattered the Mohne-Eder Dams and flooded hundreds of square miles of the Ruhr, the Queen presented colours recently to the R.A.F. unit that was responsible 617 Squadron, which was then led by Wing Commander Guy Gilson. In spite of all that has been written about the grent raid one story has re- mained untold the story of an Australian rear gunner, Tony Bürcher, who had a grandstand view of the raid as he lay injured on a German hillside..

By CYRIL

ROARING streamer A

of flames leaped and writhed past Tony Burcher's rear turret. The aircraft M Mother .bucked and rocketed.

The engineer screamed: "Port outer on fire,"

AYNSLEY

ning

TOLD FOR THE FIRST TIME

-HOW THIS MAN LIVED

TO WATCH IT ALL

of high-tension cable; not below him, ng he might have expected, but a few inches above his line of vision. They

to seemed stand level for a mument and then they dropped beneath and

US was receded quickly the plane

***

audits at an agricultural col

years before, lege three sewly turning his turret to the pot beam in Flight-Lieutenant John Hopgood's aircraft, sean-

Fur the right fighters

Helow be noticed a cluster of buses, very close, and a forch with is pointed steeple rising from the tower like

lm pyrmid.

He by contemplated

climbed away.

The charm

"Right

under the bloody things," shouted. Gregory, "Sorry about that,” Hopgood, the plist.

And so, in pain and Bome anguish, M Mother Came to

the dain.

This is how Burcher saw It:-

IBSON did his run. We were circling the dam now. It looked slivery. and glossy. I felt pretty crook, but Homehow elated now that this was it. 1 heard Clbson report: "Negative result: Takn over M Mother. Good luck!"

All I could think was: "Let's replied get over and let's get back."

Hoppy shouted. "Stand by They're putting ahead." The whistling

"Good on you, sport," mutter- rear gunner.

barraze on you, up a

slip-stream

it

his

od Burcher. "Good stone, old sport."

The ultimate moment of disuster which every erew

we defrag day, axed for June 12, member of Bomber Comaly a month ahead, mand secretly feared had arrived.

Two hours ago 817 Squadron had left their bare at Scampton for the Moane and Eder Dans They ret course as the mo was coming up behind the neat towers of Lincoln: Cathedral,

lovely Dight. Nalure granted to flying inen scenes of angnilleence fit for great paint- ings or great poetry, but dialleal circumstances.

jul

Tony Berlur glanced at the moon, thought: "Looks like a bloudy great rework display," and wondered how many stop- pages there would be in Els which tonight were carry- i only tracer.

his

Tijs girl, pretty Joan Barnes, Waaf in Omer Acenunts, wa astep in her quarters at Colugby, Astful sleep, and dreers.

Hurchee Umugal Est hur Longmely.

Cable

arc

Precisely at this moment the plane bucated armingly. Gre gory, the front gunner, yelled: "Moody hell"

Barcher bared in his seat,

1 stemsuch, revolting at the sudden change in gravity, seem- ed to be forcing itself into his chert.

They now over the coast and

expected ruininently th the flat fatus of Holland and sterling shock of the plane

the

Fully ground. Wing Commander Chay Gibson, hitting

climbed their lender,

pondering: threttird, the aeroft Was "What are they all thinking abruptly. Buscher's foremen

track the strain or, facing the stern, he was forced forward by the stress of steep climb.

about?

What is the rear pin Her in Hoppy's plane taluking? What are his tens un life?"

- Murther, 21-year-old Aux-

He was antonished to see, for

trun who had packet up his a fleching moment, a looping are

KEEP

WOMEN

OUT OF

OF SPACE SAYS SURGEON

OUTER space must be declared "out of bounds

to women, says a leading American space physician, Air Force Colonel John Paul Stapp. And he gives three reasons.

WAS

He carried stone with him through the hole in the turret, which hnd, in his unsuperstitious Everything seemed O.K. Just mind, become a lucky charm. It then, was an ordinary bit of slone picked up in the street.

In January, when the wind was full of snow, a little boy had trolied alongside him in a 1- enin street, asking: You a fy int man, mister?"

That's right, ebber."

The Gerutans killed my mune 2nd day in en nir raid, miter

Burcher stopped and looked al the child.

n

He said: "Well, isn't

that drmed thing," and fell in his pocket for a coin.

The bey thrust something hard into his hand.

"That's, a stone, mister." "Sure, sport, that's a stone, So what?"

Hot

smell

I

"Next time you're over Ger- many throw it out, mister. hope it kills some bastard."

"Now Just listen kid Burcher,

10

that."

He had never thrown it out and they had been through some rough rides together.

The fall

turret on the port side. I think it was the engineer shouted: "We're on Are. Port engine.” Hoppy said: "Press the extly I beard shout,

"Bomb guisher. Feather No. 2. Pre- gone," and almost at the same pare to abandon alreraft." moment there was a terrifle, Somehow I got the turret In

DRAWING WY

Robb

out. I grabbed my parachute the door with one leg just hang- and stuck it on by one hook, ing on. I pulled his rip cord

I plugged in my Intercom and and pushed him out, asked Hoppy how w were Then I pulled my own and dolny. He screamed: "Gel oul, held the parachute in as much you bloody fool. I've only got us I could. There Was An 300 feet. I can't get more," appalling bang and a great almighty crash. A real shocker. fore-and-aft position, pressed Then I noticed Minchin, the rush of air like a tube train crawling to coming into a station. It blew saw flames rouring post the the door release, and scrambled radio operator,

Marilyn Monroe

talks as she seldom has about:-

Hupgood's voice slashed MARRIAGE, BABIES, HER FEARS,

Into his dreams. "Searchlights abend. Keep your eyes skinned, guiners." "OK."

The searchlights were now sweeping the fields. faltering and moving in a staccato lack of rhythm as they attempted to pinpoint or reflect the hedge- hopping Lancasters. Somo beams stood motionless and Vertical. Others, depressed to u Jew angle, moved swillly

"Gibby's catching

f'in

through colcuinted segments. moving In," said Hopgood.

First hit

HER IDOLS, AND HER ATTITUDE

ΤΟ

AGE (SHE'S 32)

by DAVID LEWIN

learn. I IS

Now York, CHE came in, breathless and blonde and beauti- was silhouet ful, wearing a "cat Huit," black object on which consisted of a black fighted glass roof and the flak bathing costume top and

dancing all around him. taku #b: He doubis whether women Burcher, sighting his guns, si-tight black trousers down to

the calves of her legs.

Gibson's plane "Spare fight," he says, "de-

ted like less mis marthen performance

and endurance."

"PHYSIOLOGICALLY women are considerably

Bicient than men."

"PSYCHOLOGICALLY

are not equipped to emotional stresses

prediar

they

Wh

to can be "objective and have good most

of pulling a woman in space is Bul his

former wife - a prohibitive-a luxury lem We

ballerina--Selleves women con vas ill afford.""

the cekle anything, "if they want and "

--(London Express Service).

to

Dr Stupa refers absence of women milers marating runners.

п unconsciously noticed

"That's the lesson I want to don'i want to be from my husband separated even when I'm working. I'm the clinging type, but I believe in giving husbands a lot of latitude, especially when they're

working.

"When Arthur is writing I know he needs to be alone in judgment when extranclytroin puffing just below blm. Marilyn Monroe was home his study here, or away in space fight.

"ECONOMICALLY the cost fatigue and distressed.

It innked stupidly ordinary and after a day at drama class a room right off the house we very homely.

the country. But at the Actors' Studio. I have n Then they were in the thick of it, with the smell of cordite was sitting with her hus we're never really separated."

Arthur

Miller has

Just truly in their nostrils before band Arthur Miller, having anished writing a film script they had even fired one of their a pre-dinner snuck of chop- called "Misfit." It is about own guns and each man know-ped liver on rye bread.

woman who goes to Nevada for When you feel the flak The room of

a divorce and has to stay in her East Side It's near, when you smell it's apartment, down by the river, the mountab for six weeks was white her favourite waiting for her decree. It is searchlight blazed full into colouring sharp contrast to the the story of a woman gradually. Furcher's-turret. He fired severe black of her costume adjuring hörself to society: Kuna. A long, long burst. No There was no make-up on her thoughts now, Just hate. The face. binding-Hight÷flickered,-west-

Bisquit

Gif of

I tumkter

for

pureliave at

qt, boftie

frem

***

FINE CHAMPAGNE

"NAPOLEON"

23 May, 39

• GRANDE FINE CHAMPAGNE "NAPOLEON"

12 June, 59

• GRANDE FINE CHAMPAGNE

- Extra Vill

Bisquik

PPHU THAMPAGNE.

(ARN) GARDE PRch a ̈en,am; "DE VIR HOUSE" TR. 10121, 24380 & 17340

too damned near."

ou: abruptly.

"Got the bartard!" screamed Sybil-my idol

Burcher, "Gol the

His speech was cut short.

Silence

feathering,"

# wes three years since Marl-

It will star Miss Monroc the first Miller story in which “efembranacdack Ikenet. written specifically for his wife, but when it was completed they decided she was right for the part.

Marilyn Monroe said: "I'm

I feel it. dows

$0

was born Norma

about will now. Scared Miss Monroe mid: "I want to grow gracefully-even grow old many things, even picking up gracefully.

the phone to make a coll. you know what it is to sit

"I'm 32 now-and I don't "I'm

thouted

mean round the waist. I ever Itoppy.

Burcher pressed his controls looks forward to being 00.

"It was when I was itt Lon- to move the turret, It was dead,

Noi don that I met a great woman, The hydraulics had gone. reallsing this immediately. He Came Sybil Thorndike, who was I loved tugged savagely nt the controls in the Alm with me,

More secure

D

furniture. and simple

کریں

which

A musical

me glean out of the aircraft. I landed with a terrifle clout

I lay there stunned, 11 was terribly quiet, Then I heard the other arcraft. The groună vibrated underneath me, 1.Won looking over the dam. Suddenly I WON amazed to o a great spurt of water at the wall. It went up in a gush Ilko p-gent soda-water siphon, Thero wan a roaring sound.

I thought: "Itell, I'm going to bu drowned." I remember just Iying there and watching the water cascading and spouting. I suppose I must have been at least a mile away and up a hill, but I didn't realise it jurt then.

Then I heard the alrernft engines fading in the distance. I felt terribly lonely. Our own pinne was burning up the hill behind me. Ammunition was exploding. I felt pretty vaguo then. And I passed out.

Disbelief

was

The ruld

OVET. 417 Squadron had achieved its own place in the gallant history of the R.AF. They left behind them hundreds of square milea of destruction,

Pilal And

Officer Tong Burcher, D.F.M., Australion'når Kunner, lying dazed and be- wildered in a field above it all,

The Germons picked him up the next day. In their long Interrogation at Duing Luft one of the things thai puzzled them most www a piece of rough and ordinary-looking stone, found in his pocket,

Bürcher told them plenty of les about the rald, Some they believed,

What they could not believe was the truth about the stono that had been given hint by a little boy to drop on Germany as a token of revenge for his dead parents.

(London Express Service).

It's

We both laughed but I asked her: "Is there anything else you need to complete your hap- · piness and take you utterly catired?"

With a zenring fart shellyn Monroe and I had last met... burst alongside the turret. Hent in those days she was more mature now.

I talked to Marilyn again can have such

an effect on felt a burning on the left side strange, in a strange country, At Actors Studio they're letting The sofa is white but the easy about those years before the children growing up." of his face. A pain in is England. Just married to play- me try more mature scenes: the chairs are darks,

found her present huppirmas. For a moment she seemed to with. A pressure against his wright Arthur Miller, Dod prostitute in 'Damaged Goods." On a side table is a photo- She accepted one of my claret be looking far ahead into the left leg. He looked down, sawmaking a film with Sir Laur- I've got on jen on that. I've graph

Marilyn Monroe, tes (strangely because she future, visualising the day, per- a lagged hole in the turret, ence Olivier, The Prince and never seen a prostitute played taken by Cecil Beaton with a seldom smoker) and said: "haps, when Marilyn Monroe is Soliva seemed to be pouring the Showgirl."

the right way as someone description of her in his hand-used to be dopressive. About 00 and a great-grandmother- into his mask. The plane was

We talked about the differ scared..

writing.

begias: everything. Maybe it is because and still working. bumping and swinging wildly once those three years have

"Belag scared. Now that is "Marilyn Monroe calls to mind I never really had a home at "You miss so much when

"Port outer's

it heart the engines. Gilmade in the life of of a fireworks dis- any time....even whether in to be old so exciting

sir,

Jean Baker. been seared all my life realis, play ....

a child or during my me to So And building up like hell on No. 2.

marriages, although I don't like I'm not going to retire. Look to talk about that.

at all the wonderful parts you "I never felt I belonged and can play when you're old. Sybil there and now you must make On a wall is a colour sketch you just have to belong. Once Thorndike is doing fine!"

my drama teacher Leo A call and hating to lift the of Arthur Miller, and on her asberg said to me: Marilyn,

bootshell are his collected you always setan to be the out phone and make it?

works. On tho fly-leaf is sider looking in? printed the simple instruction: "To Morilyn." "That is the sort of thing There ix a

turn plan to I'm getting over at last, and I'm Miller's play "A View from getting over it through being the Bridge" into a

mitalcal "Now I have learned to work her words were hesitant. Lang happy and more secure.

You have after I left her I remembered. scoro ut enjoying things. "They played me the

night

said Arthur to work,ut it. It is the getting what she sale,

"It is getting used to it — the day. I don't fear the future Miller, "but there are several used to chjoyment that is diff happiness and belonging that any more, but at one time problems to lick. I think it will cult."

not satisfied was even scared of the present, probably be better as on opora.”

"Would is dimeult. I'm I said to her then;

with myself — no ɑng ever 13, "I was terrified to go on the

Ho is just finishing a new anything else complete singe or the film sel. Acting for play, which he was thinking sense of belonging you talked What I'd like...what I'd like Is mes ngony--and also bliss. about when was with him. In of Children of your own to have more freedom within Both at the same time."

London three years ago. He still perhaps? Arthur Miller was pottering has not found a title." "What's Marilyn Monroe paused and for, av agoolse cry: "Can't from her husband, and work- about In

then hle study, which is it about?" I asked,

she said: "I feel 1' move my leg sir," From ink

just off the kitchen.

"Life," he said,

creative being a wife and a Burcher a report of damage and

The flat is comfortable, but Today, as though to celebrato stepmother too, .... It makes you hot ostentatious. There are the new Monroe, the city is part of a family, I'd like chlid- Burcher heard Hopgood call-¦* ́Dame. Sybil de 70 and mar- three bedrooms and An offies sblars with the miscemms of her ren" of my own ・but rai: Ing Gibson; "We've been hit, Fried to Sir Lewis - Casson, for secretary, Tilo main Intet dim, "Some Like it: Hot,!! · frightened. All this struntum sir. We're carrying on, See you Their current play together is room of the 13th-floor apart which is currently on top of the 80 in the alt makes me worried. on target,"

"Eighty in the Shude?

'ment is large, with tail win American box office hit parade. You keep hearing about it. It

it to think the turret himself. Bybli Thorndike, slie is one of.

And he knew then that my idols. Dead

"I said to her; How come the automatic fring mechanism

energy? of the guns would be out too. you've got so much Everything to be done now by More energy than I have and hard. And the saliva-he know you're years older. then it was blood.

Hopgood would be taking steek of his plane and his crew,

My lesson

calling them up individually. "Sybil Thorndike said it came

Етол the front turret through being happy and silence. From the radio opera-love and not

wounds.

.

being separated

"My philosophy now is 'Enjoy last

J.

More freedom

thir

serious

Suddenly she was ngain. She spoke slowly and

myself. Ferdom to be really happy..

KM STILL ^ LITTLE SCARED BY IT ALL!

TOMORROW

Jean Cocteau

--(London - Express Berolée),