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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0317.PDF
MARCH 4TH, 1948 FLIGHT 271 Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News and Announcements m SERVICE AVIATION ANNIE A LA MODE : One of thi new Avro Anson T.XX navigational trainers for service in Rhodesia. In the same series are the Marks T.2I (navigational trainer for Home service) and T.22 (radio trainer). Awards THE KING has been graciously pleasedto approve the following awards: — Military Medal. (1) Acting Warrant Officer D. E.Payne, R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve, No. 2909 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regi-ment.—During enemy attacks on the island of Cos, in September and October,1943, Warrant Officer Payne was in charge of a battery of six guns, whoseposition covered the western approaches to Antimachia airfield. This battery borethe brunt of many high level bombing attacks which preceeded the invasion ofthe island. The vicious methods used by the enemy were extremely harassingto the gunners, who had to man the 20 m.m. guns against aircraft which keptwell out of range. After the bombing attacks had ceased, enemy fighters tookup the attack with concentrated fire from cannon and machine guns, only to bemet with determined and accurate oppo- sition from the few guns in WarrantOfficer Payne's battery which remained serviceable. Throughout the heavy highlevel bombing attacks Warrant Officer Payne remained calm and undisturbed.He visited each of his guns in turn on motor pycle and, where casualties had:en sustained, he rallied the survivors, inally, owing to heavy casualties, hetook over the duties of number one gun- ner of one of his guns, and continued tooppose all enemy attacks. Warrant Officer Payne's devotion to duty un-doubtedly encouraged not only his own battery but all members of the squadron.He certainly raised the morale of the gunners who had become discouraged byihe ineffectiveness of their efforts against the enemy. (2) Leading Aircraftman W. W.Tucker, R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve, No. 2909 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regi-ment.—During enemy attacks on the island of Cos, during September andOctober, 1943, Leading Aircraftman Tucker was number one gunner on ananti-aircraft gun which formed part of the defences of Antimachia airfield. Thisgun was subject to particularly heavy- low level attacks by the enemy fighters.Throughout these attacks, this airman displayed courage and determinationwhich was an inspiration to his gun crew. During one of these attacks another mem- ber of the gun crew fell across LeadingAircraftman Tucker's shoulder, mortally wounded, but neither this nor theenemy's fire could deter him from his task. His gun shot down one enemy air-craft and damaged two others. Some days later the gun was rendered unser-viceable by enemy dive bombers. Lead- ing Aircraftman Tucker continued todefend the position as best he could with a rifle. He fell into enemy hands whilstin hospital after being wounded. C.A.S. at Qlasgow AT the opening of the City of GlasgowTerritorial and Auxiliary Forces Association exhibition at Kelvin Hall,Glasgow, on February 20th, the Chief of the Air Staff, Marshal of the Royal AirForce Lord Tedder, said: "In the old days, when the law of the jungle wasmore obvious than it is now, and we lived in smaller and more compact com-munities, people had to depend on the courage and skill at arms of their imme-diate families and friends. Our earliest forebears here in Glasgow no doubt hadtheir Home Guard to protect them against the attacks of the Picts andNorsemen. Defence was based on local interest and loyalties and focused roundcastles built at suitable strategic points. In those days every able-bodied manperiodically attended a locally organized wapinschaw—a good old Scots word.The wapinschaw was a parade of the local Home Guard to see that each man wasarmed in accordance with his rank, and ready to take the field when required. In Hitler's war we found, I think tomany people's surprise, that instead of war being purely a matter for profes-sionals, it had now once again become a matter for every able-bodied matt andwoman. But we were unready for it, and at first we had Home Guard armed withpikes and anti-aircraft gunners without guns, and so on. " Here are no pikes or wooden guns.I would say that at no previous showing of arms on Glasgow Green, before Ban-nockburn. during the '45 or in 1939, has such good equipment been available forour wapinschaw. One has often heard the phrase ' give us the tools and wewill finish the job'—here the position is reversed—here are the tools, it's up tous to find the men—the hands and the brains. Here are anti-aircraft and radar itograph 1 mits $sre ("Flight " photo weapons with which "your local unitg ,,„_to protect Glasgow and*fR8"Cfy1fK as a first task. Here are first line aircraft ofboth R.N.A.S. and your famous 602 Fighter Squadron." Vampire Tropical Trials AN R.A.F. Vampire has started tropi-cal trials at Singapore. A second Vampire is remaining grounded to per-mit assessment of the effect of weather on the airframe. B-29s InterceptedS IX Boeing B-29 Superfortresses of theU.S. Army Air Forces, Hying trom Germany, were intercepted by R.A.F.fighters when they crossed the coast at Brighton recently on exercises. -,.„„: •.*' Inter'service Ski~ingT HE British Air Forces of Occupationski Team won third place in the Inter-Services Ski-ing Championshipsheld recently at Garmisch, in the Bavarian Alps. British Army, ControlCommission, Norwegian and Belgian teams also competed. The R.A.F. teamwas placed 10th, 13th, 14th, 15 and 16th in the down-hill race, and 9th and 15thin the slalom. The team comprised Sgt. P. Seitz (Captain), F/L. J. Verbeke,F/O. E. Stransky, Cpl. F. Ainstein and LA/Cs H. McCormack, R. Brestley andH. Wall (reserve). Some members started ski-ing only last year, and the team'straining was considerably hampered by poor weather. R.A.R Bomb Home Fleet T TNITS of the Home Fleet were locatedv and " bombed," and one submarine was located, by aircraft of R.A.F. Coas-tal Command during an exercise in the Bay of Biscay which began on February17th. On the first day, Sunderland fly- ing boats, engaged in an anti-submarinerole, located one submarine. Later a Lancaster from St. Eval, Cornwall,located the Fleet in the Bay, and the ships were '' shadowed '' until daybreak,when Lancasters of another Squadron were '' homed " on to the Fleet by theshadowing aircraft and made a high-level bombing strike, after which contact wasbroken. In the afternoon the Fleet was again
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