Evening star., 1941-06-15


n1ander OF No. Fighter Squadron.
Royal Canadian Air Force, during its
share in the epic battle ouer Britain
We were in the battle of London, bu
we saw little of the city from the air. w
fought habitually at high altitude!
usually far above the clouds in world @
our own-a world of freezing cold, O
llmitless space and traced with white
plumed trails of condensed exhaust lef
by the wheeling aircraft as they fought
1t was like sky writing gone mad
We had to go to between $4,000 ant
10000 feet to engage the German fight
ers. The bombers they were escortins
few at anywhere from 10000 to 20Oot
feet. OF course, both men and aircraft
had to have special equipment to fight
at those attitudes. We had an oxyger
mask over our nose. The oxygen mask
and the wireless microphone were part
of the flap of our leather helmet. The
nap covered our faces from nose to chin
Just beneath the goggles.
A pilot pays some attention to his
oxygen shortly after he has taken off
He makes sure everything about his
oxygen apparatus is in working order be-
fore he goes very far, and then makes
adjustments for each 5000 feet of alti-
tude.
When you reach your operational or
nghting height of around 25,O0O feet the
oxygen maintains your mind and body
at normal. Then you listen to your di-
rections from the ground and keep a
sharp eye peeled for the enemy. One
section OF three planes is always detailed
as the weaving section" They 1v along
about 1000 feet above the rest of the
squadron and weave constantly from side
70 SIDE from front to rear, to guard
against surprise attack.
You will see other souadrons of DIR
aircraft from time to time. Sometimes
you will see fights in the distance. but
o1sclpllne is strict and you mind YOUR
own business until the particular enemy
formation you were sent up to intercept
makes 1t appearance.
Polish Story.
AS the days fighting progresses, SQUAD
fons will be called down to rearm their
guns and refuel while fresh souadrons
take their places There is one story
about scowling Polish pilot who landed
his Hurricane on a strange sirdrome
"Rearm and refuel?" asked the ground
crew chief. "No-more bullets" he
growled. The Poles are fine pilots and
ferocious fighters.
In the latter part of my own service
m Britain I commanded fighter wing
which included Polish squadron. our
oWn No Fighter Squadron of the ROYAL
Canadian Air Force, and a British r. A.
T. squadron. The Poles were ALWAYS
spelling for fight with the Hun. Most
u them did not know what had become
If their homes and families back in Po-
and.
One Polish pilot. not in my squadron.
vas so fond of sneaking off from his
quadron and making lone trips into
jermany to machine-gun ground troops
nat his commanding officer had to clip
rs wings little. The gas tanks of his
lane were only half filled so that he
ouldnt get to Germany and back.
lhe pilots of our other allies are also
wing good account of themselves with
ne Royal Air Force. There are Nor
eglans, Czechs, Netherlanders. Belgians
nd Frenchmen. They fight silently and
nth cold fury, trying to get revenge
or the smashing of their homes, trying
, win back their homelands.
The British are determined that the
ame tragedy shall not overtake Britain.
hat readiness has proved embarrassing
flying men more than once. Away
ON an alrdrome there is no place for
forced landing. Every farm field, every
leadoW, every moor is rendered useless
'r flying operations. Old wrecks of
ltomobiles lie rusting in the fields. Piles
stones, concrete blocks, iron pipes
trust upright into the ground-all are
lady to- wreck any German aircraft
'eking a spot to land troops.
When British fighting aircraft's en-
me goes dead, the pilot has to take his
1ances with these obstacles. He lands
1th his wheels up so that his aircraft
Ill just slither along the ground a few
'et and stop instead of rolling into
lese BOBBY traps. 1t means that prob
oly the propeller, the wings and fuse
ge of his machine will be damaged,
1T the pilot usually escapes injury.
The Home Guard, aided by a legion
self-appointed volunteers, is ready for
arachute troops There is another sore
oint for the defending pilots. One
ritish boy set his aircraft down with a
lump in an English farm field. A .
rmer ran toward him with shotgun. ,
Home Guard soldier ran down the
ghway toward him. Prudently the
lot put his hands over his head and
louted, I'm a British officer"
Unmoved, the farmer aimed the shot {
IN at his head.
Get my papers out of my pocket and |
nvince this lad" the pilot appealed
the Home Guard who arrived out of
cath. Tell him to put that thing {
,wn."
The farmer never moved the gun from t
&SS$3 ~ ~