Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 10, 2018 18:32:38 GMT 12
Here's a nice piece on No. 23 (Fighter) Squadron from the R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service in late April 1945.
"GHOST" SQUADRON RETURNS
HAUNTING THE JAPANESE
Happy, Capable Fighting Team
Short Respite In New Zealand
Emirau, April 15. (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service)
The "Ghost" Squadron is back! Veteran pilot J. J. de Willimoff D.F.C., of Tirau, and his band of keen, young fighter-pilots have returned to the Bismarcks to haunt the Japanese again after a short respite in New Zealand following their tour of operations in Bougainville and the Admiralties late last year. The "Ghosts" — they got their name while doing early training at Ardmore, New Zealand, and the sobriquet stuck — have already shown that there will he nothing spectral about their visitations over enemy territory. On the contrary, they are very real, as some of the Japanese have learned to their own dismay.
They are no phantom squadrons of the type, which imaginative writers of fiction like to create, but a group of typical New Zealand fighter pilots, cool, hardy and practical, concerned only with material things, the rugged little Corsairs they fly so skilfully, the guns they handle so easily, and the targets they bomb and strafe so accurately. They are keen for action, and they ask no more than that they will find the enemy as frequently as possible and in the largest concentrations.
With only one or two changes in personnel, the squadron is the same one that flew at Los Negros last December. Squadron Leader de Willimoff, now making his fifth tour in the Pacific, again has with him his redoubtable henchmen, Flight Lieutenants A.M. Davis, D.F.C. of Wellington, and J.S. Lockyer, of Napier, both also on their fifth operational tour. Exactly three years ago, in March 1942, they teamed up as members of the first R.N.Z.A.F. fighter squadron, formed at Ohakea, and they have been together ever since. Probably this fact has helped considerably towards making the squadron the happy and capable fighting team it is to-day.
These men form the backbone of the squadron and they are supported by men who are for the most part young in years but old in experience. They know the they know the enemy, and they know their job. They boast a high morale, which was not affected by the inactivity of the fighter patrols which rounded off their tour at Los Negros last year: necessary but unspectacular duties. With many thousands of Japanese less than half an hour's flying from here, and the weather favouring operations, the "Ghosts" are quite optimistic. During the first few days of their tour the weather was a stubborn opponent to their plans, but a recent improvement has enabled them to go out daily over New Ireland and islands off the mainland. Carrying 1,000lb. "daisycutters," which are being used in this area for the first time, and sometimes 700lb. and 325lb. depth charges, they have attacked targets around Kavieng, Panapai, Balgai and plantations to the south with good results. Small enemy-held islands off the New Ireland coast have felt the impact of their bombs and the Japanese have learned that a Corsair's approach is something to be feared.
The squadron had a real day out recently. It began with a raid on an area south-east of Balgai airstrip where the Japanese are cultivating extensive gardens — an important source of food supplies to the thousands-strong enemy, garrison. About 15 Japanese were working in the gardens when Pilot Officer J. L. Callander, who comes from Taranaki, and Flight Sergeant A. H. Parry, of Christchurch, flew over in their Corsairs, their keen eyes missing nothing of the target before them. They dived down in a strafing attack and the Japs scattered — all except two who stopped the New Zealanders' bullets. Six ran into a tent, but the Corsairs swept over with their guns raking the flimsy structure and the tent was cut to ribbons in a few seconds.
Several more of the enemy were almost certainly accounted for when, half a mile west of the gardens, the two pilots found a camouflaged hangar-type building and a small hut half submerged in the ground. They got these with well-placed bombs and when a number of Japanese working nearby ran into the bush for cover the New Zealanders strafed the bush from end to end.
Patrolling over Kavieng, second only in importance to Rabaul, the following day, Squadron Leader de Willimoff, with Flight Sergeant T. A. Mitchell, of Auckland, as his "wing man," discovered a large wooden hulk on the western side of Ral Island. The Squadron Leader strafed the target thoroughly and left it burning fiercely. It was observed with columns of brownish and white smoke rising to 3000 feet. From the length of time it continued to burn, and the nature of the smoke, there was obviously something more in the hulk than rotting timbers!
In another raid over a small island off the mainland, Squadron Leader de Willimoff scored a direct hit on a group of huts partly concealed beneath the trees. They were all reduced to rubble. In all these attacks, the targets were "targets of opportunity", that is, they were not selected but were discovered by accident during patrols. In addition, the Corsairs have been striking at targets in New Ireland, principally around the north-west region.
In all these raids the "ghosts" flew under the guidance of Flight Lieutenant L. J. Allen, of Auckland, who, as squadron intelligence officer, has been with them long enough to know their individual capabilities and obtain an accurate picture of each operation from his interrogation of them. If any pilot has a tendency to understate or exaggerate he knows it, and can take that into account when hearing their reports. Like most intelligence officers he is father, guide and counsel to the fighter pilots. This is his third tour with the squadron.
"GHOST" SQUADRON RETURNS
HAUNTING THE JAPANESE
Happy, Capable Fighting Team
Short Respite In New Zealand
Emirau, April 15. (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service)
The "Ghost" Squadron is back! Veteran pilot J. J. de Willimoff D.F.C., of Tirau, and his band of keen, young fighter-pilots have returned to the Bismarcks to haunt the Japanese again after a short respite in New Zealand following their tour of operations in Bougainville and the Admiralties late last year. The "Ghosts" — they got their name while doing early training at Ardmore, New Zealand, and the sobriquet stuck — have already shown that there will he nothing spectral about their visitations over enemy territory. On the contrary, they are very real, as some of the Japanese have learned to their own dismay.
They are no phantom squadrons of the type, which imaginative writers of fiction like to create, but a group of typical New Zealand fighter pilots, cool, hardy and practical, concerned only with material things, the rugged little Corsairs they fly so skilfully, the guns they handle so easily, and the targets they bomb and strafe so accurately. They are keen for action, and they ask no more than that they will find the enemy as frequently as possible and in the largest concentrations.
With only one or two changes in personnel, the squadron is the same one that flew at Los Negros last December. Squadron Leader de Willimoff, now making his fifth tour in the Pacific, again has with him his redoubtable henchmen, Flight Lieutenants A.M. Davis, D.F.C. of Wellington, and J.S. Lockyer, of Napier, both also on their fifth operational tour. Exactly three years ago, in March 1942, they teamed up as members of the first R.N.Z.A.F. fighter squadron, formed at Ohakea, and they have been together ever since. Probably this fact has helped considerably towards making the squadron the happy and capable fighting team it is to-day.
These men form the backbone of the squadron and they are supported by men who are for the most part young in years but old in experience. They know the they know the enemy, and they know their job. They boast a high morale, which was not affected by the inactivity of the fighter patrols which rounded off their tour at Los Negros last year: necessary but unspectacular duties. With many thousands of Japanese less than half an hour's flying from here, and the weather favouring operations, the "Ghosts" are quite optimistic. During the first few days of their tour the weather was a stubborn opponent to their plans, but a recent improvement has enabled them to go out daily over New Ireland and islands off the mainland. Carrying 1,000lb. "daisycutters," which are being used in this area for the first time, and sometimes 700lb. and 325lb. depth charges, they have attacked targets around Kavieng, Panapai, Balgai and plantations to the south with good results. Small enemy-held islands off the New Ireland coast have felt the impact of their bombs and the Japanese have learned that a Corsair's approach is something to be feared.
The squadron had a real day out recently. It began with a raid on an area south-east of Balgai airstrip where the Japanese are cultivating extensive gardens — an important source of food supplies to the thousands-strong enemy, garrison. About 15 Japanese were working in the gardens when Pilot Officer J. L. Callander, who comes from Taranaki, and Flight Sergeant A. H. Parry, of Christchurch, flew over in their Corsairs, their keen eyes missing nothing of the target before them. They dived down in a strafing attack and the Japs scattered — all except two who stopped the New Zealanders' bullets. Six ran into a tent, but the Corsairs swept over with their guns raking the flimsy structure and the tent was cut to ribbons in a few seconds.
Several more of the enemy were almost certainly accounted for when, half a mile west of the gardens, the two pilots found a camouflaged hangar-type building and a small hut half submerged in the ground. They got these with well-placed bombs and when a number of Japanese working nearby ran into the bush for cover the New Zealanders strafed the bush from end to end.
Patrolling over Kavieng, second only in importance to Rabaul, the following day, Squadron Leader de Willimoff, with Flight Sergeant T. A. Mitchell, of Auckland, as his "wing man," discovered a large wooden hulk on the western side of Ral Island. The Squadron Leader strafed the target thoroughly and left it burning fiercely. It was observed with columns of brownish and white smoke rising to 3000 feet. From the length of time it continued to burn, and the nature of the smoke, there was obviously something more in the hulk than rotting timbers!
In another raid over a small island off the mainland, Squadron Leader de Willimoff scored a direct hit on a group of huts partly concealed beneath the trees. They were all reduced to rubble. In all these attacks, the targets were "targets of opportunity", that is, they were not selected but were discovered by accident during patrols. In addition, the Corsairs have been striking at targets in New Ireland, principally around the north-west region.
In all these raids the "ghosts" flew under the guidance of Flight Lieutenant L. J. Allen, of Auckland, who, as squadron intelligence officer, has been with them long enough to know their individual capabilities and obtain an accurate picture of each operation from his interrogation of them. If any pilot has a tendency to understate or exaggerate he knows it, and can take that into account when hearing their reports. Like most intelligence officers he is father, guide and counsel to the fighter pilots. This is his third tour with the squadron.
