Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 2, 2024 22:13:10 GMT 12
From the NZ Herald, 2 March 1944, about Bernie Hoskin.
PILOT RESCUED
EXCITING EXPERIENCES
TRIP ON NAVY MISSION
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) BOUGAINVILLE, Feb. 28
The first New Zealand pilot to land at Green Island is Flying-Officer B. Hoskin, of Auckland, formerly of New Plymouth, but he stepped ashore from a rescue boat and not his aircraft. Even then his adventures were not over, for the patrol torpedo-boat, which eventually returned him to his base, had another job to do first. This was a boldly-conceived and successfully-executed surprise raid by night on an enemy lair off New Ireland.
Flying-Officer Hoskin's adventures began when he was detailed to fly with the New Zealand Warhawk Squadron on escort duty providing protection for Dauntless dive-bombers in an attack on Rabaul. A defect developed in the fuel system of his aircraft on the way out and on the homeward run his fuel supply was quickly becoming exhausted.
Sergeant Directs Rescuers
In this predicament he turned toward Green Island, where he knew crash boats were stationed. Flying with him in another Warhawk was Sergeant A. F. C. Hough, of Lower Hutt, who was aware of the difficulty in which Flying-Officer Hoskin was placed and turned toward Green Island with him.
He subsequently played a leading part in the dramatic series of adventures that overtook Flying-Officer Hoskin, who later said; "Sergeant Hough did a great job. I reckon he saved my life."
Unable to see Green Island because of bad weather and with his fuel supply perilously low, Flying-Officer Hoskin was forced to bale out into the sea 30 miles from the shore. He came down uninjured and managed to scramble into his dinghy. Sergeant Hough circled above him to make sure he was all right and then made for Green Island at top speed. There he made contact with a crash boat and gave directions as to where Flying-Officer Hoskin had alighted.
While at Green Island Sergeant Hough enlisted the help of an American Lightning pilot from another island, who flew back with him and assisted to find Flying-Officer Hoskin, above whom they circled for an hour.
Shelling of Feni Island
As time passed and there was no sign of the rescue boat, Sergeant Hough dashed off again to check up and found the crash boat heading in the wrong direction. Corrections were quickly made and a little while later the rescue boat, escorted by Airacobras, arrived and picked up Flying-Officer Hoskin, who had been two hours in his dinghy.
After being taken to Green Island, where he was warmly welcomed by New Zealand soldiers, Flying-Officer Hoskin set out at dusk in a torpedo-boat on a mission to Feni Island. In darkness the torpedo-boats ran in close to the shore under the noses of the Japanese and plastered their targets with everything they had. It was a thrilling and exciting engagement and was crowned with success.
Flying-Officer Hoskin is back with his squadron and thankful to his rescuers and for the lucky chance that gave him a first-hand experience of one of the wars in which the Navy works.
Flying-Officer Hoskin is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Hoskin, of Sandringham. He was educated at the New Plymouth Boys' High School and was studying accountancy before he joined the Air Force in January, 1940. He was instructing in New Zealand for two years before he left for the Pacific area, where he is now on his second tour of operations.
Flying-Officer B. Hoskin
PILOT RESCUED
EXCITING EXPERIENCES
TRIP ON NAVY MISSION
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) BOUGAINVILLE, Feb. 28
The first New Zealand pilot to land at Green Island is Flying-Officer B. Hoskin, of Auckland, formerly of New Plymouth, but he stepped ashore from a rescue boat and not his aircraft. Even then his adventures were not over, for the patrol torpedo-boat, which eventually returned him to his base, had another job to do first. This was a boldly-conceived and successfully-executed surprise raid by night on an enemy lair off New Ireland.
Flying-Officer Hoskin's adventures began when he was detailed to fly with the New Zealand Warhawk Squadron on escort duty providing protection for Dauntless dive-bombers in an attack on Rabaul. A defect developed in the fuel system of his aircraft on the way out and on the homeward run his fuel supply was quickly becoming exhausted.
Sergeant Directs Rescuers
In this predicament he turned toward Green Island, where he knew crash boats were stationed. Flying with him in another Warhawk was Sergeant A. F. C. Hough, of Lower Hutt, who was aware of the difficulty in which Flying-Officer Hoskin was placed and turned toward Green Island with him.
He subsequently played a leading part in the dramatic series of adventures that overtook Flying-Officer Hoskin, who later said; "Sergeant Hough did a great job. I reckon he saved my life."
Unable to see Green Island because of bad weather and with his fuel supply perilously low, Flying-Officer Hoskin was forced to bale out into the sea 30 miles from the shore. He came down uninjured and managed to scramble into his dinghy. Sergeant Hough circled above him to make sure he was all right and then made for Green Island at top speed. There he made contact with a crash boat and gave directions as to where Flying-Officer Hoskin had alighted.
While at Green Island Sergeant Hough enlisted the help of an American Lightning pilot from another island, who flew back with him and assisted to find Flying-Officer Hoskin, above whom they circled for an hour.
Shelling of Feni Island
As time passed and there was no sign of the rescue boat, Sergeant Hough dashed off again to check up and found the crash boat heading in the wrong direction. Corrections were quickly made and a little while later the rescue boat, escorted by Airacobras, arrived and picked up Flying-Officer Hoskin, who had been two hours in his dinghy.
After being taken to Green Island, where he was warmly welcomed by New Zealand soldiers, Flying-Officer Hoskin set out at dusk in a torpedo-boat on a mission to Feni Island. In darkness the torpedo-boats ran in close to the shore under the noses of the Japanese and plastered their targets with everything they had. It was a thrilling and exciting engagement and was crowned with success.
Flying-Officer Hoskin is back with his squadron and thankful to his rescuers and for the lucky chance that gave him a first-hand experience of one of the wars in which the Navy works.
Flying-Officer Hoskin is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Hoskin, of Sandringham. He was educated at the New Plymouth Boys' High School and was studying accountancy before he joined the Air Force in January, 1940. He was instructing in New Zealand for two years before he left for the Pacific area, where he is now on his second tour of operations.
Flying-Officer B. Hoskin
