Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 7, 2021 16:22:45 GMT 12
FLEET AIR ARM
SEAFIRES’ GREAT PART
NEW ZEALAND PILOTS
LANDING AT SALERNO
(Special Correspondent) (Received Oct. 14. 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 13
The important part taken by Seafires of the Fleet Air Arm in the Salerno landing is now made known. Seafires of the escort aircraft-carriers Battler. Unicorn, Hunter, Stalker and Attacker flew patrols over the landing troops for four days and then flew from the landing grounds to the shore for three days until the Royal Air Force arrived.
The Royal Air Force aircraft were based in Sicily. They had to fly for three hours to Salerno where they could only patrol for half-an-hour. It was hoped that they could occupy the aerodrome at Monte Cavino the day following the initial assault, but a German counter-attack made this impossible, so the full weight of the task of covering the troops fell on the Fleet Air Arm. It is considered that the landing would have failed without their support.
Several New Zealanders were among the pilots.—Lieutenant F. A. J. Pennington (Wellington), Sub-Lieutenants L. D. Graham (Taumarunui), M. L. Heath (Nelson), A. B. Foley (Takapau), and A S. McLeod (Taranaki), also D. L. Olds.
“It was a Wonderful Sight”
One of the New Zealanders said: “From Gibraltar we went to Malta, where in addition to our ‘Woolworth carriers’ there were the formidable Rodney, Nelson and many other warships. It was a wonderful sight. Our force left Malta on September 10. Next morning we were off Salerno Bay and began our first patrol at dawn. It was a beautiful clear morning. We patrolled all day, flying about one hour and twenty minutes in each patrol. We acted as low cover while other Seafires acted as high cover.
“It was a marvellous sight to see the troops landing under us. There were long lines of landing barges going in to the beach. Once there were two lines of between 50 and 60 barges, nose to nose, making for the beaches. We expected that our work would be finished after that day and that the Royal Air Force would land at Monte Cavino, but our patrols had to continue for four days. Then some of us went ashore. We had not seen any German fighters. We could hear them on the radiotelephone occasionally, but they seemed to be scared of the Seafires. That time ashore was the most exciting part of the operation to us.
Terrific Barrage
“We had to use a landing strip in the fields in an area occupied by Americans. They re-fuelled the Seafires with four gallon cans of petrol, which was a slow and laborious job. Next morning we carried out a weather patrol, but when we landed to refuel some Focke-Wulfs came over and started bombing, but the American anti-aircraft fire kept them well out of harm’s way. We moved to another landing strip later in the day, only 400 yards in front of the British artillery position. We carried out patrols until dusk.
“That night Junkers 88’s dive bombed us for nearly an hour. This was not so good, as often they switched off their engines and glided in before dropping their bombs, which as a result exploded without warning.
“We turned in about 11 p.m. for a sleep in an old dry drain, with a blanket or two, but sleep was impossible, for only an hour later the British barrage started and it lasted from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. With the guns only 300 yards behind us we could feel the concussion. The din was terrific. We flew again at dawn but no Germans showed up.
“Gave the Germans Hell”
“At about 10.45 our bombers began to arrive. First there came 100 Mitchells, followed later by 100 Bostons. They were not molested and gave the Germans hell. That afternoon the Royal Air Force arrived, so we could set off and find our carriers, which had retired to North Africa. As we left Italy we could see the dust raised by the bombing still forming on the screen to 2000 feet. We flew from Salerno to Patte, in Sicily, then to Castel Ventrano, then on to Bizerta, from where we returned to England.
“We would not have missed the operation for anything. Our keenness to get ashore and fly from the aerodromes was so intense that there was nearly a scrap between the pilots as to who should be allowed to go. We were very interested to meet Americans there and were much impressed by their varieties of concentrated food, which was done up in neat packets, also cans of ham and eggs. We had more than we could use, so gave some to the Italians. Their condition was pitiable.
“The thing that interested us most about the whole operation was the lack of German aircraft. It was most disheartening.’’
WAIKATO TIMES, 14 OCTOBER 1943
SEAFIRES’ GREAT PART
NEW ZEALAND PILOTS
LANDING AT SALERNO
(Special Correspondent) (Received Oct. 14. 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 13
The important part taken by Seafires of the Fleet Air Arm in the Salerno landing is now made known. Seafires of the escort aircraft-carriers Battler. Unicorn, Hunter, Stalker and Attacker flew patrols over the landing troops for four days and then flew from the landing grounds to the shore for three days until the Royal Air Force arrived.
The Royal Air Force aircraft were based in Sicily. They had to fly for three hours to Salerno where they could only patrol for half-an-hour. It was hoped that they could occupy the aerodrome at Monte Cavino the day following the initial assault, but a German counter-attack made this impossible, so the full weight of the task of covering the troops fell on the Fleet Air Arm. It is considered that the landing would have failed without their support.
Several New Zealanders were among the pilots.—Lieutenant F. A. J. Pennington (Wellington), Sub-Lieutenants L. D. Graham (Taumarunui), M. L. Heath (Nelson), A. B. Foley (Takapau), and A S. McLeod (Taranaki), also D. L. Olds.
“It was a Wonderful Sight”
One of the New Zealanders said: “From Gibraltar we went to Malta, where in addition to our ‘Woolworth carriers’ there were the formidable Rodney, Nelson and many other warships. It was a wonderful sight. Our force left Malta on September 10. Next morning we were off Salerno Bay and began our first patrol at dawn. It was a beautiful clear morning. We patrolled all day, flying about one hour and twenty minutes in each patrol. We acted as low cover while other Seafires acted as high cover.
“It was a marvellous sight to see the troops landing under us. There were long lines of landing barges going in to the beach. Once there were two lines of between 50 and 60 barges, nose to nose, making for the beaches. We expected that our work would be finished after that day and that the Royal Air Force would land at Monte Cavino, but our patrols had to continue for four days. Then some of us went ashore. We had not seen any German fighters. We could hear them on the radiotelephone occasionally, but they seemed to be scared of the Seafires. That time ashore was the most exciting part of the operation to us.
Terrific Barrage
“We had to use a landing strip in the fields in an area occupied by Americans. They re-fuelled the Seafires with four gallon cans of petrol, which was a slow and laborious job. Next morning we carried out a weather patrol, but when we landed to refuel some Focke-Wulfs came over and started bombing, but the American anti-aircraft fire kept them well out of harm’s way. We moved to another landing strip later in the day, only 400 yards in front of the British artillery position. We carried out patrols until dusk.
“That night Junkers 88’s dive bombed us for nearly an hour. This was not so good, as often they switched off their engines and glided in before dropping their bombs, which as a result exploded without warning.
“We turned in about 11 p.m. for a sleep in an old dry drain, with a blanket or two, but sleep was impossible, for only an hour later the British barrage started and it lasted from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. With the guns only 300 yards behind us we could feel the concussion. The din was terrific. We flew again at dawn but no Germans showed up.
“Gave the Germans Hell”
“At about 10.45 our bombers began to arrive. First there came 100 Mitchells, followed later by 100 Bostons. They were not molested and gave the Germans hell. That afternoon the Royal Air Force arrived, so we could set off and find our carriers, which had retired to North Africa. As we left Italy we could see the dust raised by the bombing still forming on the screen to 2000 feet. We flew from Salerno to Patte, in Sicily, then to Castel Ventrano, then on to Bizerta, from where we returned to England.
“We would not have missed the operation for anything. Our keenness to get ashore and fly from the aerodromes was so intense that there was nearly a scrap between the pilots as to who should be allowed to go. We were very interested to meet Americans there and were much impressed by their varieties of concentrated food, which was done up in neat packets, also cans of ham and eggs. We had more than we could use, so gave some to the Italians. Their condition was pitiable.
“The thing that interested us most about the whole operation was the lack of German aircraft. It was most disheartening.’’
WAIKATO TIMES, 14 OCTOBER 1943
