Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 18, 2021 21:29:13 GMT 12
NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN
GREAT WELCOME FROM FRENCH
LANDING BY PARACHUTE
LONDON, June 26
“Je suis Anglais,” shouted Flight-Lieutenant Basil Collyns, of Marlborough, New Zealand, when, after landing by parachute from his damaged Mustang, he saw a crowd of French people approaching him with rather menacing looks. His assertion immediately changed the atmosphere and the French told him the Americans were not far away.
Flight-Lieutenant Collyns had been taking part in the strafing of Cherbourg. He dived down to 30ft. to attack gun positions at 420 miles an hour when his Mustang was hit by flak. He pulled up sharply to 3000 ft., intending to reach the American lines if possible, but soon his engine began to spurt flames, so he bailed out and landed near Montebourg in a small field.
He saw a number of troops in the village pick up rifles and run in his direction, but before they arrived a crowd of French men and women reached him. They pumped his hands, clapped him on the back, kissed him, took him to the farmhouse, brought out a bottle of cognac, and they were holding celebrations when the Americans arrived. Eventually, Flight-Lieutenant Collyns left the village in a jeep, feeling very self-conscious as the villagers cheered him. He was flown back to England in a transport aircraft.
WAIKATO TIMES, 27 JUNE 1944
GREAT WELCOME FROM FRENCH
LANDING BY PARACHUTE
LONDON, June 26
“Je suis Anglais,” shouted Flight-Lieutenant Basil Collyns, of Marlborough, New Zealand, when, after landing by parachute from his damaged Mustang, he saw a crowd of French people approaching him with rather menacing looks. His assertion immediately changed the atmosphere and the French told him the Americans were not far away.
Flight-Lieutenant Collyns had been taking part in the strafing of Cherbourg. He dived down to 30ft. to attack gun positions at 420 miles an hour when his Mustang was hit by flak. He pulled up sharply to 3000 ft., intending to reach the American lines if possible, but soon his engine began to spurt flames, so he bailed out and landed near Montebourg in a small field.
He saw a number of troops in the village pick up rifles and run in his direction, but before they arrived a crowd of French men and women reached him. They pumped his hands, clapped him on the back, kissed him, took him to the farmhouse, brought out a bottle of cognac, and they were holding celebrations when the Americans arrived. Eventually, Flight-Lieutenant Collyns left the village in a jeep, feeling very self-conscious as the villagers cheered him. He was flown back to England in a transport aircraft.
WAIKATO TIMES, 27 JUNE 1944
