Newspaper cutting

Newspaper cutting

Describes heroic action of a Halifax flight engineer, bomb aimer and wireless operator during operation dealing with fire and wounded crew.

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One newspaper cutting

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SWeirG19660703v110014

RIPPED UP PARACHUTE TO MAKE BANDAGES

WHEN a Halifax [missing words] set on fire over [missing words] near Dusseldorf) recently the engineer, Flight-Sergt. S. Soames, of Reading, used his bare hands to help beat out the fire and went to the rear of the aircraft without his oxygen mask to collect dressings for the wounded navigator, Sergt. R. Boyle, of Warrington.

The wireless operator tore up his parachute, though he knew he might need it, to make bandages for the wounded man.

The bomb-aimer took over the navigator’s duties and did not say a word about his own wound until in the face of almost impossible odds the Halifax had landed in an emergency airfield. Then he reported that he had been hit in the leg and was in “some pain.”

“Bale Out” Order Unheard

“We were making our bombing run,” said [underlined] the pilot, Pilot-Officer E. McGindle [/underlined] of Melbourne, Australia, “when we got a direct hit from heavy flak.

“When Flight-Sergt. Soames reported that the aircraft was on fire I ordered the crew to bale out.

“The voice of the wounded navigator calling out in great pain drowned my orders, which were not heard by the rest of the crew.”