BOMBING WEEK - Royal New Zealand Air Force

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22 24 April 2006 marks the 65th anniversary of the Second World War military evacuation of Greece and is followed closely a month later by the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Crete. For the New Zealand Army these two campaigns resulted in the tragedy of 932 New Zealanders killed, 1,354 wounded, and 4,036 taken prisoner. For a month this is second only to the Battle of the Somme in the scale of New Zealand casualties. Operational failures have long been attributed to a lack of allied air support. Yet eight Kiwi airmen lost their lives during the two campaigns, and the efforts of many others have been largely forgotten. Fittingly however, the valiant efforts of two New Zealand aircrew were recognised by the King of the Hellenes with the award of the Greek Distinguished Flying Cross. FGOFF Mark Brewer charts the intriguing wartime exploits of two RNZAF heroes. Flight Lieutenant H.W. Lamond FLTLT Henry William Lamond was a member of No. 228 Squadron, fl ying Sunderland fl ying boats on reconnaissance, escort and antisubmarine patrols in the Mediterranean. Henry Lamond had joined the RNZAF on 4 January 1938 and completed Pilots course No. 3 at Wigram, before transferring to the RAF on 15 March 1939. With the evacuation of Greece well underway on ANZAC Day 1941, FLTLT Lamond’s Squadron deviated from their normal duties and he and his crew made numerous passenger trips from the coast of Greece to Suda Bay in Crete, including one fl ight carrying 52 offi cers and men from an RAF Fighter Squadron. He then returned to Kalamata in Greece and took aboard 72 men waiting in the harbour area. This was the greatest number of passengers ever carried by a Sunderland, and an incredible record-setting feat of airmanship. Later that night FLTLT Lamond and his crew returned to Greece to deliver a message and evacuate additional personnel. But when attempting to land without light on a deceptive harbour surface the aircraft crashed and turned over, resulting in the death of six of the crew including the second pilot, New Zealand FGOFF John Lylian. Lamond and the three remaining survivors remained afl oat on part of the wing until rescued by a Greek fishing boat. On reaching Greece three of the crew, including Flight Lieutenant Lamond, were admitted to hospital, where they later fell into the hands of the advancing Germans. Lamond’s efforts during the evacuation were recognised by the King and people of Greece with the award of the Greek Distinguished Flying Cross, announced in the London Gazette on 29 December 1942. After recovering FLTLT Lamond was transferred to Stalag Luft I near Barth in Northern Germany and again in the spring of 1942 to Stalag Luft III near Sagan, now part of Poland. In his book ‘The Great Escape’ Paul Brickhill describes FLTLT Henry ‘Piglet’ Lamond as a slight, toothy little New Zealander who was constantly involved in escape attempts. Soon after arrival at the new camp he and two other prisoners tunnelled from a soak pit towards the wire by burying themselves alive and tunnelling like moles. A metre underground they tunnelled naked with their clothes in bundles, pushing up sticks to make breathing holes. Unable to make the required distance by morning they remained underground for the entire daytime period until British Crown Copyright, RAF Museum* * Her Britannic Majesty’s Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of the Stationary Offi ce. breaking out three hours after dark the next night. Their reward was a few short days of freedom in wartime Germany, before being captured in a stolen rowboat travelling down the River Oder. Lamond was returned to the ‘cooler’ at Stalag Luft III and his companions were both transferred to Castle Colditz. FLTLT Lamond continued to participate in escape attempts. He assisted with the digging of tunnels ‘Tom’, ‘Dick’ and ‘Harry’ but was not in the 200 selected to escape by way of ballot. Regardless, he helped co-ordinate the escapers at the tunnel entrance for ‘The Great Escape’ and dispersed them when prisoners including New Zealanders FLTLT Michael Shand and SQNLDR Leonard Trent VC were compromised at the exit point. Sadly New Zealanders FGOFF Arnold Christensen, FGOFF Porokoru Patapu John Pohe and FLTLT John Williams were captured whilst on the run and executed. FLTLT Lamond remained a prisoner of war until the Victory in Europe. He retained his commission with the RAF after repatriation and later rose to the rank of Wing Commander. He retired in the mid 1960’s, remaining in the United Kingdom and is now resident in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. AFN69 APRIL 06 www.airforce.mil.nz British Cr
own Copyright, RAF Museum* Flight Lieutenant S.W.R. Hughes At the time of the evacuation from Greece, FLTLT Sidney Weetman Rochford Hughes was fl ying Sunderland fl ying boats with No. 230 Squadron. He had joined the RNZAF in 1937 and after completing No. 1 Pilots course transferred to the RAF in June 1938, where he fi rst fl ew Hawker Hind and Fairey Battle aircraft before completing a fl ying boat course. Like Henry Lamond, FLTLT Hughes and his crew made a number of evacuation fl ights from Greece in April 1941. He was also involved in the evacuation of Crete a month later and was subsequently awarded the Greek Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during the two campaigns. He is more notably remembered however, for his actions when shot down in December 1941. During a shuttle flight from Egypt to Malta, FLTLT Hughes’ Sunderland was attacked by two German Messerschmitt 110 fi ghters. In a brief encounter the Sunderland’s gunners appear to have destroyed one fi ghter and the other retired. However, two air gunners were wounded, one passenger was killed and the aircraft suffered extensive damage. With both starboard engines out of action and the starboard aileron shot away the aircraft lost height rapidly. Rochford Hughes succeeded in bringing the aircraft into the wind, made a forced landing in heavy seas and fi ghting capsize lodged the Sunderland rearwards on to www.airforce.mil.nz Acknowledgements: Brickhill, P., (1951). The Great Escape. Faber and Faber Ltd.: London, pp 24 – 29 and 155 – 195. AFN69, APRIL 06 British Crown Copyright, RAF Museum a reef in enemy territory. As they evacuated the promoted to Air Marshal in 1967. Sir Rochford aircraft the second pilot was carried away by Hughes returned to New Zealand in 1972 after an undertow and FLTLT Hughes dived in to the serving as Air Adviser to the Singapore Govern- water and dragged him ashore after a 30 minute ment. He sat on a number of company boards, struggle. including Mazda Motors, New Zealand Steel, Once on dry land the 20 survivors were surprised and the Reserve Bank before retiring in the late by a small group of Italian soldiers, who holding 1980’s. Sir Rochford Hughes died at Taupo in their rifles above their heads surrendered to September 1996. the RAF party. When 80 more Italian soldiers These two awards are notable as they were arrived, Hughes and his group were instead the only Greek decorations awarded to New taken prisoner and marched towards Benghazi. Zealand aircrew during the Second World Later a group of Italian offi cers and a hundred War, and directly recognise service during more soldiers joined the group, and after one of the Greece and Crete campaigns. Only three the wounded air gunners died the RAF party was other New Zealand airmen have worn Greek abandoned at an Arab village in exchange for the awards; CAPT Louis Stringer received the Italians receiving favourable treatment should Greek Medal of Military Merit while a Doctor they later be captured. The Arabs directed the with the Royal Flying Corps for services with the group towards British lines, where after attracting Royal Navy in World War One; LTCOL Francis numerous Italian soldiers hoping to surrender, Hewlett, an RAF Pilot was made a Commander FLTLT Hughes lead his party to allied territory of the Greek Order of St Saveur in 1920, before with approximately 130 prisoners in tow. He was serving as an Air Commodore with the RNZAF subsequently awarded an OBE for his courage during World War Two; and GPCAPT Walter and leadership. Merton, a British RAF Offi cer was made an SQNLDR Hughes served out the war as Offi cer Offi cer of the Greek Order of George I in 1942 Commanding the Middle East Air Sea Rescue Unit prior to being appointed Chief of Air Staff for and was appointed to a permanent commission in the RNZAF in 1954. He later received the Grand 1946. He rose through the ranks to command RAF Cross of the Greek Order of the Phoenix in 1963 Farnborough, RAF Jever, and serve as Commander as an Air Chief Marshal and Air Aide-de-Camp in Chief Far East Air Force. He was knighted and to the Queen. Whelan, J.A., (1951). Malta Airmen. War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs: Wellington, pp 7 – 10. 23
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