Left
Chedburgh and proceeded to #17 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Silverstone:
Silverstone,
March 3, 1945
Silverstone
was an Operational Training Unit and it was our duty to train bomber crews
on the various aspects of a bombing mission.The
aircraft were Wellington Mk10s with virtually all of the equipment that
we had in the Lancs.We were treated
with much respect, as veterans, by the airmen forming themselves into crews.
(as we had done so long ago!!)It
was our job to weld them into a fighting unit.By
this time the allied forces were well on their way to Berlin but there
was still a need for aircrew.I
stayed with #17 OTU until September.During
this time I was sent up to the Empire Air Armaments School for a course
on Low Level Bombing, which technique was used effectively on the Moen
and Eder Dams.VE Day and VJ Day
came and went and on September 10, 1945, I was advised that I would be
returning home to New Zealand.
Left
Silverstone on September 15 and proceeded to Brighton, the Lion Hotel where
we were billeted awaiting transportation home.
Boarded
train for Southampton on September 23 and went on board HMT ‘ANDES’ bound
for New Zealand.An uneventful trip
round Gibraltar, through the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, the Red Sea and
so on to Melbourne.A record-breaking
trip in one of the pre-war luxury liners.We
passed the Southern tip of Australia on the 13th of October
and pulled into the harbour in Melbourne on the 17th.Comment
from a lady who came to see us, “My dear, I went down to the Mess this
morning and saw those Junior Officers.They
were fighting over their food like pigs at a trough.”
We
left Melbourne on the 18th of September and, because it was
Labour Day in New Zealand, we were requested to slow down so that we would
not arrive on a holiday!!!!
Letter
sent to Air Department, Wellington.
“Reduced
standard of accommodation and indignity suffered by majority of officers
is causing great resentment.This
is accentuated by preferential treatment given to officers of equal rank
of other services and civilians.Officers
concerned strongly request hard living allowance for duration of voyage.Understand
this requires adjustment with Air Ministry.Suggest
New Zealand Government be approached regarding making up of cash difference.Urgent
reply strongly advocated.
Signed:
O/C Troops
W/C
Hornsby-Smith”
Arrived
Lyttelton Harbour, 23rd October.Back
on board the Andes and into Wellington Harbour to a rousing welcome with
bands playing.On board train that
night and arrived back in Masterton on 24th October 1945.