Ronald Wigg was born in Auckland and left his insurance job and New Zealand in 1938 to join the Royal Air force. After training he joined No 65 Squadron at Hornchurch. After action over France and in the Battle of Britain, Ronald was posted as an instructor in February, 1941. With a little extra time on his hands, he penned the following letter to friends and family at home.
FIGHTING IN THE AIR
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF “ BLITZ”
HOW INDIVIDUAL FEELS
A NEW ZEALANDER’S LETTER
War in the air from the point of view of the individual fighter is graphically described by Flight-Lieutenant R. G. Wigg, a New Zealander who joined the Royal Air Force some time before the outbreak of the present struggle, in a letter home. He is a broher of Mr G. C. Wigg, of Waihi.
“I have never fold you much of what happened during the blitz last summer,” writes Flight-Lieutenant Wigg. “You might like to hear about a few of my experiences. The rest of the boys think I am a good target for the Jerry fighters as after a fight I usually come home with several bullet or cannon shell-holes in my machine. Hope my luck holds. The enemy always seem to see me first and the first thing I know is showers of stuff rushing past. Never forget the first Jerry I saw. Was over Dunkirk and a M109 went whistling past with a dirty black cross on its side. Decided than that a war was on. However, about a minute later I looked behind and thought I saw a Spitfire following me. Soon found out my mistake when there were some terrific bangs as cannon shells and bullets hit the machine. This was the time I got some bits of lead in the back of my head. Did quite a bit of damage as the guns would not work nor the brakes or undercraft. What worried me most of all was the hood, which would not open as a cannon shell passed through the fuselage just behind the cockpit, leaving a big jagged hole which would not allow the hood to slide back. Could not bail out if I wanted to. Came back across the Channel, managed to get the wheels down with the emergency gear, but had to land without brakes or flaps. Was worried in case I overshot and ended up in the far fence. However got down safely and had to stay in the cockpit while they hammered the side so that I could get the hood open.
BATTLING OVER CALAIS
“A couple of the others came down on the beach north of Calais. One of them found a deserted tank and drove it into Dunkirk and came back with the Navy. Another day I was up with two others and were jumped on by a dozen M109’s. The boys on the ground saw one come back, and, knowing my luck, guessed it was me. I had tracer bullets coming at me by the hundred but only one hit the aircraft. The other two chaps were ‘bopped.’ I came down below the clouds and saw a couple of heaps of burning wreckage. In wartime you get used to the boys being ‘bumped off.’ Surprisingly, it never worries us. Have also been bombed and machine-gunned on the ground. Since we have turned south it has been very quiet compared with the summer months. Unfortunately, we lost our most successful pilot recently. He had a bag of about 15 and was a blood-thirsty chap who always I moaned if he went up and did not have a fight.
PARCELS APPRECIATED
“Parcels are always appreciated from home, but hope you do not believe the German propaganda that food is scarce. We are well fed although there is a shortage of such things as chocolate, bacon, silk stockings and a few other items. Am going on leave on the 5th. There is a place over here run by a Lady Frances Ryder and she arranges for colonials (as we are called) to stay with various people all over England and Scotland.” -Waihi Daily Telegraph, 17/3/1941.
Ronald's reference to having been "bombed and machine-gunned on the ground" was probably an account of the German attack on Manston airfield on August 12, 1940, when German bombs exploded amongst the Squadron's Spitfires during take off. Ronald's plane had its engine stopped by the blast, forcing a rapid landing and evacuation to the nearest bomb shelter.
In January, 1942, he was at Aden, part of an Operational Training Unit, then he joined No. ! (South African) Squadron to take part in the Battle of El Alamein. In January, 1943, he was flying as a test pilot in North Africa until being posted back to the UK in July, 1945. On August 1, 1945, Ronald was transferred to the RNZAF, being released from the Air Force the following year with the rank of Squadron Leader.
I am indebted to the "All Spitfire Pilots" site for the above information.
Kaikohe Cemetery.
No comments:
Post a Comment