Achievements
75(NZ) Squadron was engaged constantly against Germany from 1940 to VE day. The squadron flew more sorties than any other Allied heavy bomber squadron, suffered the second most casualties of all the Allied squadrons, and dropped the second largest weight of bombs of any Allied squadron. The highest Commonwealth award for the valour - the Victoria Cross, was awarded to Sgt J A Ward for climbing out onto the wing of a Wellington he was second pilot of, when on an operation over Europe, in an attempt to put out an engine fire. Although badly damaged by enemy fighters canon shells, the aircraft managed to return to its base.
A rebuilt Lancaster in the Museum of Transport and Technology at Auckland, New Zealand, has the AA codes of one of 75(NZ)Squadron aircraft. This particular aircraft never saw active service, but was left in New Zealand by the French Navy, and gifted to the people of New Zealand. The only aircraft on 75(NZ) Squadron to achieve more than 100 Operations, was Lancaster, NE181 (JN-M). Attempts were made to have this aircraft brought back to New Zealand in 1945 but the New Zealand Government would not pay for her to be brought to New Zealand. All of the surviving 75(NZ) Squadron aircraft were scrapped in 1947-48. The National Archives features an interview with Gordon Ford, a British wireless operator who served with 75(NZ) Squadron in World War II.
Read more about this topic: No. 75 Squadron RAF
Famous quotes containing the word achievements:
“Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements, and doubts. We tend to forget the past difficulties, the many false starts, and the painful groping. We see our past achievements as the end result of a clean forward thrust, and our present difficulties as signs of decline and decay.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)
“Fathers are still considered the most important “doers” in our culture, and in most families they are that. Girls see them as the family authorities on careers, and so fathers’ encouragement and counsel is important to them. When fathers don’t take their daughters’ achievements and plans seriously, girls sometimes have trouble taking themselves seriously.”
—Stella Chess (20th century)
“Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he envisaged or planned.”
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)