Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Thursday 4 November 1943, page 2


TWO AUSTRALIAN

AIRMEN

AWARDED DFC

LONDON, Wed. (AAP).-Two Aus-tralian airmen-P-Officer Arthur Bruce Simpson, of Numurkah (V), and WO Raymond Carson Watts, of Moonee Ponds (V)-won the DFC for their feat in bringing back a Lan-caster bomber after collision with a night fighter over Hanover in Octo-

ber.

The Lancaster was nearing the centre of the target when a fighter dived to attack. It passed under the Lancaster's nose and its airscrew tore a hole in the under part of the bomber's nose. The Lancaster dropped 3,000ft, but the pilot man-aged to bring the nose up and the bombs were dropped over the target.

The fighter was seen no more but the Lancaster's crew made an un-usual claim: "Enemy fighter destroy-ed by collision."

WO Watts (26) was one of the best-known Essendon footballers. He joined the club in 1936 after playing for several years in Laun-ceston. He was born in Launceston and was educated at the Launceston High School. He played football with the Amateur League and Laun-

ceston before he went to Victoria in

1936.