Army News (Darwin, NT : 1941 - 1946), Sunday 20 June 1943, page 3


PILOT "KING" OF LAMPEDUSA Sgt.-Pilot Sydney Cohen, R.AF, who received, the surrender of Lampedusa when he made a forced landing on the island, wants to be a sheep farmer in Australia after the war. Cohen, who is aged 22, is a Lon doner. The crew of the warship from which he flew his Walrus Amphibian plane, now calls him the "King of Lampedusa." His sister, Mrs. Lily Collins, of Clapton, London, said that her brother joined the RAF three and a half years ago. His flat in London was damaged during one of the big air raids and he always said he would get even with the Germans. Describing his exploit, Cohen said he was not sure when he landed whether the island was Lampedusa because his compass was not working. An Italian officer wearing a large plumed hat, shorts, and high boots led a knot of men waving white sheets to the plane. ASKED TO SEE COMMANDANT "When I realised they were offer-ing to surrender it was a bit of a shaker," Cohen continued, "but I put on a bold front and asked to see the commandant of the island. I tried to explain that I was not an emissary. They asked me to return to Malta to announce their surrender. "Then another raid started and I was taken to the commandant in the operations room 75ft below the ground. There the Italians gave me a scrap of paper on which was writ-ten their offer to surrender. "When my plane had been refuel-led I took the surrender chit to an American camp in Tunisia. I still have the surrender document. It is a grand souvenir." The formal surrender of the island was negotiated by Lieut. Corbett, who went ashore from the destroyer Lookout. Within two minutes of his landing the Italians accepted uncon-ditional surrender and Lieut. Cor-bett signalled a company of Cold-stream Guards in a landing craft to come ashore. ------ v-------