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UPSIDE DOWN.
BOMBER CREW IN PERIL.
West Australian's Story.
LONDON, Nov. L.-Four Austa,
lian members of the crew of a Wel
lington bomber returning from a
raid on Germany bad a narrow
escape when a burst of flak blew the
Wellington upside down. They were
Flight-Sgt V. E. Piper, of Sublaco,
WA, observer; FJight-Sgt H. W.
Brooker, of Murray Bridge, BA, tail
gunner; Bgt K. A. O. Davies, of
North Perth, wireless operator; and
Sgt C. B. Clements, of Sydney,
bomb-aimer.
"We were coming out of the tar
get area when a burst of flak turned
us completely over," said Flight-Bgt
Piper. "Another shell holed the
wing and petrol tank, which emp
tied. The pilot managed to right
the Wellington, which lost height
and was caught in a belt of search
lights.
"There was confusion inside the
Wellington. The second pilot was
thrown violently about and covered
with oil. We found ourselves over
Wilhelmshaven at 50ft. The search
lights were deaeling. Itkept equrting
at them and I 'think I put a few
out. Our ammunition was hit, the
fuselage was riddled with holes andl
the escape hatch fell out. The Wel-I
lington finally managed to reach its
base.
Sgts Davies and Clements 'have
participated in 23 raids, including
4 against Bremen, 5 at Duisburg,
also Emden, wilhelmshaven, saar
bracken, Dusseldorf, Mains, Osna-l
bruck and Karlsruhe.
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