Why?

pROM “Smith’s Weekly” (Sydney ): 11 J H Y,” asks “Effendi” (Richmond, Y? NSW), “hasn’t Gerry Pentland been decorated for his efforts up North?”

Gerry, he says, is a squadron-leader in charge of air-rescue work in New Guinea, and has earned the unstinted praise of airmen who have been forced to bail-out in the jungle.

He hops in any old where in a Tiger Moth or some other light aircraft, picks them up, and flies them to base. Any little open space or beach so long as he can get in. Once in he gets natives to make it big enough to get out.

Flying rations and ammunition to the AIP is a spare-time activity which all takes guts and a sure hand on the joy stick.

“Gerry,” adds “Effendi,” “is quite de finitely the oldest active pilot in the Air Force.

“But his correct age is a secret to him self. His comrades of the 1914-18 dust up, when he won the MC and DFC, all put him down as 55 to 56. Officially, of course, he must be under 50.

“Why he has not been decorated is one of the great mysteries.”

A notorious Samoan criminal, Tomasi, known for his frequent gaol breaks, was recently killed by a police driver, after Tomasi had again broken out of Vaimea Gaol and had been roaming the Apia neighbourhood for weeks. In self-defence the policeman hit him with a stone and smashed the back of his head.