[Antipodean Andy]

Still wading through Lambert's Night after Night - New Zealanders in Bomber Command and read an interesting bio of a Kiwi pilot called Keith Thiele DSO, DFC and Bar. Did two tours on bombers including 467 Sqn and then ferried Lancs from Canada before realising his dream to fly Spits (and, later, Tempests). After the war, he flew for QANTAS, set up a marina and then sailed to New Zealand (living in Australia) to see the first defence of the America's Cup there.

The coincidence begins with his experiences over Europe. His Tempest was shot down while attacking a train. The flak crew who hit him saved him from being lynched by the civilians who had been waiting for the train (five weeks before war's end, he walked out of a POW camp).

Now, reading about a Kiwi ace by the surname of Harvey (10 V1s etc) in the latest Classic Wings magazine, I came across the same thing. Due to head off on a strike in his Tempest, Harvey was told to hop out by none other than Roly Beamont. RB took his place and was subsequently shot down attacking a train. The letter then says this more or less: "He was saved by a flak crew from being lynched by the mob who were waiting for the train that he had attacked"!

The letter refers to Harvey sitting in the recently restored Mk Vb (BL628) that is now flying in the US.

Sorry for no further details like sqns but don't have the book or magazine with me at present.