BOY’S SIGNAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 302, 28 September 1940, Page 6

BOY’S SIGNAL

FROM SURVIVORS’ BOAT.

MESSAGE TO RESCUE PLANE.

PILOT TELLS THE STORY

(United Press Association. —Copyright.) (lieceivecl This Day, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, September 27.

How an exhausted child who spent eight days in an open boat in the rough Atlantic signalled the name of the torpedoed liner, City of Benares, to a Sunderland flying-boat which came down to 1000 feet and circled over the drifting boat, was told by the captain of the flying-boat.

“I could see the people in her quite clearly,” he said. “They were prostrate and pretty well exhausted; vet, asji I watched, a little chap in what looked like a Scout’s uniform, sitting down amidships, suddenly spotted us. He stood up at once and began waving. Then he picked up something white, probably a handkerchief, and began waving. I didn’t get the meaning for a second; then it dawned on me what he was up to—“ City Benares.” Weak as he was, that kid signalled the ship s name, which told us the whole story. That was enough, and we were off right away to get help.”