ADVENTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 114, 16 May 1942, Page 5

ADVENTURE

WHIRLWIND TRIP

SEAMAN'S LIFE SAVED

(0.C.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day.

The thrilling story of a whirlwind trip in a large flving-boat to rescue a sick man from a ship at sea is told by a young Dunedin doctor in a letter to his parents. Though his letter is couched in matter-of-fact language his experience was without doubt both novel and exciting, and not without danger.

"A ring came from R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters." the letter states, ••asking: that a medical officer should proceed to one of their stations immediately with a first-aid kit. I could not find anyone else on the station at the moment, so I shot down in the car myself. On my arrival I learned that a certain vessel, at a considerable distance from here, had been seen by one of our reconnaissance aeroplanes and had asked that a doctor should be sent out by flying-boat to treat a very ill man on board and. if possible, take him to shore. The aeroplane radioed this to shore because the ship could not break the radio silence without giving away her position. There was no other information about the sick man.

The Robot Pilot "I was taken out to a big flyingboat that was already warming up and in a very short time we were roaring across the harbour and into the air. The chief pilot then plotted her course and left it to 'George.' 'George' is the automatic piiot, worked by gyroscopes, etc.. and is truly wonderful. If keeps the aeroplane at the required height and controls it on an even keel on any given course. It was uncanny to sit in the control room watching the controls moving and piloting the aeroplane wnnuot anyone touching them. "After some hours we met the reconnaissance aeroplane, and they told us where the ship was. Soon we sighted the vessel, and in no time we were circling around it. Our chief pilot gave instructions by signalling lamp, after, of course, challenging the vessel and receiving the appropriate response, to make a lee on the ocean and to drop oil in order to make the sea as calm as possible. Out in the swell of the ocean proper it is hazardous trying to land anv flving-boat at all. Three times we tried to land, and each time we skimmed over the water at a fa=t rate and bumped from billow to billow. The chief pilot then gave orders for everyone to don lifebelts before the final attempt. I was in the control room, and, believe me it was thrilling as the aeroplane dropped down for the fourth time. After bumping very heavily on the water which made the machine groan horribly, we suddenly realised that we had done it.

Patient; Transferred to Aeroplane "When the ships boat finally f»° ngsicie the aeroplane it was difficult to prevent it from smashing the delicate fuselage. Finally I scrambled into it and on board the ship I found that the sick man had what appeared to be a perforated appendix and peritonitis, and considered that his only chance was to -jet him ashore as soon as possible for he was in a bad way. We man1° . lo^ er J he cI «P into the boat, but the hardest part of the whole procedure was to transfer him to the aeroplane. This we did bv sending some of the air crew out on to the wing, and, from this, pulling the patient up with slings. ''The final test now came of taking off. Lifejackets were donned again and everyone hung on and hoped for the best. The engines gave out their deafening roar and as we gathered speed we tipped backwards ana forwards over the waves and swell until I thought that the aeroplane would stand on its nose. Suddenly the .pilot tensed and eased ???* the stick, and gradually we hfted. Boy, wasn't I glad! +v, V t, ry soon 'George' was running the show, homeward bound and we were lunching, rather belatedly, on spaghetti and toast. As we neared ? I sent a message asking for.an ambulance, and just at dusk we skimmed over the harbour again. The patient was whisked away to a surgeon and is much better to-dav it was a great adventure, and to me was a really marvellous experience."