Message Understood

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31167, 17 September 1966, Page 1

Message Understood

(N.Z. Press Association! AUCKLAND. A young Auckland woman may meet an enterprising helicopter pilot from the visiting Australian flagship Melbourne tomorrow as the result of an encounter with a packet of flying rations. The packet, with a small, handwritten note on its back, waa dropped from his helicopter by Sub-Lieutenant P. Daley

during a Right ever Auckland early today. The note read: “Young helicopter pilot wishes to meet attractive lady, 18 to 25 years. Ring Sub Lt. Daley, wardroom, H.M.A.S. Melbourne.”

Jhe note was picked

up at One Tree Hill by an ambulance driver, who took it to his headquarters. Mr S. E. Langstone, general manager of the St. John Ambulance Association, gave the note to one of his office girls, Miss M. Drake, aged 21. Miss Drake sent a telegram to Sub-Lieutenant

Daley which read: “Message received and understood,” and gave a telephone number for him to ring.

Later In the afternoon a young Australian officer arrived at the association’s headquarters and asked to speak to Miss Drake. The officer was not Daley, but

his best friend and flying partner, Sub-Lieutenant S. M. Klmpton. He had called to tell Miss Drake that Sub - Lieutenant Daley was on duty. However, he asked her aboard the Melbourne tomorrow to meet SubLieutenant Daley. He said later that his visit had been “a tactical reconnaissance” on behalf of his friend. Miss Drake, who works as a theatre usherette in her spare time, said today she hoped to get tomorrow afternoon off to meet Sub - Lieutenant Daley.

“I think the note was just a joke,” she said, “but Tm willing to play along with it”