Graphic Story of Marooned Airmen

Evening Star, Issue 20150, 15 April 1929, Page 5

Graphic Story of Marooned Airmen

FROM ULM’S DIARY

send a radio on the short wave from the air, though another landing here will he perilous. Even writing is an effort. Smith and Litchfield returned from the hilltop at noon. They could not slick the heat without protection. We got Sydney at night, but, though we are reported missing in the Press, there is no direct message to us. There was a thunder shower just be lore sundown and another at 1.30 a.m. AIJ had about three hours’ sleep. MAVilllain is a scream, making jokes and sometimes playing the mouth organ.

PUKE Rims IST® THICK RAIN LOOKING FOR WYNDHAM (Copyright to Sydney ‘Sun.') SYDNEY, April 14. Lieutenant film's account of the Southern Cross's flight finishes a thrilling story. Extracts irom the log alter covering the early hours oi the journey, which are already known, describe the running into rain on Sunday, March hi, at 3.35 a.in. They continued oli' and on lor the next two hours, when, dawn breaking at 7.50 a.in., it was wet and cold. They did not know if the coast had been reached, as there were thick clouds below. At 0 o'clock they seemed to be approaching M’yndham. At 9.15 the log states: The last hour has been spent in thick rain in very low clouds, along a very broken coast line. Looking for Wyndham. 27 HOURS IN THE AIR A FORCED LANDING. The log continues: 11.30 a.in.: Wc have been lost in the rainstorm lor eight hours. Noon: On the const at the river month. Clouds all about. 12.20 p.m,: Just passed some rapids. Heading to the. west and getting over tho coast again. 1.50 p.m.; Have about one and a-iialf. hours of gas. 2.10 p.m.: Passed over mission and threw down note, and a chap gave us direction. All hands tired. Been in the air for twenty-seven hours. 2,44 p.m.; Been hopelessly lost in a rainstorm for ten hours. Now going to make a forced landing at a place we believe to he 150 miles from Wyndham, in rotten country. 3.20 p.m.; Have made a, iorced landing. The rain had driven ns right down to the hilltops, and wc were unable to locate the mission, so eventually landed on the edge of a mangrove swamp. ONLY SEVEN SANDWICHES The account goes on: Smith made a wonderful effort. The Southern Cross is undamaged, but the only food on board is seven sandwiches, all about to putrefy. We have lit a fire. Ail are tired out after twenty-eight and a-half hours in the air. M‘William rigged a iong-wave aerial from the kingpost and listened in. We heard Perth calling Darwin about us. Before dark wo trudged through about two miles and a-half of bad swamp grass to a- hilltop, hut saw nothing, .so returned to the bus. Smith and Litchfield got in five or six hours' sleep the first night. M‘Miiliam and I got barely an hour. Mosquitoes and Hies make sleep impossible, FOOD GIVES OUT Monday, April L—Smith, and I spent practically the whole clay improvising a licit drive for the radio generator. We had no tools and the dies were awful. In the evening we lisfened-in again. Our food has given out, but we have plenty of water. All very weak. M‘William and I the worst because we had no sleep. Wc got Sydney on the radio. ’1 hey sav a launch has left Wyndham to search the Drysdulc River, and a piano is to leave Derby on a search. Litchfield fixed our position about 120 miles Irom 'Derby and ]S() miles west Irom M yndbam. The plane is our main hope. Me turned-to about 8,20 a.in. Alter bard physical work by Smith and myself ne got out a message, but wo are doubtful if it is any good. Smith and Litchfield had less than an hour's sleep, M'William half an hour, and myself none. Our mosquito bites are swelling, and wo are all much weaker. Me have named this place “ Coffee Royal.” Smith and [ searched the swamp tor oysters, but found none. Me saw a small kangaroo on Sunday, but nothing since. Me turned the plane round in the afternoon to slightly dryer ground. AIRMEN WEAKENING Tuesday, April 2.M r e are all visibly weaker this morning. Any exertion tires ns altogether. Smith and Litchfield went to the hilltop to light a fire. M'Wiiliam and I have a fire going near the Southern Cross. M'e will stay here to-night and listen-in again. 9-40 a.m.: A plane is coining. It is our best hope, but it has not sighted ns. M’e feel we can last a week if tho Hies and mosquitoes do not devour ns, but flic main thing is that the Southern Cross is undamaged, and we can take off in a few days if there is no more rain, Mo think we will be able to-

Food is all we need. We are weak for lack of it, and sleep. We tried to shoot birds with an automatic pistol but had no success.

CHIRPY, BUT HUNGRY (Received April 15, at 9.3 U a.m.)

Wednesday, April 3.—AH are weaker now, but mentally alert. I feel gone in the legs and arms. We corrected our longitude position, collected wood, and kept a fire burning all the morning. M’c had gruel for lunch, and felt slightly better. Thelites are unbearable, and the mosquitoes are damnable. There was another small shower about 2 j.'.m. The flies hamper our work. Eor instance, when taking a “shot” Litchfield uses the sextant with “Mac” swishing him, while “ Smithie ” and 1 read the chronometer and swish each other. Then one o" the other swishes “ Litch ” while he works up his sights, which confirm our latitude.

All are cheerful, but hungry, “ Litch ” and I tried stalking doves, but had no success. A small dove is hard to hit with an automatic. “ Mac ” got La Perouse on the radio, reporting that the Canberra was leaving to look for us. He then got Broome, which sent us a message to light triangle fires 500yds apart. This was impossible in our weakened condition. J wonder where the Airways plane with Chateau is, 2FG, Sydney, reported that Chateau Jlew to Hrysdale, and will search again to-morrow. We fed chirpy to-night, hut damned hungry. LIVING Oil GRUEL RATION Thursday, April 4 (daylight).—An awful march up Darlinghurst Hill to light a fire, then stoking in half-hour shifts, the heat unmerciful. We are really starving, keeping alive on one and a-half cups of gruel per day. “ Mac ” nearly out to it to-day, but still working. All are feeling gnawing hunger pains. “ Sraithie’s ” superenergy is wonderful, but even ins strength is failing. The Hies take hair our energy in the daytime, and sleeji is impossible owing to the mosquitoes at night. APPALLING HEAT Friday, April 6.—We decided to cross the mud and clay pan and light a lire there, as no-one was capable ct climbing the hill. All slept better last night, but we are weaker. The sky is cloudless, and the heat terrible. We found some mud snails in a mangrove swamp, wdiich we ate. 'They were awful. hut we fed stronger. “ Smithic ” and I had a shot at cutting a tree down. (Jur tools were two screwdrivers ami rocks for hammers. but we had to give it up. When we returned to the shade of t.ha wing we just collapsed. OUR WORST DAY April (i.—Our worst day. A plane passed within four miles of us. This was after nearly killing ourselves marching ujv the hill keeping the lire alight. Just after we had returned from Darlinghurst Hill and liati lit the Co flee Boyd Are. “ Smithie ” heard a plane. All worked furiously stoking up a, big smoke fire. It passed us, but not more than live miles away at 2.5 U p.rn. This decided us to have a tree down to jack up a wheel (to work the radio generator). Smith and I worked without a rest for two hours, while “ J.itdi ” kept the Hies oil’, and wo won. We got a great tree down, but it knocked ns up. it knocked ns up. That plane passing was terribly disappointing, and we cursed the pilot. IMPROVISING GENERATOR DRIVE Sunday, April 7.—Got the wheel jacked up by noon. This has been “ Smitliie’s ” big day. He excelled himself. Ho never stopped working, making a friction wheel on which to run the generator, and finished it with a penknife only, in the blazing sun, tormented by flies. Then “Smithie” rigged the engine starter handle in the outer end of the axle, making wooden bearings with a knife. We took off the generator. “ Mac ” spent an hour wiring it up. “Smithie” mounted his little wooden drive on the generator, and we had a practice run, “Mac” in the cabin at the set, “ Smithie ” and “Litch” turning the LHu wheel, and myself holding the generator on the wheel, making a friction drive. Wc generated nearly half an amp<

At Starvation Point Plagued by Mosquitoes and Flies Southern Cross Undamaged Smith’s Fine Landing Plane to Fly Back to Sydney

,The storv of the adventures of Squadron-leader Kingsford Smith and his companions is coming - to hand. An idea of the perils through M’hich they passed and the sufferings they endured is given in Flight-lieutenant Dim’s diary, which narrates the sequence of dramatic events from the time of the forced landing till the appearance of the rescuing plane and subsequent happenings. It is expected that the Southern Cross will be able to take off from the mud flat on which she landed, and will fly to Sydney for overhaul.

ANOTHER FIRE LIT

Loud cheers from old “Mac.” He says we can transmit, but the trouble is we can’t keep it running tor more than ten seconds at a so we worked hours to-night winding the wheel while “Mac” sent S.O.S. and other signals. Onr best hope is that someone picked it up and reported to La Perouse, which we receive excellently here. A MEAL OF SNAILS Monday, April B.—Had a good sleep lust night, as it came up cold and drove the mosquitoes away. “ Smithie ” and I. got 200 snails on the mud flat to the south. fVe had half for lunch, hast night “Mac” heard all stations again, but there was no news for us. “Smithie” is knocked out, but most of our heavy work is done, and we are all resting. Then we have to expend more strength in turning the generator. Each turns tor ten to fifteen seconds, then all rest tor a quarter of an hour. Our tobacco ran out today. M T e tried to smoke leaves, but they were awful. ALL GETTING WEAKER Tuesday, April 9.—This was the day of greatest hardship yet. A piano passed us twice this morning, the second time within tour miles at a height of 4,000 ft, the day being clear and cloudless. M'c discussed the possibility of building a raft, taking it to what wc believe is the Glenelg River, three miles south, and drifting down to the coast with the tide, but lack of water to drink is dangerous. Ate more snails to-day, but we are all failing, though “Smithie” and “latch” have more energy than “ Mac ” and T. On the radio to-night we heard of Holden, Anderson, Chafer, Heath, and Wood’s activities, also that the aborigines are searching. Wish they would come down here. M'e pray that La Perouse will send out tho exact position of the Port George Mission, then wo would try to walk there. 1 Only two and a-half tins of gruel left and twenty-two matches. Worst of ail is that the water hole is drying up.

Wednesday, April 10.—Wc have lieen ten days’ lost, but are still alive. “Mac” and I fried to walk to a new hill called Disappointment Hill, but broke down after a mile and a-half. Me wore too weak to move, hut wc lit a fire, and “Smithie” and “Litch” joined ns with snails and water.

Wo discovered a tiny long bean weed and cooked and ate some. M'c don't like them, but there is some nourishment in them. Coming hack “Mac” and I were cut off by tidal waters and had to make a detour of an extra mile through a mangrove swamp. I collapsed five times, but staggered to Coffee Royal a beaten man. For the past few days wc have all been getting mental mirages of wonderful dishes of food. It may sound childish, but it is true.

Heat, flics, mosquitoes, light fires, pull down trees, pull up grass for smoke, drink water and a very thin cup of gruel, listen to radio, then lie down to be oaten by mosquitoes. That is our day. When will it end?

“ Smithie ” found a new walerhole, but the high tides make it impossible to got snails. Saw emu and dingo tracks, lint we can't shoot them with a .22 automatic. Wo discussed making a raft out of (lie two wing tanks, hut there are too many difficulties in the way. After being passed by three planes we arc hopeless of their finding us, and hope they send “ abos.” (aborigines) out. THREE PLANES SEEN Thursday, April 11.—“ Smithie ” and “ Litch ” went to Darlinghurst Hill, where they will start a fire and stay the night, while “Mao” and 1 keep the fire going hero. A pair of planes passed northward at !) u.m,, and one passed southward at 2 p.m., ten to twelve miles off. Each time Smith collapsed on Darlinghurst, so “Ditch” did the hulk of the work. He’s splendid, and looks good for a lew days yet. The radio tells us that planes searched the Roc River to Avon Valley to the north of us. That is disappointing, as wc hoped that they would search south of the Regent River. SAVED ! Friday, April 12.—“Smithie” and “Litch” stayed the night on Darlinghurst. “Mao” and I couldn’t sleep down here. We arc on the last of the gruel, and are taking almost pure hot water. 9.50 a.m.—Saved! Holden’s Canberra appears from the south-east, 10 a.m.—The Canberra came low down over the Southern Cross, circled for well over an hour, dropping four packets of rations. God! It's all too wonderful to have been found. “Smithie” and “Litch” rushed down from Darlinghurst with tears in their eyes and whoops of joy.

Wo sire nil in, but goo! tbo old Southern Cross is in one piece, and

eventually we shall fly out. We just tore open two tins of bully beef and ate it like animals. Holden returned to Wyndham, dropping a message that he would come again with more food. God bless him. God bless everybody. “Litch” and “Mac” refuse to leave us, though we had intended that they should go out in one of the rescue planes, so we have had to agree to their mutinous request, and all will leave together in the Southern Cross. Saturday, April 13.—A1l hands greet the day, rejoicing in the knowledge that we will again make contact with our fellows. The Canberra arrives with food, ‘and Heath’s plane lands. :

MESSAGE FROM AIRMEN

THE SOUTHERN CROSS WAITING FOR PETROL Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, April 14. The ‘ Sun ’ states that the first message from the stranded flyers arrived at Sydney late on Saturday night from Flight-lieutenant Ulm, who said: “ Smith thinks he can take off from the mud flats as soon as petrol and oil are procured. It is proposed to bring the Southern Cross back to Sydney for reconditioning before starting again on the flight to England. The party are still feeling weak from starvation..” Flight-lieutenant Ulm also telegraphed 'to his wife and to the chief Civic Commissioner (Mr Garlick) extending the thanks of the party for what the Sydney citizens had done for them. Squadron-leader Kingsford Smith also sent a message to his parents, announcing, “AH well; returning to Sydney for overhaul.” PLANE LANDS BESIDE SOUTHERN GROSS These messages were lodged at Derby, having apparently been taken thither by a plane which landed alongside the Southern Cross yesterday. This was the Westralian Airways machine which the aeroplane Canberra found there when she made her second trip yesterday with food for the marooned men. The plane which landed beside the Southern Cross was piloted by Lieutenant Heath. CANBERRA DROPS FOOD ’The Canberra, according to messages intercepted by the Amalgamated Wireless Company, dropped fourteen parcels of fowl, clothes, fishing tackle, a revolver, and ammunition, also many telegrams of congratulation from all parts of the world; then seeing that all was well with the Smith-Ulm party the Canberra proceeded to Derby. The Canberra’s message added; “ Kingsford Smith and crew now well on the way to being rescued, for while we were dropping provisions the Westralian plane came along and made a landing on the mud flat near the Southern Cross.” Wireless experts lielieve that the Southern Cross has been able to receive messages from Sydney, and therefore knew that steps were being taken for their rescue, but were unable to speak in reply. A message from Wyndham to the Amalgamated Wireless Company states; “Captain Holden yesterday dropped a note to the Southern Cross asking, ‘Can you hear our wireless?’ and the reply Avas ‘No.’ The Sydney stations will keep the partly fully advised of the latest ucavs. It is presumed it is a short wave the party can hear, as they gave no indication that the Wyndham 600 metres signal? were being received.

The steamer ICoolinda will sail for Port George to land petrol, also to arrange with Derby planes io supply food, blankets, and clothes in case the land party is unable to take off in the Southern Cross for a few days. VARIOUS MESSAGES SYDNEY. April U. The air liner Canberra left Wyndham to-day to take more food to the Southern Cross. She wirelessed at ] .50 p.ni.: “On the way to the marooned airmen. Afterwards going to Derby if landing ground suitable there.” Advices from Derby, however, indicate that there was a very high spring tide there yesterday, which had saturated the landing ground. Pilot Woods, of the newspaper ‘ Sun’s ’ plane, which lias done great work in searching during the past ten days, telegraphed, from Broome that lie knows the spot where the Southern Cross landed, and when his machine is overhauled he will fly there and attempt to land alongside and help the Smith-Dim party. Pilot Chater, of the Wcstralian airways service, says he flew five, times over the locality, chasing native smoko signals, but a landing was impossible; therefore he was unable to get their news.

Captain Chateau telegraphs from Wyndham; “ It will be a matter of days before the Smith-Clm party will be able to return to civilisation; meantime they have ample food.’’ Messages from Derby state that Westralian pilots are astonished that Smith and Ulm did not signal any of them, as they had all flown several times over the spot where the Southern Cross landed.

Captain Shadforth, who is in charge of the mission schooner, says he was at Port George Mission on the day Smith circled overhead and dropped a note. He received directions from the mission and flew off over the ranges. 'J he day was deal'. Captain Shadforth considers it would have been an awkward proposition for the Southern Cross crew to walk to the mission across the ranges. On the other hand Mr Pauli, formerly manager of the Port George Mis-

' , 4 sion. says ho knoAvs the country thoroughly, and if'the airmen had known the country they could easily, have walked to the mission in a day. Ho 'thinks they Avore able to bear the Sydney wireless, and-knew the rescue planes Were searching, and considered it best to stay by their machine. According to messages through the Amalgamated Wireless Company the Canberra landed at Derby yesterday afternoon Captain Holden reported that, in answer to questions to the Southern Cross, it had been learned that the latter Avas undamaged, and lias room to take off. This means time all that they need arc petrol, oil, ami good luck.

The men aboard the Canberra, when the plane made the memorable discovery on Friday, were Captain Holden, Dr Hamilton, wireless operator Stannage, two residents of Wyndham (Lyall and Dunn), and the ‘Evening News’ reporter (Davidson), Avho gave the Avorld the first coherent account of the event. Not since the armistice has any item of neAvs so stirred Australia as did the brief announcement that the Southern Cross had been found on Friday. The Avar vessel Albatross returned to Sydney as the result of official orders receiA-ed last night by wireless Two plants from Point Cook left Mil. dura this morning for Maree. Neither is fitted with wireless. Captain Matheson, in a Goulbum Moth plane, was forced down at Duchess, sixty miles from Cloncurry, yesterday owing to engine trouble.— Australian Press Association-United Service.

KEITH ANDERSON

STILL MISSING SYDNEY, April 14. Keith Anderson’s plane Kookaburra is still missing. Police assistance for the search is being sought. Mr Cantor,, hacker of Keith Ander* son, who left in the Kookaburra to participate in the search for the Southern Cross, and who has not reported .since Wednesday, urges that measures should be taken to search for him. The Citizens’ Committee, which organised the fund for the Sniith-l'Jm search, has informed Mr Cantor that it is unable to deal with the matter. TKE CANBERRA SETS OUT SYDNEY. April 15. (Received April lb, at 9.1 b a.in.) The Canberra was released last night, in order to search for Mr Keith Anderson. It will fly to Alice Springs today. Mr Holden then decides on his course from there. SIR JOSEPH WARD'S MESSAGES [Pkk Unmim Peess Association.] WELLINGTON, April 13. The, Prime Minister (Sir J. G. Ward)' has forwarded the following cables;— To the Prime Minister of Australia: “The news of the discovery of 11u> Southern Cross and the safety of tho missing aviators Ins been received with the keenest pleasure in New Zealand, and has been a source of relief from the grave anxiety which, we all shared together regarding their welfare." To the Premier of Now South Wales; “ New Zealand shares with New South Wales ami other portions of the Commonwealth in tho feeling of universal satisfaction in connection with the. discovery of the Southern Cross and the safety of Squadron-leader Kingsford Smith and his companions. May I ask you to be good enough to convey to tho relatives of the aviators in your Stale the expression of our congratulations upon the happy termination of our common anxietv ns to the welfare of the missing men."