LATE AMY JOHNSON

Grey River Argus, 9 January 1941, Page 8

LATE AMY JOHNSON

BRAVE RESCUE EFFORT. RUGBY, January 7. Details are now available of the circumstances in which Amy Johnson lost her life, when flying as air transport auxiliary pilot over - e Thames Estuary. On the afternoon of January 5, His Majesty's trawler, Haslemere. under the command of Lieutenant-Com-mander W. E. Fletcher, which formed part of the escort of a convoy off the Thames Estuary, saw a parachute descending through low clouds. I his was followed by an aircraft, which circled round, losing height. It glided down and landed on the water near the parachute. The weather was very bad at Iho time, with a heavy sea running, and the aircraft immediately began to break up. The Haslemere and other ships of the convoy escort at once stood over towards the wreckage, in an attempt to effect a rescue. ’Hie attempts, however. were hampered exceedingly by the heavy, contused sea.

While a boat was being launched from I lie Haslemere. those on board saw two survivors from the aircraft in the sea. One of these was seen to be a woman, but she sank before a rescue could’be attempted. Lieutenant - Commander Fletcher dived overboard from the Haslemere in an attempt Io save the life of the other aviator seen. Fletcher was seen to reach the man, and to-be supporting him in the waler. Meanwhile. Hie Haslemere’s boat had been launched, and it made every effort to reach the two men in the water, despite the strong wind and heavy breaking sea. It failed to do so, but a' naval motor launch which arrived on the scene at this moment., picked up Fletcher. No trace could be found of the man he entered the water to save.

When picked up by a motor launch Fletcher was unconscious, and suffering from extreme exhaustion and exposure. He died soon after being landed, and taken to the hospital. Another of His Majesty’s ships which quickly came to the scene and endeavoured to effect a rescue picked up the records of an aircraft, which were floating among such of the wreckage as remained above the water.