RESCUED AIRMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 10

RESCUED AIRMEN

10 DAYS IN DESERT AUSTRALIAN SEARCH EPIC SURVEY PARTY'S ORDEAL EFFORTS REWARDED AT LAST [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, April 23 After a week's intensive search, during which half-a-dozen military and commercial aeroplanes flew 70,000 miles, three Royal Australian Air Force men, lost in some of the most arid and forbidding country in Australia, were sighted from the air yesterday i beside their crashed machine. They leaped for joy as the discovering aeroplane flew overhead and dropped food and water to them. This dramatic news thrilled all Australia. Jhe airmen had been missing 6ince Easter Monday between Camooweal, Queensland, and Wave Hill, Northern Territory, and hope of finding them alive had been almost abandoned. But the searchers, tired and haggard as they were from their flights of 11 hours a day under rigorous conditions, courageously fought on and at last their efforts were rewarded. As this is written, l&nd parties are hacking their y way over rocky, trackless / wastes to rescue the airmen, An aeroplane will guide the parties, but, until they return, this epic of the Australian "centre" cannot be completely told. Mapping from the Air The crashed aeroplane was a twoengined Dragon Rapido, aud was engaged on Government survey operations. For mining development, the northern third of the continent is being mapped from the air, to prepare the way for land geological and survey parties who will go over the country. The aeroplane was piloted by FlightLieutenant William Helv, who had with him Aircraftsmen Harry Walkijigton and Ralph Sherwood. They left Camooweal at 8 a.m. on Easter Monday to fly 800 miles to Hall's Creek, on their way to Port Hedland, Western Australia. The machine had a range of 590 miles and should have landed at Newcastle Waters or Wave Hill for refuelling. It was reported only once —an aboriginal saw it flying 'over Delamere station. But / it failed to reach its destination. It had no wireless —a fact for which the Air Board has been much criticised — and the great silence of unknown Australia engulfed it. Eventually it was found about 90 miles north-west of Newcastle Waters. Difficulties ol Search It is hard to realise the difficulties encountered in the search, owing to the lack of communications and the sparseness of the population. When it was decided that Flight-Lieutenant Hely, when last seen, had petrol sufficient for a maximum of only 150 miles, an arbitrary circle was drawn about that point N as the area y in which the Rapide must be found. This gave an area of more than 70,000 square miles, containing only a handful of whites and blacks. The only communications in this area are the overland telegraph line, running from / Darwin to Adelaide, the wireless station at TYave Hill and the pedal wireless at Victoria River Downs. All other stations _ are cut off except by road. The white people at these stations had no knowledge of the progress •of the search, even if they knew an aeroplane was missing. Their newspapers containing the news of the search will 'not arrive for another month. , „ As the search progressed, all sorts of rumours were heard from whites and aborigines of aeroplanes . flying about, because the searching machines were over almost, the whole area. The difficulty of verifying reports was also a factor that hampered the search. Found in a Clearing The wrecked machine was found in a clear area of scrub country by FlightLieutenant Simms and Flying-Officer Cresswell, piloting Air Force Hawker Demons. Simms was in charge of the search operations, and he sent news of the discovery of Hely and his companions to the Air Board in Melbourne in the following simple but dramatic message: — , "Demons found Rapide 2.30 this afternoon (Wednesday). Machine crashed 40>miles from Murranje Waterhole. Hely and Walkington leaping around, apparently fit. Did not see Sherwood, though may have been lying down. Will drop food and water on my way to Victoria River Downs. Returning in morning and proceeding by truck to pick up Hely. Will get Cresswell to guide truck through timber from air." - In a second message he stated: "Demons landed at Victoria River Downs at 5.45. Dropped food and water to Hely en route. Saw Sherwood, who appears fit. No water in vicinity. Will drop further supplies in the morning. Expect to reach Hely some time tomorrow afternoon." Eager Volunteers All thoughts are now concentrated on the difficulties of the land parties which are on their way from Newcastle Waters and Victoria River Downs to rescue the airmen from the- wilderness. As soon as the news of the fliers was received at those two centres, great preparations were made for an early departure of the rescue parties. Volunteers from all quarters offered their services, eager to assist in making a track for the trucks in the densely-timbered and rocky country through which they will have to pass. Camping equipment, food and all necessary gear were got ready for a quick start. Aborigines were told, and a number/ of them joined the parties. A cablegram published yesterday said the three airmen, happy but weary after 10 days' exposure in the desert country, arrived at Newcastle Waters on 'Friday afternoon.