MISSING MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23208, 30 November 1938, Page 13

MISSING MEN

AIR LINER CREW NOW FEARED DEAD 'EFFORTS AT SALVAGE MAIL FOR NEW ZEALAND 69 BAGS ON BOARD J3y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Independent Cable Service (Received November 20, 11.30 p.m.) BAGDAD, Nov. f> 9 No trace has yet been found of Captain E. H. Attwood, First-Officer A. N. Spottiswoode and Flight Clerk F. G. Übee, of the Empire flying-boat Calpurnia, which crashed while making a forced landing on Lake Ramadi yesterday. It is feared that the bodies of the three men are under the wreckage. Of the other members of the crew, Radio Officer B. B. Bees was killed and Steward I). E. Anderson and Probationary Station Oflicer Harrison were injured.

Members of tho Royal Air Force are trying to salvage tho letters from tho burst mail bags. Tho mail included 65 bags for Australia and 69 bags for New Zealana. Some of the letters addressed to Nevr Zealand , have been found floating in the lake, but it is not likely that all of "tho mail will be recovered.

Captain Attwood, who was aged 39, was making his last trip after 12 years' service, and was due to begin work as Deputy-Director of Civil Aviation in India.

First-Officer A. N. Spottiswoode. of

the flying-boat Calpurnia, who was 31 years old, lived near Southampton. ' A half-brother of Mr. L. Courtney Atwool, of Auckland, the airman was n graduate of Cambridge University, where he took an arts degree. While at Cambridge he was very keen on motor racing, and was. a prominent member of the university racing club. Upon leaving the university, Mr. Spottiswoode joined the Royal Air Force and served for a period of six rears. For some time he was on the

aircraft-carrier Furious. He had a remarkable escape from drowning during the Abyssinian War. The Furious was on her way to the Mediterranean and was battling through heavy seas in the Bay of Biscay, when one enormous wave swept Mr. Spottiswoode from the deck of the aircraft-carrier. But for the prompt manoeuvring and rescue, work of one of the escorting destroyers, he would have been drowned.

Mr. Spottiswoode joined Imperial Airways upon leaving tho Royal Air Force and had been in the company's employ during the past two years.