DOWN ON SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 20

DOWN ON SEA

BBITISH FLYING-BOAT TOWED INTO PORT PASSENGERS' EXPERIENCE SLEEP AWAITING RESCUE [from OUIt OWN correspondent] LONDON. Jan. 26 When the Imperial Airways flyingboat Calypso, which inaugurated the lsd air mail to Australia and New Zealand in July, was 40 miles out over the English Channel and 20 minutes' flying time away from Southampton, she "made a forced landing in bad weather. Homeward bound from South Africa, she had on board two passengers and a crew of six. After tossing about in rough sea the flying-boat was towed 40 miles to Cherbourg, and towed into harbour like a disabled liner. In charge of tlio Calypso was Captain Brown, who was placed in a dilemma in which every Empire flyingboat captain may find himself because of-the primitive landing facilities on the route. He had flown 150 miles from St. Nazairo when ho met fog. Southampton then radioed him that he could not land there owing to fog, and Captain Brown knew ho could not fly back to St. Nazairo. By tlio time he got back tliero it would havo been dark and landing would have been impossible because of tlio lack of equipment. With 10 minutes of twilight left, he had to descend on the sea. " r "At the Company's Expense"

Tho first intimation that the two passengers, Lieutenant-Colonel W. S. Brayne, of Kenya, and Mr. K. T. Clarke, of Zanzibar, had of the forced landing was when tho steward said: "Gentlemen, would you like a whisky and soda at tho company's expense—and, by tho way, tho captain would like you to put on your lifebelts. But there is no danger." Lieutenant-Colonel Brayne, iu relating the experience, said: "Over Jersey we began to run into fog. Wo were forced down to 150 ft. It was half-past five by tho smoking-room clock when tho steward came aft and gavo us the captain's message. "As wo came down there was a big sea running, and I thought tho captain could not bring us down without burying his ship in tho waves. Going at a speed of about 80 miles an hour, we skimmed the top of the first wave, then tho second, then tho third —like a flat stone thrown by a schoolboy and gradually settled down. "Captain Brown handed over to his first officer and came in to us as soon as he saw tho boat was safe. Ho sat down and reassured us, said wo were in radio touch with ships and the shore, and would soon bo picked up. He had descended becauso of the fog and very bad weather reports from Southampton. Picked up by Swedish Tanker "We kept, on our lifebelts, had a drink, and went to sleep. About two hours later our batteries gave out and the lights failed. That finished the radio, too. We taxied about for another two hours. It became monotonous. Mr, Clarke and I slept most of the time —nothing else to _ do. The steward woke us up occasionally to tell us how things were going. "A little after 10 o'clock the Swedish tanker Bigel came close and sent over a lifeboat. We had to get out from the back door, and the tail wings kept plunging down, nearly sinking 'the boat and knocking out the men in it. Mr. Clarke and I boarded tho tanker safely. We pitied the Calypso's captain and crow; they had to stay aboard while she pitched at the end of the tow-rope." The Calypso can carry 15 passengers, a crew of five or six, and two tons of mail. She is capable of a speed of 200 miles and hour, and has four 800 horse-power motors.