CREW RESCUED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24243, 8 April 1942, Page 5

CREW RESCUED

56 IN FLYING-BOAT PICKED UP FROM RAFTS AUCKLAND PHOT'S PART (Special Correspondent) LONDON, April 6 Flying-Officer J. Pybus, of Auckland, was second officer of a Sunderland flying-boat which picked up 56 survivors, comprising the entire crew of a torpedoed merchantman. The Sunderland flew the crew to Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. Flying-Officer Pybus said: "We could not see any sign of the survivors when we arrived at- tho position from where the S.O.S. was sent out, so we circled for four hours and then sighted three lifeboats lashed together. We intended to take the wounded only, but decided to jettison our depth charges and replace them with passengers. I'll say they were thankful."

Flying-Officer Pybus has been stationed in West Africa since last July, and has carried out 800 operational hours' flying in Sunderlahds protecting convoys. "We have had no action," he said. "It is most monotonous." Flying-Officer Jack Pybus, the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Pybus, of 5 Wanganui Avenue, Heme Bay, had a distinguished scholastic career and was prominent in athletics before joining the Royal Air Force. He holds the degree of Master of Science, and has also qualified for associate membership of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Born in Auckland, Flying-Officer Pybus is 28. He was educated at Bayfield School, Auckland Grammar and Auckland University College. After studying at the Auckland Training College he was a master at the Auckland Grammar School and the Seddon Memorial Technical College. He trained with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and left in January, 1941, for Britain, where he qualified as a flying-boat pilot. While in England he was one of a party of fliers entertained by Princess Elizabeth. A keen yachtsman, Flying-Officer Pybus was a member of the Wakatere Cruising Club. He was also an enthusiastic swimmer and diver, a successful gymnast, and a University rep-; resentative rifle-shot. Since being transferred to West Africa he has built a number of small boats similar to the "Frostbite" class, and made them available for airmen on his station.