PIGEON SAVES AIRMAN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16464, 17 June 1919, Page 7

PIGEON SAVES AIRMAN.

MESSAGE BRINGS E-BSOUE BOAT. How a carrier pigeon saved the life of a wrecked naval airman is an interesting story tiiat comes from New York. Just, after 11 o’clock at night a visitor to Atlantic City, on the eighth floor of the .Hotel Marlboro’ Blenheim, was witching off his light preparatory to getting into bed when a pigeon flew in at his open window and fell exhausted on the floor. Examination showed it to have a small aluminium cylinder fastened to one of its legs, and in it was this message; —“Down ten miles west of submarine chaser at 4.15 p.m. No gas. —Ensign Finch.” , Fortunately, a naval officer was at the hotel. Bealising that the message meant that an airman in a disabled machine was floating many miles out in the Atlantic in the darkness, he telephoned to the naval authorities. Badio messages were sent all along the coast, and naval patrol boats were out within an hour in the general direction given by the message, so forming a wide screen of search.

Far out'at sea a submarine “chaser” searchlight located the disabled aeroplane. Later, Ensign Finch landed at Cape May, and at once telephoned to the Marlboro’ Blenheim Hotel at Atlantic City, ordering bis pigeon (the best spread the hotel could stand.