The Adventure of a Seaplane,

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 25, 24 October 1918, Page 8

The Adventure of a Seaplane,

The aviation branch of the I'rcnch Navy has much more to its credit than is generally known, and much that may not bo disclosed until after the war. 'J'hero is, however, one thrilling oflisode which 1 may describe.

Two scnpliincs started on searching duty from their base, operating towards the Algerian coast. At.2.30 p.m. tne motor of ono brake down, compelling the seaplane group leader, Lieutenant lticlier, to descend about twenty miles from the coast. When tho other machine arrived to render assistance her pilot was ordered to search for n tug. Darkness fell without succour arriving, and Lieutenant Hither and his companion (Petty Officer Gucrin) sent up signals ot distress but without result. Guerin made ii flare by soaking hie gloves m petrol. The sea became rough, and the o-ea anchor was "streamed." The cable ot tho anchor, however, broke, and means for replacing tho anchor had to be dovised. By using the tool-bng and the cushions of the seats another anchor was fixed up.

About midday the following day (January U) they were tiveiilr-fivo miles from laiid. The wind shifted, nnd the 'plane Honied farther away. The stock of food and water was almost exhausted. I hey drifted during tho whole day and night of the Mth, nnd on the llith, when some kilometres from an island, they agam turned their attention to the motor, and presently it started working again in a halting fashion. Slowly they et«rled to "taxi" towards the Island of Galitc, off the coast of Tunisia, about forty miles awav, and as the stabiliser was broken, Lieiitmumt Eicher had to balance. (lie machine by crawling from wing to wing. They reached within a few miles of Galite when the motor broke down definitely. Meantime, however, they had bepii observed from tho shore, and a .patrol boat picked, them up. They had been afloat for eighty hours, and had drifted ninety miles.