BEARINGS TO LOST PLANE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 19 October 1942, Page 6

BEARINGS TO LOST PLANE

USE OF TOWN LIGHTS Canberra, Oct. 2. Flashing dots and dashes through wartime darkness, the electric lights of Corryong, 60 miles from Albury, pinpointed the position of a lost aeroplane and enabled it to make a safe landing. The plane was in the north-east corner of Victoria when the pilot lost Ills bearings. First warning that the plane was apparently lost reached R.A.A.F. authorities from local reports relayed, by the Volunteer Air Observers Corps. The plane circled over the town and appeared to signal i with a light, tout a man who saw it ! could not read the signals. ! When the identity of the aeroplane j was established by R.A.A.F. authori- : ties the V.A-O-C. communicated with 1 Mr Wall, Corryong postmaster, and with the aid of Patrol-Leader C. McMillan, and Scout R. J. Wall, of the Kookaburra Patrol, the signals were read. Mr Case, power plant engineer, then used the switch controlling the town’s street lighting to spell out in Morse the name Corryong, and the direction to the aerodrome. Mr Drakeford, Air Minister, emphasised to-night that the Corryong authorities had taken the proper course in communicating with R.A.A.F. authorities before signalling the plane. The National Security Act, he said, forbade unauthorised signalling for obvious reasons. The Corryong incident was another instance of the great value of the V.A.O.C. ____