PILOT BALES OUT UNDER WATER

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 7

PILOT BALES OUT UNDER WATER

A 28-year-old Polish pilot, ' still hleeding from his in juries, told of his escape from under the sea in an aeroplane which broke in two. The aeroplane, an R.AF. Wellington on a night exercise, crashed into the sea off Brest. Three of the occupants are missing, including A.T.C. Smith, Air Training Corps from near Shrews'bury. The Polish pilot said: "We were flying at 4000 feet and only 20- miles from the French coast when the engine spluttered. Sergeant Bennett and Sergeant Delhridge were near me, but my three other unfortunate colleagues were amidships. "We hit the sea wtih terrific force. The aircraft cradked and smashed in two, the fore and aft of the Wellington disappearing under the sea. "It must have been 20 feet under the sea when I suddenly- realised that the cockpit above me was open. "I released the strap which held me to -fhe pilot seat and rushed immediately to the top. To my amazement 'I came up a short distance from the rubber dinghy, which was automatically released as we cAshed on to the sea. "My two colleagues were near and helped me aboard. "We fired a Verry pjstol and later all stood up and cheered when we saw a light on the horizon. It was a Danish vessel coming to our rescue." The Wellingtor had, beshies the Polj^h ipil^, three E^glishmien, a Scotsinan and an Indian aboard. /