AIRMAN LOSES HIS WAY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 109, 9 May 1916, Page 2

AIRMAN LOSES HIS WAY.

<j, ALIGHTS IN KENT THINKING HE IS IN HOLLAND. While walking in a field outside his house, a resident of Heme Bay was startled by the whirring of an aeroplane. He"looked up, expecting a Hun raider, but the machine, to his surprise, came down lightly; and neatly, and "settled" near by. The pilot climbed stiffly out of his seat, walked up to the resident, and said, quietly, "Am I a prisoner?" "A prisoner? Well —but surely you are an Englishman, are you not?" "I'm an Englishman, right enough," said the airman. "But isn't this HolIsnd?"

"Holland? Gocd Heavens, no!" was th<a reply. "This is Kerne Bay!"

"Well!" said the pilot, with a perfect sigh of relief. "And I thought I was in Holland! My petrol:was running out, I found myself near the sea, and, fearing I might drop in, I decided to save my skin and come down here!"

The adventurer turned out to be Lieut. F. J. H. Thayre. of the Royal Flying Corps. He explained that after breakfor.t that morning he went up, with a number of others, on a bombmg venture from his station in France. He had flown over the German lines when the mechanism for releasing the bombs he carried jammed:

Enemy aircraft furiously engaged him; in the fight which followed he lost his map anw his compass, and at a height of a couple of thousand 'eei he flew across the sea. There in the mist he lest his bearings, but after a while he' sighted land. Flying down to what he imagined would be internment, he found instead a hearty British Avelcome. He telephoned to London, reported his adventure and its happy issue, repaired his machine, and next morning flew back to his park of nesting hawkes "somewhere in France."