| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | P00120.002 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
1944. AMPHIBIOUS CATALINAS STATIONED AT GOODENOUGH ISLAND WERE CALLED OUT ABOUT 2 AM TO ...
Description
1944. AMPHIBIOUS CATALINAS STATIONED AT GOODENOUGH ISLAND WERE CALLED OUT ABOUT 2 AM TO INVESTIGATE FLOATING DEBRIS THOUGHT TO BE A RAFT NEAR NEW BRITAIN. TURNED OUT TO BE A FALSE ALARM. WE FLEW OVER THE LAND ALL THE AMERICANS WERE WAVING, SO WE WAVED BACK. THEN WHEN THEY STARTED SMOKE BOMBS OF ALL DIFFERENT COLOURS WE LANDED. ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE WE ARRIVED THE AMERICAN GI ON THE STRETCHER HAD BLOWN HIS HAND OFF AND A BIG HOLE IN HIS STOMACH WITH GELIGNITE WHILE "BLOWING-UP" FISH (THIS STUNS THE FISH AND YOU CAN CATCH THEM BY HAND). I OFTEN WONDERED WHETHER HE LIVED. IF HE LIVED HE CAN THANK THE PILOT WHO GAVE US THE FALSE ALARM FOR HIS LIFE AS THERE WAS NO AIRSTRIP AT THE TIME ANYWHERE NEAR AND THE CATALINE WAS ON THE SPOT, THOUGH NORMALLY STATIONED ABOUT 5 HOURS FLYING TIME AWAY.