APRIL 13TH. - FLEETWOOD, LANCASHIRE.

At 10.50 in the morning a Wellington bomber crashed in the sea a mile northwest of the life-boat station. The southerly breeze was light, the sea calm. As the coxswain and crew of the life-boat were not within easy reach, the motor-mechanic, to save time, gathered a scratch crew consisting of an able seaman of the Royal Naval Reserve, two corporals of the United States Army, and a civilian visitor, and the life-boat was launched at 11.10. Ten minutes later she reached the aeroplane, but a fishing boat, going to sea, was there before her, and had rescued three airmen, one of whom died later.

Four airmen were missing and the life-boat searched for them, but found no one. She returned to her station at noon. In the early evening, when the tide was out, the four missing men were found in the aeroplane, dead. - Rewards, £5 5s. 6d..