Sampan That Rescued
p. 40 · Read in the full issue
French Airmen
THE Japanese sampan shown below figured in a dramatic incident in New Caledonia a few years ago.
In the middle of 1936, at the time when Islands Administrations were be ing harassed by the activities of Japan ese shell poachers, the New Caledonian authorities decided to use stern measures to save coastal shell-beds from complete destruction. One day when a marauding sampan was reported off Cape Touho (north-eastern coast), Governor Siadoux sent the local aero club’s plane, the “Cagou”, to shepherd it into Noumea.
In case a little persuasion might be necessary, the aeroplane was armed with a howitzer and a cargo of hand grenades.
Apprehended, the sampan was about to obey instructions when the plane sud denly fell headlong into the sea, the con trols having become jammed by a bomb.
As the machine hit the water, one of
the airmen (M. Martinet) broke a rib and became unconscious: with difficulty, the other (M. Beaumont) hoisted him onto the wing of the plane, which re mained afloat.
Seizing his chance, the captain of the sampan tried to escape, but in response to desperate signals from M. Beaumont returned and rescued them. He con sented to take the two Frenchmen to port only on condition that his vessel would be allowed to depart again imme diately. By this time, the aeroplane had sunk.
With the airmen resting aboard, the sampan ran up the coast to Hienghene where, on arrival, the 30 Japanese were promptly arrested by gendarmes, who took charge of the boat’s cargo of 30 tons of trochus shell.
However, the aviators’ promise was honoured and the sampan, with its Ris ing Sun fluttering at the mast, sailed out of Hienghene a few days later —but minus half the trochus shell, the authori ties having decided that it had all been “pinched”, anyway.
A member of the crew of the Sydney yacht “Bronzewing” which recently had an adventurous voyage to Samarai, Papua, is Mr. Chris Hennings, brother of Mr. F. W. Hennings, treasurer of the Pacific Islands Society in Sydney. Both are members of a pioneer Fiji family.
Mr. Chris Hennings until he took up residence in Sydney was on the staff of an Auckland bank. It is reported that the crew of the “Bronzewing” intended searching for gold on Misima Island. All except Mr. Hennings, however, have since returned to Sydney by liner.
Mr. W. E. Rosser, accountant in the Papuan Public Works Department, is now spending leave in Australia, prior to re tiring from the Administration after 25 years’ service.