Skegness Magazine

Skegness Men Signal in Morse Code to Lost Bomber

WEDNESDAY,, JANUARY 30th, 1935
SKEGNESS MEN GIVE HELP TO LOST BOMBER
Morse Signals Sent With Mirror and Car Headlight
INGENUITY OF POST OFFICE SUPERVISOR
Story that Splashed Skegness in the National Newspapers

THREE MODEST MEN
A first-class news story of how three Skegness men established communication by visual signalling with an aeroplane which was circling over Skegness at night asking for its position was nearly lost to the world through the modesty of the three men concerned.
The incident, which was given great prominence last Monday morning by the bulk of the English national newspapers, occurred on the evening of the previous Tuesday when, as exclusively reported in the “Skegness News” many residents saw the Morse flashes sent out by a large aeroplane, believed to be an R.A.F. night bomber.
The three Skegnessians contrived to flash a message back which relieved the embarrassed airmen, but they all went on their way home and mentioned it just casually to their wives as if the incident were nothing more than an ordinary every-day routine occurrence.
A lady relative of one of the “heroes” referred to it just as casually on Saturday in conversation with a “News” representative, who at once sensed a first-class news story which he thought was worthy of wide dissemination.
The story was four days old, but when it got to London, the national news editors seized on it with delight. Most of them gave it big headlines and here is how the “Daily Mirror” spread it over two columns on their front page:—

INGENUITY OR P.O. OFFICIAL WHO SAW MORSE LIGHTS FROM THE SKY
Mr. Norman Walls, a supervisor at Skegness (Lines) post office, rubbed his eyes at 7 p.m. when, on his way home, he saw stars apparently shooting about in Morse.
When they started asking ” Name ?” Mr. Walls began to believe in Martians.
Until, behind the flashes, he saw the outline of a large ‘plane. “Name?” the lights asked again.
Mr. Walls replied.
(No, he did NOT dash off to the electricity works and use the town lights as, a Morse sender. That’s old stuff. Albany (Australia) did it during the Melbourne air race. And anyway Skegness is lit by gas and you can’t mess about with that!
BOOK AS “SHUTTER.”
He commandeered a motor car and had the headlights switched on. Running into a chemist’s shop he borrowed a hand mirror and commandeered the chemist to hold it in front of the headlights at an angle that reflected a ray of light into the sky.
Then using a book as a shutter, Mr. Walls sent out:—

[the following characters represent Morse code]

… / -.- / . / –. / -. / . / … / …

Which interpreted is “Skegness”.

The ‘plane, believed to be an R.A.F. bomber, signalled “O.K. Thanks” and turned off south-west.
And Mr. Walls, a man of ingenuity, continued his way home.
The two other participants in the exciting episode were Mr. V. M. Proud, M.P.S., S.S.M.C., manager and optician for Messrs. Hudson’s Ltd., Roman Bank, and Mr. Frank Baker, junr., son of a Skegness builder.

FLASHLAMP PROVED USELESS
When Mr. Walls realised that the air pilots were lost and desired to know where they were, he dashed into Messrs. Hudson’s shop and enquired of Mr. Proud if he had a flash lamp. Mr. Proud replied in the negative but Mr. Baker said he had one in his car. Mr. Walls first used this, but its ray was not powerful enough to show up in the lighted thoroughfare.
The triumvirate then all thought hard together. Mr. Proud rushed back for a mirror from his optician’s outfit, Mr. Baker switched on his headlight, and while Mr. Proud directed the more powerful ray skywards by holding the mirror at an angle, Mr. Wall; transmitted the message by manipulating a book over the head-lamp.
This improvised shutter worked successfully and the three were naturally delighted when they received the message back from the aeroplane: ” O.K. Thanks.”
And then these three strong silent men went on their usual routine occupations, and a first-class story narrowly escaped being related to the world.

SUGGESTION TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Interviewed by a “News” representative, Walls, who was attached to a signalling corps in France in the war, was all modesty and declared that his two “assistants” were equally entitled to credit.
“I do think, however,” he added, “that all local authorities should arrange for a powerful lamp to be fitted on the highest official building, so that in the event of the pilots on a night flight losing their bearings they can readily obtain information as to their position.

With which expression “Skegness News” readers will cordially agree.
Hearty congratulations to Messrs Walls, Proud and Baker, but the “News” hopes they won’t hide their light under a bushel next time they possess the means of bringing Skegness into the limelight.

Incidentally the “News” may point out that the name of the Australian town at which a power station engineer used the public lighting to signal to the Douglas air liner of the K.L.M. (Royal Dutch Air Lines), on the last lap of the McRobertson race, is ALBURY.