Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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20 Forbes lit two flares while the rest started firing. The bullets found their targets but bounced harmlessly off the armour-like backs of thetse monsters. oeveral were shot through the eyes and were obviously killed instantaneously but the others ignored them and oame steadily on while from the sea more and more hastened to the attack. The men went on firing until the first claws clutched their weapons. Several days later the empty boat was found drifting, by a fishing boat which towed it to Lakiskima Retjta, On the island the giant crabs feastted and celebrated until midnight on the tweaity first of July when they slipped one by one ir. ' to the sea to remain there for the next eleven months. J. GILLAN, Form 4L. Easy Able Eight Suddenly, a brilliant orange light rent the blackness of the nighf,, pushing its way through the rain and low-hanging clouds over a lone expanse of a desolate part of the Atlantic. Seconds later, it mush- roomed onto a fiery commet as it plummeted seaward in a horrifying, but graceful arc, and was terminated in a series of thunderous ex- plosions, accompanied by a spectacular, but gruesome finale. So end- ed the noble career of Easy Able Eight , together with her proud crew of eleven valiant Navy men. Less than four hours earlier there had been these fine men receiv- ing their final preflight briefing . . now death, Po itipn reports were to be made once hourly following take-off. All radar contacts were to be investigated by homing in and descending tp sufficiently low alti- tude to facilitatte lighting up the target with Easy Abel Eight ' s many-million candle power searchlight;. Name, liationality, type, course and s peed were to be reported. All of this in the blackness pf the Atlantic night hundreds of miles from base, and in spite of tho weather — a routine flight for the well trained crew of Easy Able Eight . But something happened on the night of 22nd. October First evidence of the tragedy that had already occurred, was foretold in the missing position report at the end of the fourth hour, but nobody was anxious — for many of there rep oiits are delayed by more important! dutie s on board the aircraft, others arrive late because of the necessity to relay the report via a distant land stativon.

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19 received from him repo-rting: his landing on Kaja but he conltinued to be mysterious about the object pi fthe search promising news of vital importance, later. On fthe third day a hurried S.O.Sl, was received Am being attacked . Two rifle shots cracked across the receiver and then silence. Hurried but careful preparation was made fpr the trip and the rescue paity carried both rifles and revolvers and a heavy store of ammunition. The weather wasn ' t good when they left Sakishima Retto but they didn ' t worry abput that. They didn ' t have to search far. A skeleton with the bones picked clean, lay on the beach. The two way radio lay in the sand nearby and Jack ' .s wrist watch (Jack was Forbes ' brother) lay near the skele- ton. The clothing was that of Forbes ' brother hurt it was all snipped and slashed. There was no certain identification but circumstantial evidence showed that this had been the unfortunaite stientist. One Libula was cut through as if by a claw, and in the remaixis of one hand was half of a claw five feet long. The party gazed at the sight except for the mate who rose magnificently to the occasiooi with the p ofound remark I h ope there aren ' t many more of those around at- tached to the body. They decided to explore the island thoroughly, making their depot the highest point on the island which was about fifty feet above sea level. The boat was securely moored to the beach but an hour later the man who was left on guard noticed she was mpving albeadily sea- ward. Deciding the mooring had snapped — she was at this time only fifty feet out — he swam ,out to her. No-one saw him go and no-ottie saw him again. The relief guard found boat and man missing and the mooring apparently cut. Puzzled and more than a little alarmed he rep)orted to Forbes. It was near midnight but both returned to the beach vainly searching the moonlit waters for some trace of the missing boat. The rope ' s been cut, said F,orbes slowly. Cut like the bone in Jack ' s foot , iD ' Keepe looked sheepish, It ' s fantastic I know but the islanders won ' t come near this island during this month. They w,on ' t talk abc it it. There couldn ' t be anything in that, or could there? I ' m remembering , said Forbes gravely, a reference in folk tales t,o this island as Cancer, I always thought it came from the Lat — Look! he yelled. The sea was heaving with huge shapes. The two men raced for the camp and gave the alarm as the first of the monsters reached the beach and started to climb slowly purp osefully toward them. Hastily

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21 That night, as the minutes ticked away, the U.Si.. Coast Guard picked up a distress message relayed by a Liberian freighter on the InieiTiatioiial Distress Frequency of 500 KG. Its contents explained the missing hourly report and darkened the hopes of distraught ship- mates. It cracked out of the lonely and stormy night . , . AircraR observed to cra:h in flames off: my port bow, followed by a series of explosions. Piceeding to recover possible survivors. There was little need f,or transmission of a second message, for those who live by the air and sea secretly acknowledged during their lonely vigil thajt Gcd had taken the crew of Easy Able Eight unto Himself. Yet, true to tradition, EA-8 ' s companion crews and planes commenced a gruelling search, accompanied by surface units. During the nexft three days hundreds of thousands of square miles of the raging Atlantic were criss-cr|0S3ed in a fruitless search — but there can be no crossing of the bar when some put out to sea. E. D. ANDERSON, Form 4L. My Dog I have a dog named Chummy A pure-bred mongrel he He likes to have a nice warm bath But how he hates the sea! At sound of postman ' s bicycle He rushes to the door. But is it as a friend or foe? Well, listen to his roar ! He ' s learnt to sit and beg for treats And how to shake my hand; But why he shouldn ' t chase the cars He cannot understand ! The paper boy will not come near When Chummy ' s on the run; But otherwise he ' s very good, I think he ' s lots of fun. R. BARTLETT, Form 41;.