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At 08:30 the Shawmut on 756 sent the following: "To NC-4, what is your situation.  Where are you.  Answer via destroyers, Shawmut".  Then the following: "Destroyers please listen on 425 meters for message from NC-4".

I then called "B", but upon listening, found her sending the following to the Shawmut at 08:34: "NC-4 not sighted.  Am searching to southward of position.  Sea smooth, visibility very good".

At 08:43, the first opening I noticed, I called "B" again, only to hear some destroyer on 756 reply: "Proceeding to assistance of NC-4".

At 08:45 Ensign Dowd an aircraft radio officer, divining our situation, sent the following from the Shawmut: "Destroyers [[underlined]]please listen[[/underlined]] on 425 meters for messages from NC-4".  Destroyer "C" acknowledged for this message, but instead heeding it the operator called "ISW" about two minutes, then sent the Shawmut's message, repeating each word and sending very slowly.  His intentions were good, but we might have sunk several times during the five minutes which he occupied in so doing.

When he finally finished "B" called me at 08:51 and asked: "Have you landed?"  I answered quickly telling our position but when I listened "A" and "C" were working.  "A" said "NC-4 last seen full speed".  "B" signals were audible over 100 feet away.

He then sent the following to the Shawmut at 09:04: "NC-4 reported leak in gas tank.  Would probably land.  Am searching to southward of position now period Last signal transmitted by NC-4 was on emergency radio set".

This showed that "B" must have heard me say we were landing.

The Shawmut didn't get all of the above message the first time, and it was 09:15 before they finished communicating.

At 09:18, when things finally quieted down, I called "B" again on the battery set, and he answered.  After telling him to listen in the future, instead of sending, I sent the following message: "In Mondego River.  Must wait high tide at two G.M.T. (14:00).  Seaplane OK.  Cannot make Plymouth tonight.  Request destroyers keep stations.  What is best port to north to land within 300 miles.  Request report situation Confran and Plymouth (signed) Read".

"B" advised that our signals were faint, but readable.  The distance at this time was between 20 and 25 miles.