Message Carrying Buoy

Aluminium buoy containing hand written message (in German) referring to the rescue and capture of two RNAS airmen.

Buoy containing message was found by a French destroyer in the North Sea and delivered to RNAS Dunkerque. Date of event unknown but it is believed to relate to the loss of Sub-Lt William Arthur Kirkpatric Dalzell and Sub-Lt Cuthbert Henry Dolling-Smith during a reconnaissance to Zeebrugge in an unidentified Avro aircraft on 29 July 1915. Both became prisoners of war. Translated message reads: "Your brave comrade Flight Sub-Lieut Dalzell and his Observer fell headlong into the sea along the Belgian Coast and have been rescued and are quite well".