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EDITORIAL EDITOR, DESIGN & PRODUCTION First we the bad news then the good! Bill Baker 1. The bad. We are at the end of our Annual cycle which Address all correspondence to; means that you will have to renew your subscription. The Editor, AHSA, 2. The good (A) The rates remain the same, and even P.O. Box 2007, some go down a little - Asia Pacific. (B) We have included South Melbourne 3205 Victoria, Australia, the usual self addressed, stamped envelope (Australia only). 03 9583 4072 Phone & Fax We have been able to do this by rigid economies and will try E.maii: [email protected] to achieve this during the 2004 year. One way you can help www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/ahsa.html us is by forwarding your payment as soon as possible and Subscription Rates; that eliminates a back up letter - a lot less work for those Australia A$45. who do it, plus the cost of postage. Asia-Pacific A$55 Our publishing schedule is quite rigid the first of the month is Rest of World A$68. always aimed for - that is for 2004 March,June Overseas payment to be in Australian September and December. If your copy of Aviation Heritage currency by International Money Order or has NOT arrived by the end of the first week of these dates Bank Draft. Overseas personal cheques - please let me know. And please let us know of any change cannot be accepted. of address. I have included in your subs renewal card a Articles for Publication; space for your E.maii address should you wish for it to be Are to be on an Australian theme. added to our data base. The Editor reserves the right to edit any To all those who have contributed to Aviation Heritage or the article accepted for publication. AHSA Newsletter, a very grateful thanks to you!!! Payment is not made for articles. Editors wish list: Please include sufficient postage for the Priority 1: First to Fly in Australia^ Still waiting, waiting.) return of originals if that is required. Any facet of Australia’s aviation history, Malaya, GAF A - H and the Computer; Contributions for Nomad, Korea, Vietnam, anything that interests you and can the Journal are most welcome in any form, be printed. How about the history of Airbus in Australia? Or but if you have a computer, exported on a some photos out of your collection for the Member’s Photo 3V2" disc in ASSCII format (plain text), or Page? Don’t forget that Papua New Guinea and the Pacific WIN 6, would be just great! (Include hard Islands come under our banner also. Anything!! copy also). However Macintosh discs can be translated. All photographs submitted will be Cover; From John Hopton’s vast archives comes this photo copied and the originals returned within 5 of VH-BPE which is the subject of the following article by days of receipt. Roger McDonald and Christopher O’Neil. Disclaimer; Next Issue: Volume 35 Number 1 will be in your letter-box 1. Whilst every effort is made to check the in the first week of March 2004. authenticity of the material and advertising Contents: printed, the Publishers, Editors, and the 130 The liquidation of BCPA McDonald/O’Neil Aviation Historical Society of Australia and its 134 The‘Star’s Report’ Bill Baker Office Bearers cannot accept responsibility 137 Mercy Flights Mac Job for any non-performance. 141 The Flying GG Neil Follet 2. The views expressed in ’Aviation 144 Virgin Blue Fleet List Peter Kelly 147 Seen at 1947 Airshow David Vincent Heritage' are not necessarily those of the 149 Crash on Coolibah Mike Flanagan AHSA or its Editors. 153 John F. Murphy Greg Banfield Meetings of the AHSA: AVIATION HERITAGE Melbourne Branch: The fourth Wednesday in every ISSN 0815-4392 month, 7:30 at the Airforce Association, 4 Cromwell Street, South Yarra. Further information - Keith Meggs 9580 0140. NSW Branch: The first Wednesday in every month 7:45 Studio 1 at the Powerhouse Museum, enter from the Macarthur Street end. Further information Warwick SOCIETY OF Bigsworth 02 9872 2323 AUSTRALIA INC., A0033653P ARBN 092-671-773 Queensland Branch: The last Friday in every month 7:30 P.O. BOX 2007, at the RQAC Archerfield. Meals available. Contact Richard SOUTH MELBOURNE, Hitchins, 07 3388 3900 VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA AHSA Aviation Heritage

THE LIQUIDATION Of BRITISH CONHONWIAITH PACIFIC AIRLINES UNITED. By Roger McDonald & Christopher O’Neill The history of British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Limited has been documented in a number of publications, especially in Harry Moore's excellent book "Silver Wings in Pacific Skies", published in 1993 by Boolarong Publications Brisbane. Even though briefly mentioned in the book, not many readers are aware the company was not liquidated until 1967 even though it was intended to do so in 1954. Few are aware of the reasons why there was such a delay when the total control of the company had passed to the Australian Government prior to the intended 1954 liquidation. The appointed liquidator, Mr. Albert Charles Joyce of their DC-6 aircraft, a type not in the Qantas fleet. The Canberra in his final Report dated April 14th 1967, made finance for the transfer of the aircraft to T.E.A.L. was the comment "At the time it was believed that the arranged by both the New Zealand and Australian liquidation would be a comparatively simple matter and the Governments taking an increased shareholding in that final dissolution of the Company would be completed Company and the British selling their shares to Qantas to within a reasonably short period, but it soon became give an equal New Zealand and Australian shareholding. evident that the task would be both an involved and protracted one. Shortly after my appointment, writs for By May 1955, all known liabilities of B.C.P.A., except damages were issued by the estates of passengers and the contingent liability arising from the accident to DC-6 members of crew who were killed in an accident involving VH-BPE, had been met and suitable arrangements were one of the Company's DC-6 aircraft in California on 29th made with Qantas for the settlement of any liabilities that October, 1953. This accident set in train a series of could arise from revenues received in advance. Apart from complex legal actions which has delayed the final these, Trans Australia Airlines (T.A.A.), also fully owned by dissolution of the Company for almost thirteen years." the Australian Government, made a claim of $326,466 for compensation for the termination of engineering services British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Limited was provided to B.C.P.A. Following intervention by the current incorporated on 24th June 1946 with the sole aim of Minister for Civil Aviation, the T.A.A. claim was not operating air services from Australia and New Zealand to pursued. The orderly and quick liquidation of the Company points In North America, including Vancouver in Canada, was stymied by the writs for damages. via Fiji, Hawaii and others as decided by the shareholders. The shareholding in the Company were the Governments The full Liquidation Report became available for public of Australia with 50%, New Zealand 30% and the United perusal at the Commonwealth Archives in 1997, 30 years Kingdom 20%. The airline commenced its first services on after the event. Even though many years had passed and 15th September 1946 using DC-4 aircraft chartered from the community's expectations for compensation rewards Australian National Airways Pty Ltd. By December 1948, have risen substantially, the final payments were based on four new company owned Douglas DC-6 were in service, what applied at the time of the accident in 1953. These three of which were to pass to New Zealand ownership. By make interesting comparisons to awards now being made mid October 1953, It was decided by the three for more minor injuries and loss of life in today's litigious Governments that the alms of the Company had been society. Covering the claims In his Report, Mr. Joyce fulfilled with each country now having their own substantial continued: Government owned airline; Qantas Empire Airways In Australia's case, Tasman Empire Airways owned by New Accident to Aircraft VH-BPE Zealand (with an Australian and then British shareholding) “At approximately 8.43 a.m. on the morning of October and British Overseas Airways Corporation owned by the 29th October, 1953 a B.C.P.A. Douglas DC-6 aircraft United Kingdom. "RMA Resolution" with Australian registration VH-BPE, while on a scheduled flight from Sydney to San Francisco Following a meeting held in New Zealand during flew into the cloud covered Kings Mountains ten miles October 1953, it was decided the Australian Government south west of San Francisco airport. The aircraft was through Qantas would purchase the shareholding of the completely destroyed and the eleven passengers and other two Governments in B.C.P.A. at par value and then eight crew members on board all were killed. Subsequent the company would be liquidated. It was further decided investigations did not reveal the cause of the accident. that Qantas would become responsible for all Australia to After my appointment as Liquidator, I was served with North America air services while T.E.A.L. would be writs for damages by the legal personal representatives of responsible for all New Zealand to Australia and New the deceased passengers and the dependents of the crew Zealand to Fiji services, the latter connecting with Qantas members instituted certain legal proceedings. to give a regular air service between New Zealand and North America. The new arrangement commenced on a) Passenger Legal Liabilities: 15th May 1954 when a Qantas Constellation aircraft The Warsaw Convention (Articles 22 and 25) at that departed Mascot for San Francisco, connecting with a time limited the liability of an air carrier for each passenger T.E.A.L. DC-6 flight from New Zealand. Six days later, on to the sum of $7,406 unless the damage was caused by 21st May, B.C.P.A. was placed in liquidation. The "wilful misconduct' on the part of the carrier, his agent or schedule for the liquidation, even though complicated with servant or by such default on the part of the carrier, his regards the financial arrangements, simply was on the agent or servant as a Court may consider to be equivalent basis of transferring the remaining three DC-6 aircraft to willful misconduct. In this event there is no limit to the owned by B.C.P.A to T.E.A.L. along with 50% of the amount of damages that may be awarded. If it is spares and Qantas would acquire ail sundry assets and established that the carrier was negligent and the onus negotiate with T.E.A.L. to buy the other 50% of spares on lies on the carrier to prove that there was no negligence, a commercial basis. This part of the asset split became then damages up to $7,406 may be awarded by a Court, complicated and was not finalised until early 1957 but it The writs Issued by the estates of the deceased did end in T.E.A.L. acquiring all the spares in support of

130 AHSA Aviation Heritage

Table 1: PAYMENTS MADE TO ESTATES OF CREW MEMBERS KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT TO AIRCRAFT VH-BPE

Settlement Under Personal Compensation to Accident Total Superannuation $ Insurance $ $ Name of Deceased Dependants Relationship Relative Act. $ 12,830 0 17,130 Captain B.N. Dickson Mrs. J.M. Dickson Wife 4,000 Anne M. Dickson Child 150 Christopher L. Dickson Child 150 1,268 13,408 First Officer F.A. Campbell Mrs. E.M. Cambell Wife 4,000 7,990 Stephen A. Campbell Child 150 11,418 Navigation Officer G.R. Murtagh Mrs. G.E. Murtagh Wife 4,000 4,830 2,438 Christine A. Murtagh Child 150 11,252 Radio Officer V.A. Walker Mrs. E.O.I. Walker Wife 4,000 4,042 3,060 Lynette walker Child 150 12,008 Engineer Officer C.N. Cattanach Mrs. M.J. Cattanach Wife 4,000 4,926 2,932 Robert s. Cattanach Child 150 12,278 Purser W.B. Knighyt Mrs. E.B. Knight Wife 4,000 4,128 4,000 Frank L. Knight Child 150 Flight Hostess A.K. Lewis 0 372 3,000 3,372 Flight Hostess J.F. Elder 0 220 3,000 3,220 $25,050 $39,338 $19,698 $84,086

Table 2 : SUMMARY OF PASSENGER LEGAL LIABILITY ACTIONS ARISING FROM ACCIDENT TO AIRCRAFT VH-BPE Court From Which Writ Name of Deceased Plaintiff Issued Amount of Writ Term of Settlement High Court of Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit J.K. Briscoe Executor of Estate England Not advised ($7,406) Supreme Court Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit J.W. Butterworth Mrs. E. Butterworth of N.S.W. $100,000 ($7,406) Emily B. Johnson District Court of Judgement in favour of the plaintiff for $8,300 at Mrs. J. Chiverton Executrix of Estate N.S.W. $US75,000 second trial Supreme Court Application by plaintiff for Non Suit granted by of N.S.W. $70,000 Court Supreme Court Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit W.J. Cox Executor of Estate of N.S.W. $8,000 ______($7,406)______High Court of Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit R.F.K. Eastoe Executor of Estate England Not advised ($7,406) G. Halmos, Special Dstrict Court of Judgement in favour of the Plaintiff for Janos Feher & John Faher (7 years) Administrator California $US500,000 $US35,000 at second trial Supreme Court, State of New York $US300,000 Dismissed for failure to prosecute Rudolh Feher, Father of Supreme Court hearing. Judgement in favour of the plaintiff for Janos of N.S.W. $US600,000 $3,700 T.R. Berner & A.S. Lesser, Executors of District Court of William Kapell Estate California $US750,000 Action withdrawn by Plaintiff in December, 1958 Supreme Court, State of New Judgement in favour of Plaintiff for $US924,396 York $US7,003,000 later reversed on appeal. No damages awarded. Supreme Court Application by Plaintiff for Non Suit granted by on N.S.W. $700,000 Court Supreme Court Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit C.G.H. McDonald Mrs. E.l. McDonald on N.S.W. $100,000 ($7,406) Supreme Court Settled in Supreme Court of N.S.W. at Warsaw Captain Paul Olsen Mrs. V.M. Olsen on N.S.W. $100,000 Convention limit ($7,406) Supreme Court Settled by Insurers at Warsaw Convention limit B.R. Tischler Executrix of Estate on N.S.W, $20,000 ______($7,406)______

131 4HS4 4viation Heritage

could not be achieved. The Fener and Chiverton cases COMPANY NOTICES were tried together in San Francisco before Judge Ritter and jury in January 1960, The 12 day trial resulted in a COMMONWEALTH verdict for B.C.P.A. and no damages were awarded. On PACIFIC AIRLINES LIMITED (IN LiQUiDATtONJ the application of the plaintiff s attorney, Judge Ritter Notice Is ♦is of Stctiot* of the ordered a new trial on the ground that the jury had not Companies Act 193S been properly directed by him on the meaning of the term Extraordinary GeneTal Meetlmr of the members of the . "wilful misconduct" and on the negligence provisions of the named compaov will be neld at Oantas House, 70 Hunter Streetj Warsaw Convention. Sydney* on Monday* th«^ 1st -day of May. 1967* at ^4 o*clock In the afternoon for thit of The new trial was held in February and March, 1960 havino an account tala before them showin9 the manner In when the jury awarded damages totalling $US35,000 in which the winding UP has^ beeri conducted nd the property of the two Feher cases, and $US8,300 (the Warsaw the company disposed of and or hearing any explanation that mav Convention limit) in the Chiverton case. Our attorneys be oiven by the Liauldator and could not, and did not,attempt to establish that there was also of determining by Extra- ordinary Resolution the manner no negligence. The Feher award was illogical. It seems In which the books* accounts and clear that the jury was satisfied that wilful misconduct had not been proved, but awarded an amount greater than the this ^ Liquidator. Warsaw limit, apparently as a sympathy award to the The notice above in the March 21, widow. Our attorneys recommended an appeal against the 1967 edition of the Sydney Morning judgment, but the amount of the award being relatively small, and the risks involved in pursuing the case any Flerald commenced the final act in further being very great, and as additional heavy costs the liquidation of B.C.P.A...______would be involved, I decided against appealing. passengers were for damages in excess of the Warsaw During both trials, the attitude of Judge Ritter appeared Convention limit and, therefore, implied an allegation of to us to be quite extraordinary. In many of his rulings on willful misconduct. The details of these writs and the the admissibility of evidence and other matters, he ultimate settlement of the claims are set cut in summary in appeared to favour the plaintiffs and to display bias and Table 2. prejudice against the defendants. For example, the Judge B.C.P.A. was insured against passenger legal liability refused to admit any hypothetical explanation as to why claims with Lloyds but the maximum cover was $7,406, the aircraft was off course. Fie rejected any hypothesis the Warsaw Convention limit, unless willful misconduct Is which could not he proved. In view of the death of the established. The claims in respect of six passengers were crew, this attitude appeared to us to be quite settled out of court by the Company's Insurers at the unreasonable. Flis granting of a new trial in the San Warsaw limit during 1955. The action brought by Rudolph Francisco case and the ordering of a conditional new trial Feher in the Supreme Court of N.S.W. was heard in 1957 in the New York case (see below) seemed to us to provide and resulted in a judgment for $3,700 in favour of the a further opportunity for the plaintiffs to obtain an award of deceased's parents. The widow, Mrs. Georgina Feher was substantial damages. still free to pursue separate actions in the U.S.A. The case of William Kapell came up for trial in the In November, 1958 the Olsen case was settled in the District Court, Southern District of New York in March and Supreme Court of N.S.W. on terms that the plaintiff April, 1961 before a judge (Judge Ritter again) and jury. accepted the Warsaw limit and each party agreed to bear Prior to the commencement of the trial, our attorneys its own costs. The most protracted and difficult cases were attempted to have the case heard by another judge. To those of Janos and John Feher, Mrs. Jean Chiverton and this end, I was advised by our attorneys to swear a long William Kapell, which were contested in the American affidavit of bias and prejudice against Judge Ritter to Courts. From 1956 to 1958, negotiations took place secure his disqualification. This affidavit was submitted to between the parties concerned in an attempt to settle the the New York Circuit Court of Appeal seeking a Writ of cases out of Court. I authorized offers of settlement Prohibition against the Judge but the application was progressing up to $US82,500 (Kapell), $US40,000 (Feher) denied. Judge Ritter proceeded to hear the case and once and $US14,000 (Chiverton), but satisfactory settlements again appeared to be biased against the defendants On

inclitding 20 solo recitals ami coocen lour on December 29, A short Tribute to William 17 appearances w>lb A.BX. !i4iirting wkh ttn »jppearas»ce Kapell included as part of the orchestras in Sydney. M«L with the.Cbkaifo Sympbcmy TRIBUTE TO bourne, Adelaide. Western Drcbotrx. Sydney Morning Flerald’s Australia, and Qtiecmland. He WAS ta have made sev«n Mrs. Kapell left Ausiratla appearances m New York ibis October 31, 1953 full coverage MEMORY for the U-S. on September 24. 5cmais^-ittciudiof an cogagr- of the B.C.P.A. accident. The couple intended to start meot with tbe Philharmonic' Symphony Orchema. a yacation as soon ms Mr. Kapell was regaled as the OF KAPELL Kapell arrived in San Fran­ The >1-year-old pianKt was generally rated by critics as United States of America cisco. one of tt« greatest native The A.B.C, last night Airline officiats said Mr. piaaistr of the United Slates. greatest pianist and because of Kapell i ded to leave the presented a spjcciat pro­ [He was a aodettt of the Ule airliner at Honoiotn and stay ,Ala4Am< Otga Samaroff Sio- the loss of his income earning gramme of tribute to the over for a few days in the |)ct>wrkf. Amertcao pianist William islands. I Born in New VoeK. Mr potential, his Estate fought Kapell* who was killed in At the last moment be de­ ;>C*peU tfUdiod at ihe Pbita- B.C.P.A. for a larger the San Francisco air cided to contlmse the flighL •dclNua Cociaervaiory of crash. .Music and the iudklbard Oradii- compensation. This was the Mr. KapeU was rctumiiif to !*ie School Mucac m New* TOUR PLANS lYorL Amerkm rrow hts Australian main reason the liquidation tour for the A3.C. NEW YORK* Oct. 30 took so long to complete. Mr. Kapell arrived in Aus­ lA.A.P.L — William Kapell tralia on July 11. He made 37 appearancm^ in 14 weeks. was lo have begun a new 132 AHSA Aviation Heritage

3rd April, 1961 the jury entered a verdict in favour of the of the Minister for Civil Aviation, I decided to abandon defendants and no damages were awarded. recovery action. More than two years later Judge Ritter handed down a The legal costs arising out of the litigation in all of judgment "non obstante veredicto" against B.C.P.A. these cases, including nominal fees charged by the without limit as to the amount of damages, and ordered a Commonwealth Crown Solicitor totalled $282,105. This new trial to determine the quantum of damages. The appears to be large by Australian standards, but after judgment added that if judgment notwithstanding the jury's challenging one of the Bills of Costs, considering the verdict was reversed on appeal, then a new trial was to be explanations given in reply by the Attorneys, and conducted on all issues. The new trial on the issue of consulting the Crown Solicitor, I was reluctantly forced to damages commenced on 27th January, 1964. The jury accept the view that, based on American standards, the assessed plaintiffs damages in the amount of Attorneys charges were not unreasonably high. $US924,396 and final judgment was entered on 27th April, b) Claims bv Estates of Crew Members 1964 for that amount against B.P.C.A. An appeal against The dependent widows of the six male crew members this judgment was made by B.P.C.A to the U.S. Court of on the aircraft instituted proceedings against the Company Appeals. This appeal was heard by three judges on 7th December, 1964. On 9th June, 1965 the Appeals Court in California before the Industrial Accident Commission and in the Supreme Court of N.S.W. under the reversed Judge Ritter's judgment notwithstanding the Compensation to Relatives Act. All claims were settled verdict and his conditional granting of a new trial on all issues, thus reinstating the trial jury's verdict in favour of without recourse to legal action and the terms of B.C.P.A. The plaintiff then applied to the U.S. Supreme settlement and other payments made to the estates are Court for a Writ of Certiorari which, if granted, would have set out in summary form in Table 1. The Workers' resulted in the case being reviewed by the Supreme Court Compensation and Common Law Liability insurance in Washington. This application was denied, thus leaving policies held by B.C.P.A. required the Company to meet the case finally settled in favour of B.C.P.A. without any the first $LIS7,500 ($6,773) of any claim arising from damages being awarded. anyone accident. Apart from this, all payments made to the Estates of crew members were covered by insurance. Because there were no damages awarded on the Other Legal Actions. Kapell case our Insurers were not obliged to make any reimbursement. However, they agreed to make an ex Other legal Actions gratia payment of the Warsaw limit ($7,406) as a On 6th January, 1959 I was served with a writ for contribution towards the legal costs incurred by the $20,000 by solicitors acting for Miss J. Muickey who was a Liquidator in the defence of this action. It is the general B.C.P.A. Air Hostess and at that time was employed by practice in U.SA for each party to bear its own costs Qantas. On 10th January, 1953 she was on duty at except where, for some special reason, a Court rules Mascot when some gravel from the tarmac entered her otherwise. The United States District Court and the U.S. eye when a B.C.PA aircraft was leaving the terminal. Court of Appeals issued judgements for costs totalling Subsequently the eye became affected, necessitating $US7,741 against the plaintiffs and in favour of B.C.P.A. prolonged absences from duty and substantial medical Apparently the Courts believed that the plaintiffs had expenses were Incurred, Some years later the injury involved B.C.P.A. in unnecessary costs to the extent of the forced her to give up flying duties and she resigned from amount awarded. The plaintiffs adopted every legal Qantas. Her claim was finally settled for $4,800 by the recourse available to them to have this judgment set Company's insurers”. aside, but without success, and then refused to make The Final Weeks. payment. I authorized a compromise settlement of $5,100 Following the completion of Mr. Joyce's Report, he but this was rejected. The only way in which I could called a general meeting of the company to lay before enforce payment was to place the matter in the hands of a them the final accounts and explanations thereof. The "Collection Attorney". This course of action seemed likely Companies Act required him to file with the Registrar to attract unfavourable publicity and with the concurrence General, within one week after this meeting, a copy of the ______final account and a return of the holding of the meeting. On the expiration of three months from the filing of the accounts and the return, the company shall be deemed to be dissolved. This final meeting was held at Qantas House, Sydney on May 1, 1967 and after the mandatory three months had elapsed, British Commonwealth ...... Pacific Airlines Limited just became a closed file on the shelves of the Commonwealth Archives Repository in Sydney. Reference: ^ The foregoing extraction of the Liquidator's Report, and comment is

MISS D. PARMY. FOR ROFFCT OINNRR based on Archive Files No: ■ KT. tSJO SP1851/1 Box 3 and Box 15 (out of The final dissolution of the company was marked by an informal gathering 24 Boxes), Of persons associated with the airline and its liquidation.

133 AHSA Aviation Heritage

A couple of years ago whilst I was researching something, I can’t remember what now, I came across the following article on the roll of micro-film I was examining. It was interesting to me on two counts, firstly I had not heard of this event before. Secondly I had heard of this newspaper before but not its history. It was the evening paper of the Melbourne Argus and was located in the Argus building in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, and that I knew (at a much later date) Bernie Bragg the artist who drew the picture that accompanied this article. Ed.

ft f; h Ml fr A A Mi A A A A A A A A A A A A A A* pentridge Escape Attempt Alleged—Pager 2 ; 2A-HOUR FORECAST: iI.KirU Ht flue and luarm: northerly \\ •4' jrlud.i, >;• WrathiT M»p—Puff 2S. BOONW V V v- !.■ V- V v r- RICE CIGARETTE l(ri <: ■. •,A .-I•. papers • • 1: Turf Section — ?^enlrc Pages -^STAINLESS t ^Telephone F04U (20 lines). ii- ... VAVVV> i I “ O.P.O.. Meloourne. lor trsnsmUjlon by poit n • ne*5pai>er.t PAGES—lid. No. 333 IB IDA Y E V EN J NG, NO VJvM HI OK

Daredevil Fliers Reach New Zealand CROSSED TASMAN IN BANNED PLANE “NEVER WORRIED,” THEY SAY IN TALK WITH “THE STAR” AUCKLAND, To-day. Messrs. Ray G. Whitehead and Rex Nicholl, who left Gerringong Beach (N.S.W.) at 1.55 a.m. yesterday, in a small single-engined plane for which the Australian Civil Aviation Department refused to issue a certificate of airworthiness, landed at Doubtless Bay, on the East Coast of the North Island, at 6.35 p.m. yesterday (4.35 p.m. Australian eastern standard time). Unable to find a house, they slept by their machine on the beach. At daylight to-day they came on to Mangere aerodrome, Auckland, where there was nobody to welcome them. When news of their arrival spread, however, a big crowd quickly gathered.

Cold and Hungry On the Beach Special to "The Star" from Rex Nicholl and R. C. Whitead by Wireless Telephone Two young men who had Nicholl answered the life, no wireless equipment it double-dinked 1^400 telephone and said that Mr. Whitehead and was not able to respond. miles across the Tasman he would be glad to tell Mr. Nicholl were flying in Originally the Sea In the single cockpit anything he could about a single-engine de machine had seating of a single engined Puss the details of the flight Haviland Puss Moth accommodation for three that would set at rest aeroplane, the oldest persons, but two of the Moth aircraft: told the people's minds. They ‘plane of its type in seats were removed to story or their flight over were sorry that Australia. About a enable an additional the wireless telephone everybody had worried quarter of an hour later petrol tank to be to-day. when they themselves the aeroplane passed installed in the cabin. They are about the were not In the least over H.M.A.S. Canberra, The plane carried 120 only people In Australia worried during the flight, flying at an altitude of gallons of petrol and New Zealand to-day Their worries came later about 700 feet. The sufficient for 20 hours of who deny that they when they landed on the wireless operator tried to flying. placed their lives in shores of New Zealand communicate with the hazard.: and could find no sign of ’plane, but as it carried

Both Experienced Airmen Mr. Ray G. Whitehead, aged 24 a journalist. He was taught to fly short service commission, which years, is the only son of Mr. A. P. by Flying-Officer Kay, who flew he relinquished last year. He then Whitehead, a leading draper of the Tasman recently. In 1930 he obtained a commercial aviators Wellington (N.Z.). He was formerly joined the Royal Air Force on a licence and came to Australia. He

134 AHSA Aviation Heritage had since been conducting an air taxi service. Mr Rex. Nicholl, aged 26 years, is a member of the New South Wales “A” team. He has been successful m many competitive events, has flown solo to Melbourne, and has served as a commercial pilot for some time. ‘*Not Very Eventfur

"The flight itself occupied about 141/2 hours," said Mr. Nicholl, "and It was not very eventful. We saw only one steamer after leaving Australian waters a small coastal steamer about 400 miles from le Australia. "The weather was quite good, all things considered, although we ran into a couple of squalls in mid­ ocean and saw a few others and had to round them. "Whitehead took the controls for the take-off and the first six hours-until he got cramped In the crowded cockpit -two In the space for one man. “It was easy enough changing the controls. I just took the joystick and climbed over Whitehead until I could take over the controls. He did not release his control until I had them all. It extra altitude. way. was not necessary to lose full "We flew at not less than 500ft. control for an instant or to make and not more than 1,000ft. all the “Engine Sang Merrily”

"For eight almost uneventful anxious moment all the way. We insulation tape. That served quite hours I had the controls. knew that the old bus could do it, well, and the old engine sang "Whitehead took over for the and we had plenty or fuel. merrily along without missing a last half hour and made the "The only trouble arose when piston stroke or giving the landing. one of the oil fuel pipes began to slightest trouble. "We really did not have an leak, and we tied it up with Far Off Course "There were no navigational wind was in exactly the opposite saw were birds. difficulties. The compass had been direction to that from which we "As there was a good landing corrected before we left, and we had been warned by the Weather space on the beach at Doubtless knew where we were." Bureau to expect It. Bay, the best stretch o/firm beach Asked how he accounted for the "We did not land on the 90-Mile I have ever seen, better even than fact that they were reported to Beach. Actually we landed at Gerringong - we decided to land have landed at Doubtless Bay of Doubtless Bay on the east coast, and make a search for habitation. New Zealand, far off their course, about 40 miles from the "It was an easy landing, and we Mr. Nicholl replied: "We knew northern-most point. We flew up pegged the bus while we walked exactly where we were then when and down the 90-Mile Beach about six miles up and down the we came upon It. Our northerly looking for some sign of habitation beach looking for habitation, also position was due to wind drift. The or some living creature, but all we a bit Inland, without result. No

135 AHSA Aviation Heritage

settlers, no Maoris, no sheep, no except the cries of the gulls and bush. Not even Robinson Crusoe cattle, no fences-not a sound the calls of the small birds In the or his man Friday.

Long Night Wait "Night came on suddenly. There Ing for It but to sit down on the was Impossible to sleep because of is very little twilight In those cold sand and wait through the the cold, so we gathered bushes and parts. Anxious as we were to get still night for daylight. wood and made a fire. We were to some place where we could get "We were pretty still and sore after hungry. I think I dozed. a message away to tell our people being cramped up all that time, and It we were all right, there was noth-

Plenty of Petrol "As soon as it was light we breakfast as we had and a hot Club and thank them for all they tuned the old bus up. There was bath. Now we are feeling pretty have done for us. Here's plenty or petrol, left, and we took good. I have just had a talk with Whitehead." off for Auckland, arriving without my mother in Sydney on the Mr, Whitehead said that he incident soon after 7 a.m.today, wireless telephone. would like to say how he regretted hungry and thirsty and tired. "This is the Station Hotel. the anxiety they had caused as a "We were out of water when we Auckland. We will stay in result of landing in the north of landed, and almost out of food. Auckland a few days and then North Island and being unable to There was not a trickle of fresh probably go on to Wellington. get into touch with civilisation. water that we could find. "Please send a message to the They had done their best. "I never enjoyed such a boys of the New South Wales Aero

Why they Flouted Authorities Discussing the cancellation of stipulations would have meant a quarters because the meant their 'plane’s certificate of reduction in the petrol-carrying additional benzine, Had the airwothiness by the Australian capacity, thus reducing the benzine been cut down as authorities, Messers. Whitehead margin of safety, stipulated, they would have never and Nicholl said today that the They did not mind the cramped got there. Aftermath There was much ranting and raving about this flight with The Star’ contributing the following Editorial : “Foolish Flights Must Cease. Fools luck has attended the sensational flight across the Tasman Sea by two young airmen, who left Gerringong Beach (N.S.W.) at 1.55 a.m. yesterday and arrived at Ninety-mile beach (N.Z.) at 6.35 p.m. Their flight served no useful purpose whatsoever. It merits the strongest condemnation. Risking their own lives in a reckless dash, they apparently gave no thought to the damage they must have done to aviation in the minds of many people, who think that because all airmen are all licensed they are also reasonable. Neither, apparently, did they give a second consideration to those who were bound to go in search of them the moment fears for their safety were entertained. Least of all did they think of the general anxiety their adventure has caused. The chance reward for them, prized apparently above their very lives, is the notoriety likely to be attached to them as a result of their “success’. “In brazen defiance of the Civil Aviation department, which suspended the registration of the machine, as well as the certificate of airworthiness, Messers. Whitehead and Nicholl set off deliberately to do no less than a serious disservice to aviation. The Civil Aviation department had no power to seize the aeroplane, or, in fact, to stop the flight. It does not want such power over private individuals who, in spite of the departments’ advice, choose to dice with death. Its chief concern was the protection of the public; to ensure safety in the air, sofar as the public is concerned, the department is satisfied that that it has all the power necessary. But the department would be failing inexcusably in its duty if it neglected to institute proceedings against these fliers. Provision is made for the punishment of the offence of which these men are so glaringly guilty by a fine of not more than X200, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. If ever there was a case demanding Court proceedings, this is that case. A determination to attempt to save some people from the obvious risks of their own senseless, madcap acts could not be better manifest than in a swift application of the law. Aviation itself calls for it. Why they flouted authorities AUCKLAND, To-day. Discussing the cancellation of their plane’s certificate of airwothiness by the Australian authorities, Mesers. Whitehead and Nicholl said to-day that the stipulations wopuld have meant a reduction in the petrol-carrying capacity, thus reducing the margin of safety. They did not mind the cramped quarters because this meant additional benzine. Had the benzine been cut down as stipulated, they would never had got here.

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Mercy Flights by Macarthur Job The article One Aeroplane, by Macarthur Job in the March, 2003 Aviation Heritage, describing his experiences with a DH. 84 Dragon, touched on the way Mercy Flights became officially designated. Interest expressed by readers has prompted relating in greater detail the circumstances that brought about this provision in 1956

Mercy Flight: ...a flight undertaken to provide urgent which contracted its flying operations to a local airline or medical, flood or fire relief evacuation, in order to relieve a charter operator. Most operated on a shoestring - they person from grave and imminent danger..involving had little money, most of it being raised by charities and irregular operation... must be declared to be a Mercy public appeals. The exception was the government-funded Flight. Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service (a division of the Commonwealth Department of Health), which was about Thus has the term “Mercy Flight” been defined in to replace its own well maintained DH-84 Dragons with Australia’s Aeronautical Information Publications and the costly new De Havilland Doves, money apparently being former Visual Flight Guide for well over 40 years. no object. Learning in the hard school of experience has As for the other bases, even the more comprehensive repeatedly been the formula for development and -- Broken Hill and Ceduna and Cairns - which did operate progress in Australia aviation over the years - a pattern their own aircraft, their choice of equipment was virtually that in fact began on the first day’s operation of Australia’s confined to ex-RAAF Dragons or Dragon Rapides or, in very first scheduled air service in December 1921, when a the case of Western Australia where distances were Bristol Tourer of the newly formed West Australian greater, to the only viable alternative, the more costly-to- Airways crashed at Murchison Station, north of Geraldton, operate Avro Anson. killing the pilot and the sole passenger. Time and again since that inauspicious beginning, it has required nothing less than stark tragedy to finally demonstrate the need - and provided the impetus - for progress in air safety. The accident in 1956 that led to the promulgation of the “Mercy Flight” provision - and the enforced regulatory measures that followed in its wake - created something of a crisis at the time for the nation’s various Flying Doctor services in the Outback, at that stage of development, still for the most part ’’seat of the pants” operations. In those early post-war years, much of Australia’s burgeoning aviation industry A typical mercy flight in the early 1950s. The author(in shorts, back to camera) assists in loading the relied heavily on war-surplus patient through the Dragon's stretcher hatch. Note the "in-flight catering" on the ground behind the equipment. The mainstay of nursing sister, waiting to be placed aboard for the long trip. the major airlines were the ubiquitous DC-3s - former Apart from the De Havilland Dove, there were no USAF and RAAF C47 Dakotas converted to civil suitable new types of aircraft available, the advent of the configurations; fleets of ex-RAAF D.H 82 Tiger Moths U.S. light twins still several years away in the future. The served our aero clubs and flying schools as their basic Australian designed and built DHA 3 Drover, introduced in trainers, while the charter and “developmental” air services 1949, was intended to fill this gap. But as a result of two in Australia and New Guinea (then very much an serious accidents in New Guinea - one of them fatal, Australian “colony”), made do with former RAAF Avro involving the Qantas Drover VH-EBQ, and the other the Ansons and De Havilland D.H 84 Dragons. Even the then Department of Civil Aviation’s VH-DHA. flown by an Department of Civil Aviation’s Air Traffic Control and Examiner of Airman - the Drover’s constant speed Communications units for the most part relied upon propellers were found to be faulty, and it had to be refitted surplus military radio equipment, developed for the with fixed pitch propellers. After this (until seven Drovers services during the war years. were modified with Lycoming 0-360 engines and Hartzell At that time the variously located Flying Doctor and propellers in 1960), the type would only do on three Gipsy Aerial Medical Services throughout Australia were far Major engines what the old Dragon had always done on removed from the sophisticated, well funded and equipped two. So for most pilots seeking to earn a very modest crust bases that today function under the banner of the Royal in the Flying Doctor business, it was a choice of Ansons or Flying Doctor Service. Some were little more than a Dragons only! primitive radio base, working with a lone medical officer.

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Although both these twin-engined types were pre-war On being demobilised in Holland after the war he designs and primitive and slow by today’s standards, they became a flying instructor with the Luchtvaart Flvinq were extremely reliable, as well as roomy enough for School but, having married an Australian girl in Melbourne serious aerial ambulance work. Yet the Department of in 1945, soon decided to return to Australia permanently Civil Aviation was only too aware of the inadequacies of Here he continued as a flying instructor, first with the these aircraft for round-the-clock operations. Royal Victorian Aero Club. In 1949 he moved to Western Uneasy though it was about medical flights at night Australia, instructing at Maylands in Perth, before joining and in all weathers without radio navigation aids, DCA was MacRobertson Miller Airlines in 1953. nonetheless in something of a ‘bind’ as to what it should By early 1956, van Emmerik, now aged 35 with his do about the situation. If the Department simply decreed wife and their three small children, had spent two years at no niore - and a patient subsequently died somewhere in Derby where he was base pilot for MMA’s Flying Doctor the Outback because a Flying Doctor aircraft wasn’t operations and a first officer on the company’s DC-3 allowed to answer an emergency call, there would have operations between Derby and Darwin. A meticulous been a public scandal. On the other hand, if DCA openly precise airman with nearly 5000 hours experience his condoned round-the-clock flying by these aircraft and an knowledge of the northwest was intimate. It was for this accident occurred as a result, the media would also have reason that, early in January 1956, he was asked to return a tield day. to Derby temporarily to relieve a MMA pilot who had been So, pending the availability of new aircraft types (and involved in an accident. the money to buy them), the Department had to compromise, recognising that risks were sometimes On the Saturday afternoon when the call came to necessary to save lives. An unwritten policy was therefore make the emergency flight- to Tableland Station , van- - adopted under which pilots of Flying Doctor and aerial Emmerik was looking forward to returning home to Perth ambulance aircraft were allowed to‘bend the rules’at their celebrate his 11th wedding anniversary, discretion, on night and bad weather flying, to save the life his secondment to Derby the previous month, he of a gravely ill patient. For their part, the Department’s extremely busy, only that morning completing ground facilities and communication networks would overnight trip to Darwin as first officer provide all possible assistance to pilots during such flights ® DC-3. It was in fact his twelfth day on duty

conduced the SeMe;'' RAAF Avro Anson, VH-MMG, under contract to the local Flying Doctor base. At 4.25pm, with Nursing Sisters Frances Day and of TlbtonStoril^'naufcal mites" "V’?D T®" ™.MMa3Emrrik tooroB foSteland'’stafco''The the Ki^hedey Piateau, h^^SL^'slSyli^SpSe Sll 00^t hLSuerZ'^

nSork Xp Flying Doctor radio route, with isolated thunderstorms, 15 miles of visibility ^ fl ^ February it was and a wind of 14 knots from the southeast arranged to fly her to Derby for admission to hospital. But before the MMA Anson could leave Derby to pick her up, Radio communications with the Anson were poor another radio call from Tableland Station reported she had because of high atmospheric noise on the H/F suddenly improved, and the flight was cancelled. frequencies, and the ex-USAF radio equipment fitted to the Anson was not noted for its reliability. But the one hour However, about mid-afternoon the following day, 50 minute flight to Tableland Station in hot and humid Saturday, 4 February 1956, a further radio consultatiori conditions was uneventful, apart from thermal turbulence, indicated she had relapsed and the doctor on duty at and the aircraft landed there just on sunset at 6.14pm. Derby felt she should now be transferred to hospital as soon as possible. MMA pilot Pieter van Emmerik, on After the nursing sisters had examined the small temporary transfer from Perth to handle the Derby base’s patient, she was placed aboard the Anson. Her station medical flights, was called upon to make the trip. manager father was accompanying her to Derby in the * * * aircraft, and together with his luggage, he loaded a Pieter van Emmerik was an experienced pilot and quantity of freshly killed beef and some fruit from the certainly no stranger to adventure. Born in Amsterdam in homestead orchard, evidently intended as gifts for 1920, he was a young man when World War 2 broke out business friends in Derby. SemSnn HoltenTletmvPH Resistance As soon as the Anson crew had refreshed themselves movement in Holland. Betrayed to the enemy by a fellow with cool drinks, they boarded the aircraft aaain and at SSr"n Franc?T™„l"‘» “ Sathehng dusk, I. toToS ,1 ireas? S ons he fS enduring severe turned downwind and set course into the west for Derby ^ succeeded in reaching Spam by The weather was still fine at Tableland but a station hand crossing the Pyrenees on foot, afterwards finding his way watching the Anson’s departure could see that an Force in exile^ ® N®*^®dands Air electrical storm lay across the aircraft’s track in thl far rorce in exile. distance to the west. After training as a fighter pilot in the United States

^ T M Australia, and flew that the return flight to Derby would take an hour and 40 Bafrhemr m rlh° ^'^y^dron, NEIAF, based at minutes. Although another aircraft heard the Anson uutcn cross of Merit. operator at Wyndham believed he heard it, though with some difficulty in the heavy static, Broome Aeradio

138 AHSA Aviation Heritage received no further transmissions from the Anson and it track between Mt House and Derby itself which, except for failed to arrive at Derby. the final 30nm, lay over the wild and rugged King Leopold Ranges. An air search began the following morning, initially with a RAAF Avro Lincoln from Darwin and a MMA DC-3. Meanwhile numbers of reports from homesteads in the sparsely settled area poured into Derby via the Flying Doctor radio network, the majority of which seemed to indicate the Anson had diverted to the north of its track towards Wyndham. It was also learnt that a line of intense thunderstorms, associated with the inter-tropic front, had developed after sunset over the King Leopold Ranges - right in the path of the aircraft’s homeward track. This local deterioration in the weather, unknown at the time to the DCA radio communication network, was thought to explain the apparent diversion towards the lower terrain of the Wyndham area. On the second day of the search, now supplemented by two more RAAF Lincolns and a Dakota, as well as two DCA DC-3s, the The DH. 84 Dragon, mainstay of Flying Doctor Service operations in outback available aircraft were divided, some Australia in the early post-war years. VH-AGC, previously VH-FDA, one of two searching along the planned track, and others DH.84S based at Broken Hill, NSW. in the Wyndham area. Carried out by RAAF Lincolns on the 10th day of the Even more search aircraft were chartered and, search, this was also abortive, the crews reporting that the because further questioning of those who had reported speed of the Lincolns made it difficult to sight any sightings now seemed to confirm the Anson had diverted wreckage lying in the deep valleys. As a result the RAAF towards Wyndham at some point during its flight, the aircraft were withdrawn from the search and it was search was concentrated in the Wyndham area on the decided instead to base a fleet of light aircraft, together third and fourth days. Meanwhile, ground parties from the with the two DCA DC-3s, supported by ground parties with RAAF, DCA and the police were attempting to investigate radio-equipped Land Rovers, at Glenroy, close to the each of the sighting and hearing reports In detail. eastern side of the King Leopold Ranges, 50nm west of Towards the end of the fourth day, hopes were Tableland, unexpectedly raised when a H/F carrier wave, with the But after only one aircraft, a Percival Proctor, had characteristics of the Anson’s transmitter, was Intercepted arrived at Glenroy, a deep cyclonic depression moved in by Aeradio stations throughout Australia. The signal was from the coast, saturating the whole Kimberleys region Intermittent, with short, unintelligible bursts of keying. with heavy rain for the following six days, marooning the Hasty attempts to obtain a bearing on the signal by advance party at Glenroy, and flooding the Glenroy stations equipped with H/F Direction Finders indicated the aerodrome. probable source of the signal was the area around Wyndham. Were there survivors with the downed Anson? On 22 February, two days after the search was finally Were they were trying to attract the attention of the search able to resume - and 18 days after the Anson had effort? vanished - the disintegrated remains of the aircraft were at last sighted from the air. The partially obscured For the next three days all available aircraft searched wreckage was lying in flooded country a few miles north of the entire area of probability, based on the distance the its planned track near Hawkestone Peak, in the foothills of Anson could have flown from Tableland Station with the the King Leopold Ranges. fuel on board. Meanwhile, all possible efforts were made to track down the mystery signal. But hopes were finally Although the crash site was less than 15nm by air from dashed when, by generating a signal from an identical Kimberly Downs Station, access to it by ground party transmitter in another Avro Anson operating in the area of proved extremely difficult. Three flooded rivers had to be probability, it was established beyond doubt that the crossed, and most of the surrounding countryside was mystery signal could not have come from the missing covered in water. A party, equipped with inflatable aircraft. dinghies, that set out from Kimberly Downs, took two and a half days just to reach the crash site. But other than Eight days had now passed, during which the search confirming that there was no possibility that anyone on crews had been subjected to intense, concentrated all day board the Anson could have survived, there was little they flying in what was becoming one of the biggest air could do - the impact point itself and some of the searches ever undertaken in Australia. It was therefore wreckage was still submerged by floodwaters.. decided to rest the crews for a day while the search co­ ordinators reviewed all available findings. Any further attempt to investigate the accident was impossible until after the end of the wet season a month This established that, of all the sighting and hearing later. On 23 April, DCA air safety investigators from Perth, reports, only one - from Mt House homestead about guided by an Aboriginal tracker and accompanied by MMA halfway between Tableland and Derby - could really be Chief Engineer Frank Colquhoun and two police regarded as authentic. A reasonably intact Avro Anson constables, again set out for the crash site. They reached was clearly nowhere within the area of probability, so the it the next day and spent the following three days there search effort would now be concentrated on the planned examining the wreckage.

139 AHSA Aviation Heritage

They found the Anson had virtually disintegrated on with modern well-equipped aircraft, but the availability of impact. The wreckage was confined to a small area, and it finance for this purpose is a major problem.” was evident from impact marks, wreckage distribution and The accident was to become a watershed for Flying the extent of the damage that the Anson had dived almost Doctor operations throughout Australia. vertically into the ground at high speed, with both engines under power. All airframe components were accounted for Up to this time, as the Director-General’s minute to the in the wreckage, suggesting the aircraft had not broken up Minister indicated, DCA was very much inclined to leave in flight. decisions on night and marginal weather flying entirely to the Flying Doctor pilot concerned. As a result, all Though equipped with a conventional Sperry commercial pilots professionally engaged in aerial medical instrument flying panel, including directional gyro, artificial service operations had a great deal of discretion. No horizon and vertical speed indicator, and a manually questions were asked, even if the regular clinic visits to cranked radio compass loop for use with the aircraft’s low outback centres took longer than scheduled and the frequency receiver, the Anson did not meet the aircraft had to fly back to its base in the dark after all the Department’s requirements for operations under patients had finally been seen by the doctor. Indeed, this instrument flight rules, having neither duplicated pitot- ‘flexibility’ became almost the rule rather than the static and gyroscopic instruments, nor adequate radio exception, being excused on the grounds that it was navigation aids. It was also found that, because the Anson “medical work” - even if the only ‘urgency’ was that of had been chartered earlier by BHP for a scintillometer economics and staff convenience! survey of radio-activity, it had been fitted with non- luminous instrument dials to avoid spurious survey But DCA now cracked down hard, insisting that only readings. genuine “mercy flights”, whose urgency could be substantiated, would in future be given latitude to operate The investigating party could only conclude that “outside the rules”. And pilots would in future be required extreme turbulence in the tropical thunderstorm that to provide DCA with a written report on each and every developed over the King Leopold Ranges on the night of such trip, detailing the full circumstances behind the the accident, which subsequent weather reports showed decision to make the flight. Thus the definition “Mercy to be of exceptional severity, had led to a loss of control. Flight” and the specification of its operational conditions Extremely heavy rain, possibly causing erratic instrument entered official civil aviation parlance. readings, and the temporary blinding effect of lightning in the pitch black flying conditions, could have contributed to But DCA also saw that something would have to be the loss of control. done about all the obsolete aircraft still being used in aerial medical work. During the ground party’s examination of the crash site, a number of trees in the vicinity were found to be With a view to making it possible for them to be uprooted, evidently by a severe storm, and it seemed replaced by more modern types, adequately equipped for probable that this too occurred on the night of the IFR operations, the former DCA Regional Director in accident. Papua and New Guinea, Mr John Arthur, QBE, by that time based at DCA’s Central Office in Melbourne, was DCA’s official finding on the cause of the accident was despatched on a fact finding mission, visiting all Flying that the Anson “encountered a thunderstorm of such Doctor bases throughout Australia to review their severity that control of the aircraft could not be maintained.” operations and needs, and to discuss their future aircraft requirements. Even the possibility of Government financial assistance was hinted at. No hint of criticism was levelled at van Emmerik’s decision to press on towards Derby in the deteriorating He also showed Interest In what aerial medical pilots conditions. On the contrary, the then Director-General of were themselves doing in the meantime to facilitate safer Civil Aviation, Mr D.G. (later Sir Donald) Anderson, in a emergency flights. At Ceduna at the time for example, as memorandum to the Minister for Civil Aviation on the an aid to emergency night navigation, we were circumstances of the accident, wrote: investigating the use of electronic flash beacons on remote airfields such as Cook, Tarcoola and Coober Pedy, “... those living in the vicinity of the crash reported that places which not infrequently required urgent medical the weather this night was the worst they could ever evacuations. Far from being appalled by such improvised remember in the district. One can only admire the pilot’s "navigation aids" as we might have expected, John Arthur perseverance in attempting this flight, and I am sure he encouraged us to "continue experimenting". would have been influenced by the condition of the sick child.” His overall Intent was to find a means by which aerial medical service operations could be enabled to operate Outlining the official findings of the aircraft’s loss, the with the full benefit and safety of all-weather equipment Director-General continued, “It is the Department’s policy and radio navigation aids. that the pilots of these ambulance aircraft should be allowed to exercise discretion in the conduct of mercy But despite his efforts, to aerial medical service pilots flights, in so far as compliance with normal requirements is in the field, nothing more appeared to happen. Despite the concerned, and whilst unnecessary risks are discouraged, strictures the “Mercy Flight” provisions had imposed, the we have recognised that some risks are justified to save various bases continued to be left to do the best they human life.” could in the circumstances. Indeed, the complex administrative and financial processes involved in the He concluded significantly: “Unfortunately financial vision that he had outlined were to occupy many years considerations have led to the use of obsolete aircraft on before Australia’s aerial medical service operations were these services so far, and this seriously restricts the finally to become, ‘the sophisticated, well-funded RFDS conditions under which flights can be conducted safely, I operations of today’. ^ would like to see this service placed on a proper footing

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The Flying GG - The Honourable R.G. Casey By Neil Follett

Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron Casey of Berwick, Victoria and the City of Westminister, Engineer, Diplomat, Politician, Governor, and Governor-General was born on 29^^ August 1890 in Brisbane. His father was a pastoralist and politician. Economic reasons saw the family move to Melbourne In 1893, living in South Yarra, where he was educated at Cumloden School in St. Kilda, Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne University, and Trinity College, Cambridge, England. He graduated from Cambridge with second class honours in the mechanical sciences tripos. Richard was appointed a Lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force on 14^^ September 1914 and embarked from Melbourne for Egypt the next month. He served at Gallipoli and the Western Front of the Somme. He was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order during his service and finishing as a Major. He left the Army in 1919, returning to Australia. After the death of his father, he superceded him on many company boards. In 1924, through his friendship with Lord Bruce, the Prime Minister, saw R.G. Casey in the Public Service and become Australia's Liaison Officer in London. On 24^^ June 1926 Casey, at the age of 35, he married Male Ryan in London. With the political defeat of the Bruce Government by Labor's James Scullin in 1929, he left England in 1931 to return to Australia and entered politics. He was endorsed for and won the Victorian seat of Corio for the new United Churchill later offered him the position of Governor of Party, led by Joseph Lyons. He became the Treasurer in Bengal, taking over on 22'^'^ January 1944, then returning 1935 and Minister for Supply and Development in 1939. to Australia in April 1946. In December 1949 he was He stood for the party leadership, and therefore Prime elected back into the Federal Parliament in the Melbourne Minister, later in the year but was defeated by one, R.G. seat of LaTrobe, and entered the new Liberal Party under Menzies. Menzies as Minister of Supply and Development, and then the Minister for External Affairs in 1951. He was appointed Australian Minister to the United States, based in Washington and subsequently resigned In January 1960 he was made a life Peer and resigned from Parliament on 30^^ January 1940 to take up the from Parliament the following month. On September position. In March 1942 Winston Churchill offered him the 1965 he was sworn in as Australia's Governor-General. position of United Kingdom Minister of State in the Middle After retiring in April 1969 he lived out his days at East, based in Cairo. 'Edrington', a 1000-acre property at Berwick, Victoria, and a townhouse in South Yarra. He P died on 17^^ June 1976 and is I buried at the Mt. Macedon I Cemetery. He and Maie had one I son and one daughter. I R. G. Casey's first contact with I aviation was in 1910 when he I motored to Diggers Rest to see I Harry Houdini fly his Voisin I Biplane. His first experience in the I air appears to be a pre-war (WW1) I 10-minute flight in France. During I his war service in the Somme he I made observation flights in both ii I balloon and aircraft. m- mm In early December 1937 the I Minister of Defence advised Casey that he had approved of “the facilities of the RAAF FTS being placed at your disposal to enable you to qualify for your pilots licience”. At this time he was R.G.Casey flying RAAFAvro Cadet A6-7 near Point Cook in 1938.

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establishing an airfield at Berwick on a leased property. The Aircraft. He had requested that a machine and instructor be sent During his flying career Lord Casey owned four aircraft over from Point Cook to enable flying training to take place there, but an inspection on the 2"'' December 1937 by Wing Commander F.M. Bladin indicated that the airfield, in its present condition was not suitable for flying training. As a result his training took place at Point Cook in an Avro Cadet and he went solo on the 17*^ January 1938 and qualified for his 'A' license on the 21^‘ January 1938. Although not wanting publicity over his pilot training the Argus newspaper became aware of his lessons as a result of the Chairman of the Argus's son on a school excursion to Point Cook recognised Casey getting out of an aircraft and told his dad. The result was a front-page story and photo headed, “Federal Treasurer practices flying”, in Percival Vega Gull c/n K 98. VH-ACA. the 19'^' January 1938 edition. In May 1938, Casey was This aircraft, built by Percival Aircraft Limited at Luton, elected President of the newly formed Canberra Aero U.K., and imported new. According to the application for a Club. C of A and C of R, dated 12-7-1938 its date of construction is listed as 8-4-1938 with its trial flight in Another aeronautical fame for Richard Casey was his England being on 4-5-1938 and at Mascot on 8-7-1938. It design, in 1950, of a time/distance computer for use in light aircraft. It was not the sophisticated things that today was registered to R.G. Casey, Parliament House, Canberra ACT. It is interesting to note that both forms we call computers, but was a transparent ruler size unit to were signed by one P.G. Taylor, who at the time was the overlay your map to read off time/distance and groundspeed calculations. Australian agent for Percival aircraft. Casey flew the Vega frequently between his home at Lord Casey, Politician, Diplomat, Governor-General and pilot is remembered in many ways. An outer eastern Berwick and Canberra. In November 1939, soon after the start of W.W.2., VH-ACA area of Melbourne has a federal electorate of Casey. The was Impressed into RAAF local council area around Benvick is known as the City of service and allocated the serial number, A32-2. The price Casey. One of Australia's Antarctic Bases is named paid was £2800. ($5600). It was used on general Casey. Until it closed, the airfield at Berwick was for many communication duties whilst in RAAF service. years called Casey Field, and one kilometer south of the Jas. Loneragan (Mudgee) Company, the operators of a airfield site a local restaurant named “Casey's of Berwick”. chain of general stores in country NSW, advised DCA on The original hangar built at Berwick to house the 12-12-1945 that the company had acquired the aircraft Casey aircraft has been removed and reassembled at the from the RAAF and that the aircraft was at Point Cook Moorabbin Air Museum and will eventually house Lord undergoing a complete overhaul. An application for a C of Casey's Miles Messenger aircraft. A and C of R was made on 12-6-1946 in the name of U Drive Pty. Ltd., a company the Loneragans had an interest When I first started hanging around Moorabbin airport in. On 1-11-1947 the registration was transferred to the in 1957 it was almost a fortnightly ritual for Mr. and Mrs. name of Jas. Loneragan (Mudgee) Co. Casey to fly their Messenger and Cessna 180 into Moorabbin together to refuel. The Messenger was well In a memorandum dated, 26-11-1948, DCA advised known for its short field performance. I can remember one the owners that the registration -ACA, “conflicted with day, with a very strong northerly blowing seeing the standard radio call signs or “Q” code groups.”, and that the Messenger very slowly approaching runway 35. It touched new registration of VH-BQA was proposed. They were down just at the very beginning of the bitumen and also advised that to avoid any inconvenience the change stopped on the 'piano keys'. may be effected at the next C of A overhaul. The Vega crashed at Hill End in NSW on 18-4-1949. It As I kid, I sort of knew that Mr. Casey was an important was re-built, and re-registered on 2-6-1949 as VH-BQA. man, but as illustrated by the photo I took of him in front of After being withdrawn from use it fell Into dis-repair and his Messenger he looked anything but. The Jacket he passed through several hands before the remains were usually wore looked decidedly used and his thinning hair acquired in 1998 by Lee Giles in QLD. for possible blown around by the slipstream. He always had a smile rebuild. and a 'hello' to us kids, unlike some of the stuck up, 'I'm a Fairchild 24R c/n 407. VH-ADF. pilot and you're not' types that used to frequent the aero club. In April 1940 , whilst in Washington, USA, Casey sent the following cable to the Minister of Air in Australia. “Am Looking back through this article I wonder what the buying "Fairchild” 24 Ranger engine colour yellow stop reaction today would be if a senior politician learned to fly Only American citizen can register aircraft here but Civil at taxpayers expense. Aeronautics Authority recommend registration in Australia For the readers who are wondering why I haven't made which they will gladly recognise stop Grateful therefore mention of Male Casey's flying exploits in this article it is a you cable me authorisation register “Fairchild" as VHACA deliberate omission so I can write a future one on just her. my old Gull registration or other letters also Australian radio licience enable use radio telephone with call sign same as registration letters. Signed.. Casey”

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On 24/8/1953 Casey advised DCA that he had arranged with Mr. A.S. Luckman, the manager of the RQAC, to have the aircraft collected from the “Port Wyndham” on its arrival in Brisbane and have the aircraft assembled at Archerfield Aerodrome. VH-AVQ was flown extensively by the Caseys until 1962, when it became victim of glue deteriation and grounded by DCA. The aircraft was obtained by Dobby Brothers Car Wreckers in Ringwood, an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne. They painted it an overall white and it was displayed at their business premises for about twenty months until ‘rescued’ by Gil Johnston for the sum of thirty pounds. ($60). In 1982 Gil donated VH-AVQ to the Moorabbin Air Museum where it was stored until June 1987 when a Some sources quote a previous U.S. registration for superficial restoration was done with the aircraft being the aircraft but the quoted one does fit into the sequence of issued registration so must be looked upon as suspect. Mr. & Mrs Casey flew the aircraft quite extensively throughout the U.S.A. registered as VH-ADF, at times creating confusion with local Air Traffic Controllers. After accepting a posting to the Middle East in 1942 Casey offered the aircraft to the RAAF to be used during the war if they arranged transport from the U.S. and after hostilities return it, or a similar machine to him. This was not an essential condition of handover. The RAAF operated the aircraft as a general communication duties as A36-4. In May 1946 Casey advised DCA that the RAAF were about to return the Fairchild to him and an application for a C of A was made on painted in a camouflage and invasion stripes scheme for 340/8/1946, but it was October 1947 before it was display at the Pipeworks shopping complex at returned to the register. Thomastown. It was eventually returned to the Museum In 1956, VH-ADF was purchased by Frederick Bird, and stored, awaiting its turn for a full restoration. brother of well-known Nancy Bird Walton. Fred owned the Cessna 180. C/n 32450. VH-RGC. aircraft for many years, flying it in the Brisbane to Adelaide This aircraft was originally registered in the USA as Ansett Air Race in 1964 carrying race number 166. N6553A but was purchased by Casey as a new aircraft Withdrawn from the register in July 1974 the last from Rex Aviation in June 1956. The US registration was owner being B.J. Haden of Corrimal N.S.W., it was issued while the aircraft was on the production line but dismantled and stored at Albion Park until purchased by was not used as the aircraft was sold before completion. It John Gallagher in October 1980 He bought the aircraft was operated by the Casey’s in tandem with the with the intention to immediately restore it. Pressure of Messenger, with Maie Casey usually flying the Cessna. work prevented this and VH-ADF is now stored at John’s After Lady Casey’s death in 1983, VH-RGC passed into Wedderburn hangar awaiting restoration. the hands of Nancy Bird Walton, but it was never registered to her. The next registered owner was 9^*" Aria Miles M38 Messenger 2A. c/n 6373. VH-AVQ. Pty. Ltd., a company operated by Melbourne restaurateur This aircraft was built at Newtownards in Northern Ireland. John Cams, who acquired the aircraft in December 1983. Application for C of A and registration was made by Miles Before his death in 2001, Mr. Cams sold the Cessna to a Aircraft on 30/4/1947. It was allocated G-AJKG, and had Mr. J. Millineusc in Perth W.A. 4- about five U.K. owners before being exported to Australia. On 5/5/1953 Casey advised DCA he intended purchasing the aircraft from the U.K., and he believed the Royal Queensland Aero Club (RQAC) has experience in assembling Messengers. DCA replied that there were three other Messengers in Australia and that the RQAC had carried out airworthy inspections and certifications of them all. DCA also suggested the registration of VH-BLC. Casey replied and asked for the registration of VH-AVQ “Able Victor Queen” which would have significance in the coronation year. AHSA Aviation Heritage

Photographs by Peter Kelly, with additional information from Gordon Reid and Bill Baker. In a little over three years Virgin Blue Airlines have gone from nothing to a route mileage of about the same as Ansett, in the FY 2002-03 Virgin will carry more passengers than Ansett with only a third of the staff. They have gone to 41 737-700/800 and one 737-300 which is an ex-Ansett aircraft, VH-CZQ and is the only aircraft painted with a non­ standard red fuselage but with a white fuselage. Interestingly is that from registration VH-VOK through VH-VOT (737- 8FE) are the only ones owned by the company, with 3 still to be delivered. By May 2004 Virgin Blue will have 43 aircraft. We offer a selection of various Virgin Blue aircraft photographs.

Registration Aircraft Type Airframe no. Date On Fleet Name Date Off * VH-CZQ Boeing 737-33A 24461 30 Oct 01 not named * VH-VBA Boeing 737-7Q8 28238 04 AprOl Brizzie Lizzie * VH-VBB Boeing 737-7Q8 28240 04 Apr 01 Barossa Babe * VH-VBC Boeing 737 -7Q8 30368 31 May 01 Betty Blue * VH-VBD Boeing 737-7Q8 30707 05 Oct 01 Sassy Sydney VH-VBE ReservedVirgin Blue * VH-VBF Boeing 737-7Q8 30630 10 Dec 01 Mellie Melbourne VH-VBG On another aircraft * VH-VBH Boeing 737-7Q8 30641 25 Feb 02 Spirit Of Salty * VH-VBI Boeing 737-7Q8 30644 28 Mar 02 Smurfette * VH-VBJ Boeing 737-7Q8 30647 14Jun02 Perth Princess * VH-VBK Boeing 737-7Q8 30648 27 Jun 02 Lady Victoria * VH-VBL Boeing 737-7Q8 30633 24 Sep 02 Victoria Vixen * VH-VBM Boeing 737-76N 32734 24 May 02 Tassie Tigress * VH-VBN Boeing 737-76N 33005 27 Jun 02 Southern Belle * VH-VBO Boeing 737-76N 33418 01 NOv 02 Tropical Temptress * VH-VBP Boeing 737-7BX 30743 23 Aug 02 Deja Blue * VH-VBQ Boeing 737 -7BX 30744 02 Sep 02 La Blue Femme * VH-VBR Boeing 737-7BX 30745 09 Sep 02 Mackay Maiden * VH-VBS Boeing 737-7BX 30746 16 Sep 02 Blue Baroness * VH-VBT Boeing 737-7BX 30740 31 Jan 03 Launie Lass * VH-VBU Boeing 737-76Q 30288 13 May 03 Darwin Diva * VH-VBW Boeing 737-705 29091 15Jul03 Blue Tongue Lizzie * VH-VBX Boeing 737-705 29092 23 Jul 03 Sultry Sapphire VH-VGA Boeing 737-43Q 28489 09 Jun 00 Blue Belle (Temp) 21 May 02 VH-VGB Boeing 737-408 25740 31 Aug 00 Not named 08 Oct 02 VH-VGC Boeing 737-46M 28549 23 Nov 00 Not named 07 Mar 02 VH-VGD Boeing 737-4YO 23980 11 Dec 00 Not named 30 Apr 02 VH-VGE Boeing 737-43Q 28493 16 Feb 01 Not named 20 Feb 03 * VH-VOA Boeing 737-8BK 30620 30 Oct 01 Blue Belle * VH-VOB Boeing 737-8BK 30622 28 Mar 02 Matilda Blue * VH-VOC Boeing 737-8BK 30623 10 May 02 Skye Blue * VH-VOD Boeing 737-8BK 30624 31 Jul 02 Blue Moon * VH-VOE Boeing 737 -86Q 30272 07 Dec 01 Peeka Blue * VH-VOE Boeing 737 -86Q 30274 05 Dec 01 Baby Blue * VH-VOG Boeing 737-86N 28644 05 Dec 01 Misty Blue * VH-VOH Boeing 737 -86N 29884 19 Mar 02 Jazzy Blue * VH-VOI Boeing 737-81Q 30786 10 May 02 Blue Bambino * VH-VOJ Boeing 737-8IQ 30787 01 Nov 02 Lulu Blue * VH-VOK Boeing 737-8FE 33758 07 Aug 03 Smoochy Maroochy * VH-VOL Boeing 737-8FE 33759 15 Aug 03 Goldie Coast * VH-VOM Boeing 737-8FE 33794 04 Sep 03 Little Blue Peep * VH-VON Boeing 737-8FE 33795 04 Sep 03 Scarlet Blue * VH-VOO Boeing 737-8FE 33796 09 Sept 03 Bonnie Blue * VH-VOV Boeing 737-82R 30658 06 May 00 Alluring Alice VH-VOZ Boeing 737-4Q8 26302 09 June 00) Not named______17 May 02 As at 27“’ September 2003 * flying with Virgin Blue

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Taxiing out is the first flight from Tullamarine of Virgin Blue. VH-VGA, Boeing 737-43Q c/n 28489 on September 8, 2000. United 747-400 in background and in between is a Freedomair 737

Also at Tullamarine is VH-VBB Boeing 737-7Q8 c/n28240. This is named as Barossa Babe. The logo is a flag waving lady which is the same on all those named aircraft but with separate naming’s.

Coming into gate 38 at Brisbane airport is Boeing 737-8BK c/n 30620 “Blue Belle”’ on 20 December 2001 In the back ground is Ansett Mk.ll Airbus A320 VH-HYO

Jazzy Blue, VH-VOH is a Boeing 737-86N, c/n 29884 seen here at Tullamarine on 2"'* May 2002. The winglets were retrofitted at Air New Zealand, prior to delivery. AHSA Aviation Heritage

VIRGIN BLUE AIRLINES AIRCRAFT FLEET HISTORY This analysis provides aircraft numbers in the Virgin Blue fleet for aircraft in service 737-300 737-400 737-700 737-800 TOTAL

JuLOO 1 1 Aug-OO 1

Sep-00 2 2 Oct-00 2 2^ Nov-00 2 2

Dec-00 3 3

Jan-01 3

Feb-01 3 3

Mar-01 3 3

Apr-01 3 1 4

May-01 3 2 5

Jun-01 3 6

Jul-01 3 3 6

Aug-01 3 3 6

Sep-01 3 3 6 Oct-01 3 4 6

Nov-01 3 4 1

Dec-01 3 5 4 13

Jan-02 3 5 4 13 Feb-02 3 5 4 11 Mar-02 2 6 5 14

Apr-02 2 7 6 16

May-02 2 7 7 17 Jun-02 1 9 8 19 “Barossa Babe”, VH-VBB Boeing Jul-02 1 11 8 21 ALm-02 1 737-7Q8, c/n 28240 being pushed out Sep-02 1 15 9 26 at Tullamarine on 11*'' August 2002. Oct-02 16 9 26

Nov-02 17 9 27 Dec-02 17 10 28 The chart on the left shows just Jan-03 17 10 28

Feb-03 17 10 28 how thin on the ground (or in the air) Mar-03 18 10 29 were Virgin Blue aircraft for the first Apr-03 18 10 29 couple of months. I flew on VB in late May-03 18 10 29 Jun-03 19 11 31 October 2000 little realising just how Jul-03 19 11 31 few aircraft they had. Aug-03 19 12 32

Sep-03 21 13 35

The ex-Ansett 737-33A, VH-CZQ 24461 photographed at Tullamarine on 13 February 2002. The only 300 series and the only all white fuselage.

VH-VGE c/n 28493, 737-43Q, photographed at Tullmarine on 21®’ July 2002. This aircraft was the last of the 400’s to be retired from Virgin Blue’s service on 20"’ February 2003 and sold abroad to Belgium. AHSA Aviation Heritage

fCEN AT THf 'AWTRAIIAN' 1M7 AIRtUOW, f WIIERMEN'T BEND All photos via David Vincent

Both in 1947 and 1948 there were Airshows held at the Fishermen’s Bend aerodrome. The pictures taken in this article were from the 1947 event, which was held over the weekend of December 13 & 14 and was called the “Australian” Airshow, and was run for the benefit of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind. The cost of the program was 1/- and admission was 2/- with ladies & children 1/-. The photo above is of VH-ABH, a Lockheed 12A, am 1236. h the background is the main four story office building of CAC, still wearing its camouflaged paint scheme. Interestingly enough of the six aircraft featured ABH first registered on 11 Oct. 1937 is the only one extant.

G-ALIK Miles M.65 Gemini 1A, ain 6453. This was the first post-war British built commercial aircraft type flown out from the UK. It was also the first post-war solo fight. The pilot was Grp. Capt. A.S. “Bush” Bandidt. The Miles was used as the Australian demonstrator and eventually became VH-BJZ on 29 Oct. 1947. Also seen from a slightly different angle is the CAC building in the background.

Another pre-war type is this Comper CLA-7 Swift, ain S31/6, VH-UZB. It crashed at lakes Entrance, Vic and was SOR on 8 Feb. 1951. It was imported by A.R. Tindal in 1938 on completion of his R.A.F. posting. Tindal airforce base, NT, was named after him for his wartime exploits AHSA Aviation Heritage

ain S31/6, VH-UZ VH-AJX, Aeronca 7AC Champion ain 7AC-1593 brought into Australia as a demonstrator by Sydney Company, Stack &Co. It was cancelled from the Australian register on 28 Feb. 1951 on its sale to New Zealand and later became ZK-AWF.

Two Percivals. Percival P.44 Proctor 5, ain Ae.2, VFI- ARV. It was involved in an accident on 11 July 1954 and eventually its parts were combined with those of VFi- SAS(1) and the combined aircraft became VH-SAS(2) - owned by Sabre Air Snaps.

Percival K Vega Gull, VH-UVG, ain K- 36. First registered on 29 Dec. 1936 to J.W. F. Collins. It later served with the RAAF as A32-1. It crashed at Pondooma, near Cowell, SA, on 26 Nov. 1953 and was written off.

Thanks to Bob Fripp who was there, and supplied information from the “Official Souvenir Programme and Catalogue”, which he still holds. 148 AHSA Aviation Heritage

CRASH ON COOLIBAH by M.J. Flanagan Connellan Airways’s scheduled flight 1203 flew into neither was able to make a positive identification, such Coolibah Station from Wyndham at about 12.10pm on were the head and facial injuries and extent of the burns. Friday 21®^ October 1949. The pilot was George Colin There were also some horrendous body injuries; obviously Johnston, better known as Colin Johnston or, as often as death had been instantaneous. not, Colin Johnson. He had lunch and then chattered for a Then, while Const. Barrie Tiernan took statements the while with some of the staff during which he made the others visited the crash site, which was about a mile to the comment “I have practically an empty kite this time, I will east-north-east of the homestead on the other side of the have an easy trip”. At approximately 1pm he ‘walked Victoria River. They found the plane completely destroyed around’ the Dragon Rapide, climbed aboard and started with only some of the steel parts remaining. It had struck the engines. His next port of call was to be Katherine, the ground at an acute angle and then dropped back onto about 230 kms to the northeast. an even keel before burning. The wreckage lay facing Jack Brumby, the station’s head stockman, was north on the side of a small hill overlooking a valley that watching from in front of the store building. He saw the ran into the river. Both engines were still in place. The aircraft taxi to the end of the strip, turn and take off. There passenger seats had all been thrown forward and so too were no passengers or freight on board and very little mail had the contents of the rear luggage locker. Oddly so it was quickly airborne. Everything looked and enough, little wreckage lay scattered about other than the sounded normal. He was surprised, however, to see the pilot’s seat, which had been levered out by Jack Brumby. plane, with very little height in hand, commence a turn to Other than that they found nothing out of the ordinary the right. The route to Katherine was almost directly although Mr. Emmerson did pick up some pieces of ahead, only aircraft heading for Wyndham made a right- broken aileron cable and the tail trim actuating gear jack hand turn when taking off in that direction. The turn was a and took them back to Darwin with him. gentle one, not made in haste, but the machine was Jack Brumby provided a comprehensive statement and steadily losing height until it eventually disappeared then Const. Tiernan spoke to Mrs. Joan Olsen, the newly behind some trees. The sound of the engines ceased arrived house-keeper. She had been at the station for abruptly and a column of black smoke appeared. little more than a week. Mrs. Olsen had also watched the The stockman started running towards the smoke, Rapide take off, make a turn and disappear behind the calling for assistance as he ran. Three aboriginal men trees. When she saw the smoke she went into the responded. The plane had come down on the other side storeroom and said to Mr. John Emmett “I think something of the Victoria River and to reach it they had to run about a has happened to the plane”. John Emmett was the mile, including fording the river. By the time they reached station-hand in charge in the absence of the manager. He the Rapide it had been almost completely consumed by had been talking to Capt. Johnston until the pilot started the flames and the grass surrounding it was also on fire. up the engines prior to takeoff and had then gone into the Manoeuvreing himself inside the outer rim of the grass storeroom. On hearing of the accident he rushed out and fire. Brumby circled the blazing wreckage looking for the tried to start the truck but couldn’t get it going and pilot. It had been such a fierce blaze that many of the eventually started running. About halfway across he was metal components had melted, producing small streams of met by Jack Brumby coming in the opposite direction, who molten metal that trickled down the slope, but the fire had said “It is too late”. John Emmett, who mentioned that he now started to abate. Nevertheless, having located had known Johnston for about 9 months, kept referring to Captain Johnston, Brumby was driven back by the heat. the pilot as Colin Murray and could not be convinced that Calling to the others he directed that they break off a the pilot’s name was anything but Murray. The three sturdy branch from one of the trees and with this he was aboriginal men who had assisted Brumby in the attempted able to lever out the body of the pilot, who was still rescue were not interviewed. attached to his seat. Even then it was necessary for the During the course of that Saturday afternoon (22''"' stockman to take off his shirt and wrap it around his head October 1949) George Colin Johnston was laid to rest. in an attempt to protect himself from the heat. The body was wrapped in a tent fly and with the help of The body was placed on some branches and moved four aboriginies was carried to the grave that had been into the shade of a nearby tree. It was completely prepared under a shady tree in the homestead paddock. unrecognizable, even the shoes had been burnt away. Const. Tiernan officiated, assisted by Jack Brumby. The Later it was moved back to the homestead. .investigating party then flew back to Darwin with Const. Tiernan reporting in at HQ at 7.45pm. Investigating party. Darwin Police HQ was advised of the accident next That same afternoon at about 4pm Const. John morning via a phone call from DCA. Only the barest of Gordon returned early to Timber Creek Police Station from details were available because of very poor radio a patrol to VRD where earlier in the day a rider from reception from the interior. Arrangements were made for Coolibah advised him of the crash. Mrs. Mettam, wife of Mr. H.J. Emmerson, Divisional Aircraft Surveyor (DCA) Const. Bert Bettam (who was away on patrol) then spent and Constable J.B. Tiernan to fly out to the station with the next IV2 hours trying to raise Wyndham on the radio Capt. Jack Slade in the N.T. Aerial Medical Service Miles before she was able to pass a coherent message. Const. M65 Gemini VH-BLN. They arrived at about 1pm, just on Gordon departed for Coolibah at 6pm in a private vehicle, 24 hours after the crash. the 48 mile (77.5 km) trip taking 6 hours. On arrival he was told by John Emmett that a police officer from Darwin Their first task, in company with Jack Brumby, was to had already been in attendance and so at 10am on view the body, which had been placed in the mens’ Sunday morning he set off on the tedious journey back to quarters of the homestead. Although both Howard Timber Creek. Later he applied for a car mileage of Emmerson and Jack Slade had met Colin Johnston £7-4-0.

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nrin O in o

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A month later, on Wednesday 23’’^ November 1949, a overhaul. At the time of the accident approximately 17 of DCA Investigation Panel made a visit to Coolibah to the 35 hours had elapsed. Although the lack of the pilot’s further investigate the fatal crash. Mr. Howard Emmerson signature on the certificate was of some concern to DCA was again amongst the three-man panel. The wreckage the extra hours on the engines were not thought to have was very closely inspected but no further evidence was contributed in any way to the accident. found and the witnesses were unable to enlarge upon their earlier statements. What did cause the crash? This proved impossible to determine with any degree of certainty. There was nothing Coolibah. to suggest that the aircraft was not fully airworthy when it Coolibah Station occupies some pretty wild country took off nor that the pilot was not in full possession of all between the Fitzmaurice and Victoria Rivers, much of his faculties. But, considering the possibility of evidence which is verging on mountainous and is studded with deep being obliterated by the severity of the damage sustained, gorges. This makes mustering difficult and at times it was felt that a catastrophic failure to either machine or almost impossible.^ There are however areas of open pilot could not be completely ruled out. The mostly likely flats of good feeding country, not all of which are readily cause, it was thought, was the combination of severe accessible and the station has always been regarded as a turbulence in the area, the close proximity of the eastern marginal property. During the 1930s Coolibah had a escarpment wall and the prevailing high density altitude i reputation for good horses but from the early 50s it had conditions^. Having decided to make the right-hand turn, been allowed to run down and subsequently changed Capt. Johnston must have found himself with insufficient hands on a number of occasions. These days things are power to counteract the severe conditions prevailing at the on the improve. In 1949 it was owned by the Quilty time and this lack of power, coupled with rising ground, family.^ produced a set of circumstances that culminated with the Rapide clipping a tree and crashing. The homestead was an oasis in a rugged, often spectacular land. Built of local stone bound with billabong The turn to the right. mud, it had featured in the film Jedda. The airstrip had “When I saw the plane take off and turn to the right, I been laid in front of the homestead. had never seen one do that before, they always go What is now referred to as the old Coolibah straight on to Katherine.” Jack Brumby’s statement to the homestead (and the strip) are located in a valley between coroner, dated 20^'" December 1949. two escarpment faces about 3 kms apart, the top of the “... and we can obtain no evidence as to why the pilot escarpment on either side being between 500 and 550 should have turned to the right.” Howard Emmerson’s feet (approx 150/170 metres) above the level of the valley statement to the coroner, dated 21 December 1949. floor. The direction of the valley runs, generally, from “It is not known why the pilot made a right-hand turn at north-east to south-west, the walls of which are extremely all, as his track to Katherine was approximately straight steep, cliff-like, and give the valley the appearance of a ahead of the runway.” DCA report to the coroner, dated large canyon. About 4 kms from the north-east end of the 21^^ December 1949. runway, across the mouth of the valley. Is a hill that Curious about the unexplained turn, Capt. Jack Slade reaches a height of about 500 metres. The impressive of the NTAMS, flew a series of tests in his Miles Gemini Victoria River, the largest in the N.T., winds around the that consisted of three runs over the estimated flight path eastern escarpment of the valley and flows through a of the Rapide"^. He subsequently expressed the opinion gorge at its north-east end. In that area it is conveniently that the turn must have been a rate 3 or rate 4 turn for the crossable only at the ford to the east of the homestead. aircraft to have arrived at the position where it crashed, a According to Jack Brumby the weather on the day of manoeuvre necessary to avoid the escarpment wall. the accident was hot and muggy with a few clouds about. Sometime later Connellan personnel carried out similar There was a slight breeze blowing from the direction of tests and reached the conclusion that “he either had to fly Katherine and the Rapide took off into that breeze. It had into the hills or tighten the turn which would result in a stall indeed been a hot day with the temperature in the valley and spin.”^ Ail this would seem to contradict Jack reaching over 100°F despite a surface wind with a strength Brumby’s observation that the plane did not swing sharply estimated at 10 to 15 mph. There is no doubt that after take off and suggests that the turn must have been conditions of high turbulence were present due to the tightened considerably once the pilot became aware of his effects of the wind-flow over the rugged terrain. predicament. Cause of the accident. In a lengthy statement published in the 28^'' October Inquiries by DCA revealed that all relevant certificates 1949 edition of the Centrallan Advocate, Connellans and papers were In order with the exception of the recently produced a theory that they thought explained the turn to issued Certificate of Safety No.47858D which had not starboard. “Colin is reported to have flown away normally been signed by the pilot. Both of the Rapide’s engines for probably VA miles when he commenced a 180 degree were overdue for complete overhaul and Connellans had turn. He turned to the right and flew back approximately been granted permission to operate the engines for a parallel with the strip but half a mile south east of same further 6 days (with a maximum of 35 hours), taking effect and on the opposite side of the river. When opposite the from 19^^ October 1949. This would allow completion of end of the strip he struck the top of a tree and hit the the current mall run and then the flight to Adelaide for the ground about 60 yards further on. The fact that he was

What is believed to have been the first attempted aerial mustering ^ The criterion density altitude for the Coolibah airstrip was 3,500 in the N.T. took place on Coolibah feet. in 1954. It was unsuccessful, see p.ll of Pearl Ogden’s “Chasing It is not clear when these tests were carried out but it was Last Light” (ISBN 0 9585723 1 3). probably on the afternoon of Saturday 22"^^ ^ A census taken at the end of June 1949 showed Coolibah with a October 1949, in weather conditions very similar to those of the population of 4 whites (all male), day of the accident. 2 half-castes and 33 aborigines, 12 of whom were female and 4 ^ Page 271 of “Failure of Triumph” by E.J. Connellan (ISBN 0 646 infants. 08746 0).

151 AHSA Aviation Heritage flvinq past the strip and not towards the end of it indicates Always neat and tidy, he was wearing at the time of the that lie was not rSurning to the strip but flying out of the accident khaki shorts and shirt, long socks shoes and a valley in an unobstructed direction.® It is thought that on wrist watch. The watch was never found. As mentioned the way back he encountered more down currents which, he was buried under a shady tree in the homestead combined with extremely high density altitude conditions paddock on Coolibah. A fence has been erected around existing at the time, forced him down until he hit a tree.” the grave and there is a cross at its head. On the cross is ^ , a brass plaque inscribed In loving memory of my husband This supposition is put into question by Jack Brumby s QgQpgg colin Johnston who was killed as a result of an air eye-witness account to the coroner that states ‘‘I watched accident October 21®' 1949, aged 30 years”. The tree is him after he took off, the plane lifting off the ground when ^ g^m receives attention, it was half way down the runway and I saw it lift off. Then ^ r- r i t, * the plane turned to the right, it was a bit higher than a The inquest into the death of George Cohn Johnston teleqmph pole then. I saw him turn to the right, about half was completed on Wednesday 21 December 1949 wi h a niile^rom where he left the ground.” Certainly the the finding of accidental death wrth no blame attachable to Rapide came down much closer to the middle of the strip anyone for the unfortunate accident. (As recorded in the (but of course well off to one side) than to its north-east Northern Standard dated 23 December 1949). end as suggested in the Advocate. The aircraft. More controversial were the remarks made by Mr. The Dragon Rapide destroyed in the crash at Coolibah Eddie Connellan in his book^ “On October 19 1949, Station was DH-89A VH-UZY (c/n.6384) operated by tragedy struck again when Colin Johnson was killed in a Connellan Airways of Alice Springs. The following data is Rapide doing a beat-up at Coolibah. He had lunched at taken from Austairdata Publication’s ‘The Historic Civil Coolibah and was very friendly with the people there, and Register of Australia G-AUAA to VH-UZZ” by Bert taking off with no passengers on board, decided to turn Cookson-with thanks, back and do a beat-up past the homestead, which was his CofR no.685 and CofA no.642 both issued on 25.1.38 normal practice when he had no passengers. 25.1.38 W.R. Carpenter and Co Ltd, Sydney NSW. Unfortunately there was a north-westerly wind across the Oct.38 Sold to North Queensland Airways Ltd, Cairns Old. valley from left to right that day, and he chose to do a right 25.10.38 Taken over by Airlines of Australia Ltd, Sydney NSW. hand turn. Colin attempted to turn below the top of the 1.12.38. Regd hills and at one stage was faced with the situation that he 9.8.40 Impressed into RAAF as A33-6. either had to fly into the hills or tighten the turn which 19.11.44 Airlines (WA) Ltd, Perth WA. 22.10.48 Sold to Connellan Airways, Alice Springs NT. would result in a stall and spin.” Not everyone at 21.10.49 Crashed and destroyed by fire at Coolibah Stn NT. Connellans agreed with the beat-up theory. 16.1.51 Struck off register. The pilot. George Colin Johnston was born in Fremantle, WA, on Postscript. 1®' April 1919. On leaving school he joined the Midland Jack Brumby, the half-caste head stockman on Railway Company and remained with them until he’d Coolibah Station at the time of the crash of VH-UZY, was completed his five-year apprenticeship as a locomotive awarded the Royal Humane Society of Australasia’s Silver fitter. Eight days later, on 9* December 1940, he enlisted Medal for his bravery and initiative on the day of the in the RAAF, at the age of 21 years and 8 months, accident. The award was made by the Administrator of Selected for pilot training, he was posted to No.9 EFTS, the Northern Territory, Mr. F.J.Wise, in his Darwin office. Cunderdin, WA, where he was awarded his Flying Badge on 26"' June 1941 and then to No.4 SFTS at Geraldton, Primary Sources: WA. A number of non-operational postings followed that naA FHes: E72/2 DL1096; A9300 406397. included a stint with No.2 BAGS at Port Pirie, SA, and a NTAS Files: F77 20/49; F77 47BO/49; F282 A370. flying instructors’ course with the CFS at Tamworth, NSW Pearl Ogden^s “Bradshaw via CooHbah’JISBN 0 9588093 3 X). in rnid-1942. He was granted a commission on 1®' Central,an Advocate issue of 28 October 1949. 4- October 1943. It wasn’t until May 1945 that Colin reached a front-line unit. No.31 Squadron on Morotai, after first attending Beaufighter Course No.25 at No.1 OTU, East Sale, and The route taken by Connellan then No.5 OTU at Williamtown, NSW. He was in the Airways scheduled flight No. islands for just on 7 months. In 1946 he played a 1203 (flown by DH-89A prominent role in the aerial spraying campaign against the VH-UZY) on Friday locust plague then infesting north-west Victoria. However, 21®’Oct. 1949. in February 1947 he resigned his commission and left the Service. At that time he had flown a total of 2,261 hours, mostly on Tiger Moths and Wirraways. Later that year he joined Connellan Airways and, together with his wife Eugenie, moved to Alice Springs where Mrs. Johnston became proprietor of a beauty salon.

Colin Johnston has been described as being 5’6” tall, CCimk Ivanhoc 1 weighing about 9 stone, with fair complexion, blue or hazel (•Ocfkf eyes, brown hair and a cultivated “air force” moustache. • Vkivu ftrti

Halb Cnwk ^ Referring, it is assumed, to the 500m high hill located across the (M ■ mouth of the valley about 4kms from the north-east end of the strip. ■ Wm M ^ Also page 271 of “Failure of Triumph”. Note the spelling of the • b»ar—^ pilot’s name. liKWbMa j

-152 AHSA Aviation Heritage

JOHN F. MURPHY

John Francis Murphy joined the Royai Austraiian Air Force in 1936 and quaiified as a Wireless Operator (Air) before training as a pilot in 1938. He flew Avro Ansons and Lockheed Hudsons with No.6 Squadron, spent a period at RAAF Headquarters in the Signals Branch, and then went back to flying Hudsons, this time with No. 24 Squadron. He survived the decimation of the squadron in the Japanese attack on Rabaul and was then posted to No. 32 Squadron. Next came a move to the General Reconnaissance School as OC Flying, followed by training on B-24 Liberators and a posting to No. 12 Squadron, where he was appointed Commanding Officer. At the end of the war, he began a career with the Department of Civil Aviation in Air Traffic Control. He recorded this interview with Greg Ban field on 6th November 2002. * * * obtained my Leaving Certificate. I finished my schooling at I was born at Portland, the first town in Victoria, on 3rd the end of 1935. October 1917, but remember nothing about those days as the family moved when I was only eighteen months old My brother, Charles, was not only five years older than and took up residence at the small township of Rochester * endowed with a good deal more in the way in northern Victoria, where my father had been appointed brains. With the scholarships and bursaries which he as civil engineer for the Shire of Rochester. ^ result of his scholastic abilities, he was able to spend several Rochester was built on the banks of the Campaspe years at St. River, which had its source in the ranges that run through Kevin's College in the centre of Victoria and emptied itself into the Murray Melbourne and River near the fairly large town of Echuca. Rochester was then went on to a reasonably prosperous little town, its existence Melbourne depending mainly on the farming activity in the University to surrounding country. Much of the land was irrigated from graduate as a civil man-made channels which permitted a wide variety of engineer like our farming activity. father. The family Our home consisted of a quite large brick residence finances were sitting in the middle of three acres of land. A number of insufficient to lemon, orange and lime trees grew in front of the house, cover more than apricot, plum and peach trees at the side and three large almond trees at the back. As I remember, the apricot tree so I had to was huge: it seemed to provide sufficient fruit for half the consider just what town, and was great to climb. ^ wanted to do with my life. Some years after we had been there and when we were old enough to appreciate it, my father had a tennis My lifetime court built in the area behind the house. This became the interest in aircraft centre for a large amount of the family's social activities for aspects of John Francis Murphy many years. I became a reasonably good player but could aviation all really never better either my father or my elder brother. started in the mid 1930s when the world was following the feats of those intrepid pilots who were opening up the Our family consisted of my father and mother, an elder world with their daring flights. In those days, these brother and sister and a younger sister. We were a happy, pioneers of flight could not always depend on sponsorship, loving family with but few problems. My mother ruled the so that in order to raise enough capital to carry out a household with my father looking on. He was the gentlest, particular long range flight, they would "barnstorm" around kindest man I have ever known, liked by everyone and the country raising money by taking the general public on loved by all his family. joy flights over their home town or property. It was during my childhood days that I became It was on one such "barnstorming" tour that I had my interested in the game of golf and this interest has first flight. It came to my attention that a well known pilot remained with me all my life. My father was an excellent would be visiting Echuca, a mere eighteen miles from my player, much better than I ever was or ever will be, and home town of Rochester, and would be available for joy gave me a good grounding by teaching me the rudiments flights. of the game. Close to our home were a number of large grassy paddocks where we built three fairly rough greens I mounted my trusty two wheeler and cycled the and laid out three holes of reasonable length. Using old eighteen miles to Echuca where I handed over ten hickory-shafted clubs, we had a lot of fun at very little shillings (a quite large sum for a teenager in those days) expense. By the time I was due to leave home I was ^ circuit around the paddock from which playing to a handicap of 16 at the Rochester Golf Club. the aircraft was operating. I cycled home with a full heart and a fixed determination that I too would become a pilot. I I went to local schools until I had attained my will never forget that first flight, not only because of the Intermediate Certificate and then I spent my last year as a great thrill it gave me, but because the pilot was Charles boarder at St. Patrick's College at Ballarat where I Kingsford Smith, the greatest that Australia produced. His

153 AHSA Aviation Heritage feats will live forever in the hearts of those dedicated to game at which I became quite proficient. This aviation. The aircraft was a beautiful little twin-engined accomplishment became a distinct advantage to me at machine which seated only three or four passengers \ Laverton, as one of the most popular pastimes in the and I was the only passenger on that flight, but I was Airmen's Mess of an evening was the playing of billiards, definitely "sold" on aviation. snooker, pool, devil's pool and the various other ball The RAAF games played on a billiard table. I quickly earned a Shortly after this first flight of mine, and determined to reputation as the man to beat and so was able to follow a career in aviation, I decided to apply for a position supplement my meagre service income with my winnings in the RAAF. I took this decision as: from those hopeful airmen who thought they could take (1) . I could not afford the cost Involved in paying for me on. Of course I did not win all the time but was still flying lessons. In any case this avenue was not open to able to finish well in front. me, as there was no flying club In Rochester. My ability as a snooker player was recognized around (2) . I had decided I would make my own way and not this time when I was selected to hold the second cue in an expect any financial help from my parents. exhibition match by Horace Lindrum (recognized as the (3) . I felt my only chance of breaking Into aviation world champion) at Laverton. In the first frame, after the was to find someone who would teach me and at the break, I was able to make a small break before Horace got same time keep me. into his stride. In the second frame, at his request, I gave Quite some time elapsed and I had almost given up the frame a good break. I then sat down while Horace hope of receiving a favourable reply from the RAAF when potted all the balls on the table in one break. After that an official-looking envelope arrived in our letterbox game I realized I was only an amateur. It probably helped addressed to me. It was an acceptance of my application me, however, as I improved the standard of my game and an instruction to report to RAAF Station Laverton in considerably from then on. early August 1936. During the first six months at Laverton I made only one I had completed, and passed, the Leaving Certificate flight. This was made at the invitation of a Sergeant Pilot at the end of 1935, my best subjects being Mathematics, whom I got to know and who flew Hawker Demons. The Science and Economics. With these under my belt and a Demon had provision for a pilot and an observer in good pass In the mandatory English I felt I had the separate cockpits located one behind the other. Unlike the necessary educational qualifications to make my way pilot who, of course, was seated facing forwards, the upward in the RAAF. I therefore accepted my initial observer sat on a small wooden seat facing the tail of the mustering as Aircraft Hand, General (AC1, in other words, aircraft. Both pilot and observer were required to wear laborer) with the confidence that I could better myself as parachutes, with the pilot well strapped in with waist and time went by. shoulder harness. The observer, however, was only Having duly reported for duty at Laverton, I then went provided with a thin wire attached at one end to the floor of through the ab initio training required of all new recruits: the aircraft and at the other end to the observer's drill, how to make up your bed, more drill, how to properly parachute harness. Unknown to me we were on an clean your room, more drill, and all the other activities exercise which involved a series of aerobatics. On this, my designed to make an airman out of a civilian. first service flight, I disgraced myself by losing my Accommodation was provided in large barrack blocks, breakfast. However this was the first and last time I had with recruits sharing rooms. Having completed this part of such a problem of this nature and I put the blame on the my training I was attached to the station electrician as his unusual seating arrangement in the Demon. assistant. Here I was given all the work which did not Although I flew only once in this first stage of my require any technical knowledge but did require a certain aviation career, I did have the chance to watch plenty of amount of brawn, a commodity I was somewhat lacking in aerial activity. Each day I saw Hawker Demons and Bristol those days. However I must have done my work to my Bulldogs take to the air over Laverton and dreamed of the new boss's satisfaction as he continued to load me with a day when I would be joining them, as I was quite sure I quantity of new and quite often unsavoury duties. would. Probably the most unsavoury of these was the cleaning of a fairly deep sump which contained pumps to move all the From January to December 1937 I was back at school sewage from the whole station. They had a bad habit of in the classrooms of the W/T Operator Training School, leaking, due, I was told, to overloading of the system. learning all about the mysteries of radio. Here we Removing this leakage and burying it was one of my discovered new words such as wavelengths, medium, high weekly duties. and ultra high frequencies, cathode ray tubes, and resistors, and delved into the whys and wherefores of Having settled down to the routine of Air Force life, I wireless telegraphy and radio telephony. Communication decided It was time to better my position so I applied for was mostly in Morse Code but with the radio equipment training as a Wireless Operator (Air). I was duly accepted we had In those days, very rarely did you even establish for training to commence early in the New Year of 1937. contact with anybody. We had to learn the Morse Code Before joining the service and while I was still at home, and become proficient in both transmitting and receiving it. my father and I made a habit of occasionally visiting one of I became above average in this aspect of the training but I the local hotels and indulging in a few games of billiards, a am afraid I was not really up to the standard of the majority of trainees In other areas. I still had my heart set 1 on flying but I did not want to be a radio operator - I Possibly the Monospar ST-11 VH-USN of Kingsford Smith wanted to be in the pilot's cockpit. Aviation Services.

154 AHSA Aviation Heritage

In the belief that the Air Force was not going to teach afterwards he required that I stand outside his window me to fly unless I did something about it myself, I sat down after "lights out" and sing Danny Boy till he fell asleep, and prepared an application which requested that I be considered for a Cadetship to train at the RAAF Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria. Several chaps from earlier radio courses had been selected for pilot training, so I thought I had nothing to lose by also applying. Much to my surprise and joy I was accepted for training to commence straight after New Year 1938. In December 1937 I graduated as a Wireless Operator (Air) which made me eligible to fly as a part of aircrew. I carried out a I firmly believe that this unofficial training did much to few flights as such but did not get great joy from them - all mould the cadets' character and help to prepare them for I wanted to do was get to Point Cook and start training as the day when they would be required to lead others. I a pilot. This period did, however, widen my knowledge of always felt that when I required someone below me to aviation matters and give me a grounding which helped carry out some menial task, I had been through the mill me greatly in later years. and was not requiring him to do something that I had not Cadet Pilot Training done myself. Early In January 1938 I reported to Point Cook and Shortly after commencing their course, all junior cadets commenced what I now consider to be the best time of had to go through an initiation ceremony. This was carried my life. To me, everything about the next twelve months out on the concrete apron outside the main hangars, was exciting and satisfying, from the issuing of new which were located at some distance from the living uniforms which identified us as cadets, to the final quarters. All participants were dressed in their birthday presentation of our wings at the end of the year. suits, in full view of the station officers and their wives who In those days, a new course of cadets commenced would come to watch the fun, and required to go through a training each six months, the course being completed in number of difficult and sometimes painful exercises, such twelve months. This meant that at any point in time there as pushing a peanut across the tarmac with the nose only, was a course of cadets who were six months senior to the with a senior cadet assisting from the rear in various other course. uncomfortable ways, or climbing a high ladder while a fire hose was directed from below. This difference in seniority led to a system that became known as the unofficial training. The junior cadets Having passed through the initial part of the training in effect were treated as the servants of the senior cadets, and lived through the initiation ceremony, we were at their beck and call day and night. In the main the apparently accepted and the real training commenced. system worked well and was not abused to any great Here I found myself back at school learning all about the extent. One of the greatest benefits of the unofficial various subjects required to be fully understood if one training was the weeding out of those cadets who could wanted to be a pilot in the RAAF. Many matters learned at not face up to this type of activity. I believe that those who school were again covered, particularly mathematics. I objected strongly to being ordered around by senior reveled in these, as they were always my favorite subjects. cadets, and there were not many of these, were certainly Of course a lot of completely new subjects were also not suitable for training as commissioned officers in the covered: the Theory of Flight, Navigation, Meteorology, RAAF. and so on. I found everything intriguing and fascinating and worked hard to learn everything I could about every Very little of the unofficial training was malicious and a aspect of flying, and waited impatiently for the ultimate - to lot of it was really good fun, even if it was uncomfortable get into the air. and somewhat humiliating to the junior cadet Involved. For example, during a night in the cadet’s mess when we It was not until 2nd February that I made my first flight. were instructed to give a concert, I made the mistake of In Avro Cadet A6-5. My instructor was Flying Officer Phil singing Danny Boy as my contribution to the Ford, who remained my principal instructor for the whole entertainment. One of the senior cadets who also twelve months I was at Point Cook. The first flight lasted happened to be what was known as a Cadet Under for forty minutes and consolidated my love of flying which Officer took a liking to my song. Each night for some time has lasted throughout my whole life.

155 AHSA Aviation Heritage

Over the next three weeks I had a total of 7 hours and trainees under us. This period was much easier than the 45 minutes dual instruction with Flying Officer Ford and on first six months as we now had a source of free labour to the 22nd February successfully passed a solo test given call upon to carry out the menial tasks of shoe cleaning, by Flight Lieutenant Flolswich . This was followed by my floor polishing, message carrying, etc. first solo flight, which consisted of a take-off, a circuit and During this period of our training we continued to a landing lasting five minutes. I cannot describe the spend long hours in the classroom but were now flying a tremendous feeling resulting from that first time being different aircraft, still a single-engined biplane, the solely in control of an aircraft in flight. I do not know what Westland Wapiti. It was a much larger aircraft than the that first take-off, circuit and landing looked like from the Avro and was powered by a Jupiter engine driving a large ground but after another short session of dual. Flying airscrew which, when idling, rotated at a rate which made Officer Ford sent me off for another solo flight, this one it appear as if it would stop at any moment. To my lasting for fifteen minutes. I am quite sure I slept that night knowledge it is the only aircraft in existence where an with a smile on my face. airman inadvertently walked through the rotating airscrew Mixed in with the interminable classroom lessons and and was not touched by it. flying instruction and practice were the more physical activities of physical training (PT) and drill. These activities The Wapiti, like most aircraft at the time, was slow with were under the control of a drill sergeant; ours was exactly a low wing loading, which meant that it became airborne at what was expected of one whose job was to turn civilians a quite low airspeed. On one occasion at Point Cook, into airmen. He was loud-mouthed, abusive, abrasive and when there was a very strong westerly wind blowing, a a totally efficient non-commissioned officer dedicated to Wapiti, flown by an instructor, became airborne and then his job. Air Force Cadets were well known for their started to move backwards as the wind speed was greater precision drill and often provided their services as guards than the aircraft's airspeed. The instructor apparently of honour at various official functions. The total training decided that this was no way for an aircraft to perform so received at Point Cook did much to sharpen the mind and immediately reduced power and landed, touching down build the body. By the end of our training I felt I was at the some distance short of the point at which the aircraft had peak of physical fitness and ready for anything the Air become airborne. Force had to offer. Aerobatics in the Wapiti was forbidden so a more By the end of June and hallway through my flying sedate form of flying had to be performed. We had, training, I had accumulated a mere 46 hours flying time, however, a more varied program of flying activity, which 23 hours dual and 23 hours solo. All this flying was carried included practice bombing and cross-country flying. I out in Avro Cadet aircraft, a really beautiful single-engined carried out one cross-country flight that lasted for three hours and five minutes; this was considered really something in those days. Much later I was to make flights of up to four times this duration. Our Cadet Training Course was finally completed in mid December. I graduated somewhere in the middle of the course with my instructor. Flying Officer Ford, berating me because he was quite certain that I was going to get top marks for my flying abilities, but had beaten the gun by Hand starting a Wapiti. volunteering for my final flight test with Wing biplane powered by a Genet Major engine. The aircraft Commander F. M. Bladin before he (Ford) had given me was fully acrobatic and we were required to show our skill the final polish. However I was quite happy just to join the at various aerobatic maneuvers. others and receive my wings at the graduation ceremony, In July we commenced the second period of our entertained that evening by the station training. We were now senior cadets with a new bunch of officers in the Officers Mess. Shortly after we all received the King's Commission as Pilot Officers in the Royal Australian Air Force. ^ On 10th December 1945, then Group Captain L. C. M. Holswich, CO of No.86 Wing, was on the Beaufighter A8-184 being My posting came through while I was still at Point Cook flown by the CO of No.93 Squadron, Squadron Leader D. K. W. - I was to report to No.6 Squadron which was based at Gulliver, when it swung on take-off into two parked Mustangs at RAAF Station Richmond NSW. Recreation leave was Labuan, killing all on board. granted to cover the Christmas and New Year period so I

156 AHSA Aviation Heritage was able to go home to Rochester and celebrate with my flying, family. The Air Force in peace time provided for a single man a life style that could not be equaled anywhere else - No.6 Squadron Early in the New Year of 1939 I duly reported for duty comfortable living quarters, quite palatial messes, good at No.6 Squadron, Richmond. The squadron was food, stewards and batmen to cater for their needs, ample equipped with Avro Anson aircraft, which at the time were free time and, above all, the opportunity to mix with people who had but one aim; to make flying their career. the RAAF's top guns. The Anson was a twin-engined monoplane powered by Cheetah engines. It was of wood The Officers' Mess at Richmond was one of the newest and fabric construction and its performance left much to and most modern in Australia. Each officer had his own be desired. It was a pretty gentle, slow and cumbersome private room, with senior officers being provided with a aeroplane but it was quite dependable and a step up from small suite. There were a number of houses and the Avro Cadet and Westland Wapiti. apartments for married officers. Those who could not be accommodated on the base were permitted to live off the The Anson even had a retractable undercarriage. This base in rented dwellings, refinement was rather spoilt by the fact that the landing wheels had to be retracted manually by turning a crank in Similar provision was made for non-commissioned the pilot's cockpit, which had provision for two pilots. There officers (Warrant Officers, Flight Sergeants and were various figures claimed as to how many turns of the Sergeants) who had their own mess and some quarters crank were required to fully raise the wheels; I never did for married men. The Airmen's Mess catered for all other get around to counting but the figure was quite high. ranks, who were quartered in large barrack blocks. My first flight in an Anson was on 23rd January in A4-5 During 1939 I carried out a wide variety of flying with Pilot Officer Ivan Black, who had been one of the f ^ experience. The old cadets on my senior course. He was to demonstrate the ® highly art of flying an Anson to me before I commenced dual and permitted all types of exercises to be instruction. We duly became airborne and after I had navigation cranked and cranked until the wheels were fully retracted f excises, cross country flying, bombing, gunnery, night we flew around in the vicinity of the aerodrome while Ivan tactical exercises with the Royal Australian Navy briefed me on the various instruments, etc., and and sea patrols as far north as Cairns. In August 1939 I demonstrated to me how to generally handle the aircraft. ^ search for a German ship which the We then returned to the aerodrome with Ivan showing me fnth°nties were interested in. My logbook indicates that the correct procedure to follow in the circuit. He then made shadowed, his approach for landing and executed a perfect three On one of the patrols I was carrying out well off the pointer: two propellers and a tail wheel! He had forgotten coast, the port engine of the Aggie started to run very to have me crank the landing wheels down. Luckily the roughly. I was unable to do anything to rectify the problem Anson was so designed that the landing wheels, when so I throttled the engine well back and headed for home, retracted, still protruded slightly below the fuselage, and a flying virtually on one engine. On reaching Richmond it wheels up landing, while making quite a mess of the was found that one of the cylinders had cracked to such airscrews, did little other damage. No doubt the biggest an extent that the cylinder could be seen moving up and damage was to Ivan's pride. He received quite a ribbing down. This incident served to impress on me the great from his confreres over the incident. From my point of view dependability of the old Aggie. It was quite a helpful thing to have happened on my first By the end of 1939 I had logged 550 hours flying time flight. From there on, there was no way I was ever going to and was beginning to feel almost a veteran pilot. Then, in forget to lower the undercarriage of any aircraft I was February 1940, the first Lockheed Hudson arrived in Australia. The Hudson was designed to replace the Anson as the RAAF's main strike aircraft. I had my first flight in Hudson A16-6 as second pilot on the 26th February. Six aircraft had been allocated to 6 Squadron, A16-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. These were the first to arrive from Ij America. A number of experienced pilots. sssi most of them with previous civil aviation Ansons over Point Cook. experience, were given

157 AHSA Aviation Heritage the job of training the rest of us. We were trained by Flight side. However I do not think his assessment of my golfing Lieutenants Dallas Scott, Alec Barlow, John Ryland, Harry ability, if he had been required to give one, would have Purvis and Pat Hall. All these names can be found in the been "above average". various histories of aviation in Australia. On May 30th I had my last Hudson flight for some After doing some 20 hours gaining valuable experience months (a cross-country from Richmond to Laverton, with as second pilot, I commenced my conversion course on my old friend Polley, now Pilot Officer Polley, as second Hudsons on 20th March with Pat Hall. (Pat had flown with pilot) as I had been posted south. Apparently because of Associated Airlines, the corporate airline for executive staff my earlier wireless operator training it was decided I would of joint owners BHP and Zinc Corporation, prior to joining be good material for RAAF Headquarters in the Signals the Air Force.) After approximately ten hours’ dual Branch which was under the control of one of the great instruction, I had my first solo flight on 12th April. Apart characters of the RAAF - Group Captain C. SWiggins. from our instructors I was one of the first to do so. I had no desire to spend time at a desk in Century First solo is not really the correct term to use in relation House, Collins Street, in the middle of Melbourne where to the Hudson as it was designed to be crewed by a the Signals Branch was located, so most of my time in the minimum of two, in those early days the pilot in command next six months was taken up trying to work out how I and a second pilot. Some of the Hudsons were fitted with could convince the powers that be I would be of much dual controls then, although I can't remember ever seeing more use to the service if I was in a flying job. another with dual controls after I left Richmond. My second pilot on this my first flight as pilot in command was Apart from a couple of flights in a small single-engined a newly arrived Cadet A. H. V. ("Vern") Polley, who had Moth Minor monoplane which I managed to scrounge out not as yet received his commission. He went on to a long of one of the Laverton squadrons, I did no flying between career in both RAAF and civil flying. Polley flew with me in the end of May and the end of November. both Ansons and Hudsons through to the end of May when I left the squadron. No.24 Squadron In early December 1940 I received the good news that I found that flying the Hudson gave me much greater I had been waiting for - my presence In Head Office was satisfaction than any previous flying. The aircraft was no longer required and I was to proceed forthwith to more powerful, had a much superior performance to any Townsville In northern Queensland and join No.24 aircraft I had previously flown and, of course, could get Squadron which had been formed at Amberley in June from A to B in a much shorter space of time. With its that year. I managed to get to Brisbane by service aircraft higher performance and relatively high wing loading but was unable to get any help from there on. The journey (certainly a much higher loading than anything we had had by troop train from Brisbane to Townsville seemed to previously), it was necessary to treat it with a certain never end but I was sustained by the knowledge that I was degree of respect and pay a good deal of attention in on my way to a flying job. ensuring it was flown accurately and by the book. Later on when it was necessary to use pilots with only limited total 24 Squadron was composed of one flight of Hudson flying experience, many had difficulty handling the aircraft and two flights of Wirraway aircraft, and Squadron Hudson. This led to some unwarranted criticism of the Leader Stuart Campbell was the CO. With my previous aircraft, but I always found it to be a great aircraft to fly. experience I was attached to the Hudson flight, the OC of which was Flight Lieutenant Alec Barlow, who had been During service with 6 Squadron I carried out a wide one of the Hudson instructors at Richmond in 6 Squadron. variety of flying duties: gunnery and bombing exercises, Alec gave me a check flight in Hudson A16-96 on 17th aerial photography, anti-aircraft (searchlight) cooperation, December and from there on I was back in the air. Shortly cross-country flying, engine and aircraft tests and a afterwards Alec left the squadron and I took over his job multitude of other activities. I landed at aerodromes at as OC "B" Flight - Hudsons. Between 17th and 28th Archerfield (Brisbane), Goffs Harbour, Kempsey, December, I managed to get some flying in every day, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Evans Head, including a couple of cross-countries and a seaward Canberra, Mascot, Benalla, Cressy, Moruya, Point Cook patrol, general airmanship, gun tests, etc. and Laverton. On 29th December, in A16-39, I led a flight of three At the end of May 1940 I was assessed by our Hudsons with orders to proceed to Rabaul via Horn Island. Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader R. H. ("Bertie") We duly arrived at Rabaul during the afternoon of New Simms, as above average as a G.R. Pilot, above average Year's Eve 1940. We were the first land-based military as Pilot-Navigator but only average in bombing and aircraft to land at Lakunai aerodrome, located close to gunnery. By that time I had accumulated approximately Rabaul itself, and were met at the airport by what 745 hours flying time with over 600 of those on twin- appeared to be the total population of the area, who vied engined aircraft, the Anson and the Hudson. with one another as to who would transport us to our hotel. I like to believe that the fairly good assessment handed In those days New Year's Eve was the main social event out by the CO had nothing to do with the fact that he and I of the year, with people from all over converging on quite regularly played golf together. The CO played a Rabaul for the celebrations. pretty fair game and although I was not up to his standard, After checking into the Rabaul Hotel, which was apparently he thought I was the best of a bad lot. From my exactly what one expected of a tropical hotel, and point of view it was a good arrangement as I was not only freshening up, we were picked up by various locals and able to Improve my golf but also got extra time off with no transported to numerous homes and plied with good chance of being carpeted as long as I had the CO on my cheer. Eventually we arrived at the New Guinea Club

158 AHSA Aviation Heritage

where the main events of the night were to be held. Here as Vunakanau. We all duly departed Townsville on 5th the revelry continued until dawn when we were returned to December, arriving Port Moresby on the same day. We the hotel. My last memory of that night was sitting on the departed Moresby on the morning of 7th December, verandah of the hotel, with the sun well above the horizon, arriving Vunakanau around the middle of the day. Not long sipping long cold glasses of Creme de Menthe and soda after getting settled in at our new aerodrome we received water provided by the hotel manager, who claimed they the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor and knew we were were just the thing after a long night out. now really in a war. I flew A16-13 on two seaward patrols, which were the On 9th December I made my first operational flight official reason for our visit, from 2nd January, and on 10th when we took off in A16-91 to investigate an unidentified January we all returned to Townsville via Horn Island. It aircraft which flew at height over the aerodrome. Without was agreed by all that that was the best New Year we had doubt it was a Japanese reconnaissance flight but we experienced for many a day. were unable to positively identify it as, by the time we got During 1941 I carried out a great variety of duties airborne, it had disappeared. Quite apparently the aircraft which were the responsibility of Flight Commanders, was there simply to confirm our presence and not to including the training of less experienced pilots and engage in any aerial combat. aircrew. The standard and minimum crew for a Hudson By this time our Commanding Officer, John Lerew, was two pilots, a navigator and a wireless operator/air and the Wirraway flights had arrived at Vunakanau, and gunner. When the Boulton Paul mid-upper gun turrets shortly after the ground crews started to arrive ’ The were installed in all Hudsons, an additional wireless facilities there were very basic. The aerodrome at operator/air gunner (WOAG) was sometimes carried. In Vunakanau was composed of a strip just long enough to approximately March 1942 the policy of carrying two pilots accommodate a Hudson, cleared of kunai grass and palm was dropped and normal crew became one pilot, a trees, but with nowhere to disperse our aircraft. They had navigator and two WOAGs. to be parked on the side of the strip, a sitting target for As the most experienced Hudson pilot in the squadron, aircraft. Attempts were made to recruit local I carried out most of the training required to allow other to cut some revetments out of the surrounding pilots to fly as pilots in command. I checked out a number kunai. Some progress was made but not before the first of pilots including our CO, John Lerew, my old second enemy air raid was experienced, which resulted in several pilot, Stuart Hermes, Wing Commander Bill Garing (who, ^'^craft sustaining damage and leaving several large as a former Sunderland flying boat pilot, was one of the craters in the strip itself, most ham-fisted pilots I struck), an old friend, John On 15th December, again flying A16-91, I led two Hampshire, and several others. other Hudsons on a mission to attack the only Japanese- During the latter half of 1941, when the threat of war i occupied territory within range of our aircraft. This was a the South Pacific became even more apparent, thejg small atoll located north of the equator but with a big squadron engaged in more and more activities that would name - Kapingamarangi. We dropped our bombs aimed ensure the crews were ready for anything that might break deemed to be a Japanese cargo ship, out. Many flights were made up and down the coast Unfortunately we did little damage. We believe one 250 lb between Townsville and Horn Island, checking out various ship, but it was still well and truly afloat when intelligence reports - reports of possible mine-laying in waters. . to the north, checking... on possible unidentified '•’he Hudson could only carry four 250 lb bombs so we shipping and so on. Mixed in with this we practiced our could not claim to be a very strong strike force. In the early bombing and gunnery. days the bombs were all fitted with instantaneous fuses so By June it was apparent that the Japanese threat was they had to be dropped from a reasonable altitude to avoid a real one and I was ordered to proceed northwards blowing one's own aircraft away. We believed that the only carrying out special patrols. This exercise took me to Port expect to have any success was to drop our Moresby, Rabaul and Kavieng, carrying out extensive hombs from low altitude. We therefore submitted a patrols in surrounding waters, looking for any signs of '"equisition for delay fuses. The fuses duly arrived, the only unusual activity. On three successive days we flew as far available we were told, with eleven second delay. north as Kapingamarangi, north of the equator, taking I decided to try out the new fuses on a second raid on aerial photographs of the area. The exercise commenced Kap. on 1st January 1942 in the same aircraft On our on^ 17th June and ended on 28th June at Townsville, arrival a large building, assumed to be a store of some where we arrived on return from Rabaul via Port Moresby, sort, was selected as the target. My second pilot Stuart Horn Island and Cairns. Hermes, took up position in the nose of the aircraft to get By December 1941 I had accumulated some 1200 ® Proper view of the results of the bombing run. I made my hours' flying time and felt ready to take on anything that run' at the lowest level I could maintain without hitting any may be required of me. obstructions, aiming for the end of the building. As the target disappeared under the nose, I released one bomb Pacific Operations calling out over the intercom, "Bomb away". Almost In early December an Operations Order was delivered 'fTirn_®diately Stu. called out, "It's in the front door", followed to the squadron. This order instructed the OC "B" Flight *^® Eleven seconds later a number (me) to take the flight to Rabaul, together with a skeleton *''®®® destroyed but the target appeared ground maintenance crew. We were to establish ourselves probably frightened hell out of anyone who at an airstrip some miles out of Rabaul itself. It was known

-159 AHSA Aviation Heritage happened to be in the building but that would have been Sergeant Jim Nutter, who was an expert airframe all. maintenance fitter, we removed the tailplane and took it to Mandated Airlines' workshop so that he could affect urgent Over Kap. the only opposition to our attacks came from repairs. We had almost finished the necessary repairs but a few single-engined floatplanes. They appeared to be before we could re-install the tailplane, on 21st January fitted with forward-firing machine guns operated by the we were visited by a strong force of enemy bombers and pilot and a single machine gun on a swivel mounting fighters from the aircraft carriers Zuikaku and Shokaku, operated by an observer in a cockpit aft of the pilot. Our followed up by a number of big flying boats which bombed gunners claimed some damage inflicted on these aircraft from a high altitude. When they departed, all that was left but no Hudson was hit. of my aircraft was the tailplane; the remainder was a pile It was not long before our aerodrome came under of smoking metal. attack by enemy aircraft. Our flights of Wirraways had About a dozen civil aircraft on the aerodrome were arrived by then and, as we would receive warning from the also either destroyed or badly damaged. Several airport coast watchers of the approaching enemy, it was possible employees were injured and Kevin Parer, brother to the to get some of the aircraft airborne before the raids began. more famous Ray Parer, was shot by a strafing Zero as he Unfortunately the Wirraways were no match for the sat in his de Havilland Dragon aircraft. Another pilot, who Japanese Zero fighters and our losses were high. All of had been swinging the propellers for him trying to start the the Wirraway crews fought valiantly but they were fighting engines, tried to rescue him from the now-burning aircraft a losing battle. Our losses in the air and on the ground but was himself wounded and had to take shelter. The from bombing and strafing by greatly superior enemy air Japanese then bombed the aerodrome and Kevin Parer forces soon reduced our effectiveness as a strike or was killed by the blast from one of the bombs. From a slit defence force to virtually zero. trench beside the runway I was a spectator to the whole On 20th January 1942, the day of the big enemy raid, thing, seeing my aircraft destroyed, seeing Kevin killed, a Wirraway [A20-71] piloted by a good friend of mine, seeing workshops go up in flames and fuming because Bruce Anderson, took off just as the enemy aircraft neither I nor anybody else could do anything about it. commenced their attack. Bruce was one of these wild The following day I attended a simple service when types who wouldn't take "no" for an answer to anything. Kevin Parer was laid to rest. Shortly after this air raid, the His observer was Colin Butterworth, who later transferred population of Salamaua decided to vacate their township. over as my Navigator in No.32 Squadron. With the throttle It was not long before I, my crew, a petrol company of the Wirraway "through the gate" (a full power condition representative and a civil radio operator were the sole normally reserved for an emergency situation), Bruce's remaining occupants of the once thriving little township. engine failed on take off and the aircraft stalled and For the next few days we were kept busy refueling the crashed. The Wirraway was a write-off, and Bruce and few Hudsons left at Port Moresby which, with a full bomb Colin were both injured. load, were unable to carry sufficient fuel to fly from Port With one not-completely-serviceable Hudson and two Moresby to Rabaul and return, and so were forced to land Wirraways left, and a large fleet of Japanese vessels at Salamaua where fuel was available. In case the approaching, we were instructed by Eastern Area Japanese decided to land aircraft at Salamaua, we kept Headquarters, based at Townsville, to attack the fleet with the runway obstructed with plenty of 40-gallon drums. all available aircraft. This was when our CO, John Lerew, When a Hudson was identified overhead we would rush sent what now is recognized as one of the most famous out and remove the drums. When the Hudson landed and messages to be originated by a unit under enemy attack: cleared the runway, back would go the drums. Refueling the Roman gladiators' salute "We, who are about to die, was carried out from drums with a hand pump. When salute you" {Nos morituri te salutamus). The actual fueling was completed, the drums had to be removed from message sent was Moraturi vos salutamis, not wholly the runway and then returned when the Hudson departed. grammatically correct but the meaning was plain enough. In a period of five days, I later estimated that I had approximately 12 hours sleep in all, but was sustained by Towards the end of January, with a Japanese landing consuming some six bottles of Scotch obtained from the Imminent, the squadron (what was left of it) was deserted hotel. evacuated. Two Empire flying boats, piloted by Len Grey and Mike Mather, made a landing off the coast at an After a few days we were rescued by one of our agreed point a short distance from Rabaul and, although Hudsons which picked us up and flew us to Port Moresby. grossly overloaded, managed to get airborne with virtually I was then flown to Townsville where I spent several the complete complement of squadron ground crews on weeks In hospital with a severe attack of malaria. board. One of the passengers on board Len Grey's aircraft later claimed that he thought that Len was going to taxi all No.32 Squadron the way back to Port Moresby, as he took so long to get Whilst I was in hospital, a new composite squadron airborne. Len, who remained a good friend of mine, went had been formed. As 24 Squadron had been almost wiped on to a long and distinguished career both in the RAAF out as far as aircraft were concerned, it was abandoned at and later with Qantas. Mike Mather survived the war but this stage but to be reformed later. The new squadron was was killed in a car accident a few years later. comprised entirely of Hudson aircraft, with the remaining No.24 Squadron Hudson Flight crews supplemented with The day before the big Japanese raid on Rabaul, I flew Flights of aircraft and crews from No.6 Squadron at my Hudson (this time A16-146), which had been damaged Richmond and No.23 Squadron at Archerfield. Thus No.32 by enemy fire, from Vunakanau to Salamaua on the north Squadron was born on the 21st February 1942, based at coast of Papua New Guinea. Here, with the help of

160 AHSA Aviation Heritage

Port Moresby, under the command of Wing Commander targets. These brave men were known as "coast Deryck Kingwell. watchers”.

After my spell in hospital I was finally passed as being One such coast watcher was Con Page who, at the fit again and on the 12th March joined my new squadron at outbreak of war with the Japanese, was a plantation Port Moresby. By this time the crewing arrangements I manager on Simberi Island, one of three islands which mentioned earlier had been introduced. My crew was now were known as the Tabar Group located eighty miles east composed of a navigator, Pilot Officer Colin Butterworth, of Kavieng. The Tabar Group became the usual point at and two Wireless Operator/Air Gunners, Aub Walker and which Japanese aircraft, on their way from Truk to bomb David Gradwell. They all remained with me until the Rabaul, made their landfall. Page would report this landfall squadron was relieved and returned to Richmond some to our authorities and thus give us at Rabaul warning of six months later. the enemy's approach. With this warning, and if we had During the next few months the squadron was kept been equipped with modern fighter aircraft instead of the busy carrying out attacks on enemy targets at Rabaul, performance Wirraway, there may have been a Gasmata and other strategic points. Most of our significantly different ending to the Rabaul debacle, operations were out of Port Moresby or Milne Bay. For the By the middle of May 1942 Page was in an untenable first couple of months, along with a few Catalinas position with the Japanese, assisted by natives friendly to operating from Port^ Moresby, we were virtually the only them, closing in on him. It was decided to send an aircraft airborne force in that area operating against the advancing with supplies of food, a rifle and ammunition and uniform Japanese, and many people don't realise just how close and badges of a Sub-Lieutenant in the RANVR. I was they were. But we slowed them down sufficiently for the given the job of making the drop, carrying out the 7 hours Americans to build up their strength, and when that 30 minutes' flight from Port Moresby to Tabar and return happened it was the beginning of the end for the on 19th May. Unfortunately, when making the drop, one of Japanese. the two packages carried got jammed in the bomb bay and It was during this period that we developed the art of despite a number of attempts to shake it free we had to skip-bombing, mainly used against shipping, where the return it to Port Moresby. We later received information attack was made at very low level, thus allowing the bomb ^^9® h®d recovered the package we successfully to skip over the surface of the water and enter the target, dropped. Shortly after my flight all contact with Page was we hoped, at water level. With appropriate delay fuses, the ®r^d it had to be assumed that the Japanese had bomb would penetrate into the bowels of the ship before captured him. exploding. In July 1942 the Japanese made landings in force at One flight that I enjoyed was the time I escorted the ®rjna and Gona on the north coast of PNG and first flight of Australian Kittyhawk fighter aircraft from commenced to make their way overland towards Port Townsville to Milne Bay. At last we felt that the RAAF Moresby. They were able to reach almost halfway to could now fight back with an aircraft that could face up to Moresby before meeting with any opposition. Their first the Japanese Zeros. Among the pilots on this first flight check was at a river crossing near Kokoda known as was my old friend Bruce Anderson, who was thrilled to be Wairopi Bridge, where a patrol of Australian soldiers held in a real aircraft and itching to get his own back on the advance. Australian troops were arriving at Port Japanese. On 22nd March, the day after their arrival at Moresby but were not yet in position to repel the enemy. Milne Bay, Bruce was the pilot of one of three aircraft sent On 24th July an urgent request was passed to me for to patrol up the coast to Buna and Gona. There they met an aircraft to take the battalion commander to Kokoda. I up with Japanese aircraft over Lae. Bruce failed to return cut short a patrol I was engaged on and returned to from this mission. Moresby. Inquiries elicited the fact that there was a In April it was decided to base the squadron at Horn landing strip of sorts at Kokoda but that it had not been in Island, as enemy activity had increased significantly, with t'm®- I agreed to make every effort to deliver many air raids on Port Moresby. Whilst the bulk of the Lieutenant-Colonel Owen ^ safely to Kokoda. squadron staff were at Horn Island and all the main aircraft After the usual climb to altitude to fly over the high maintenance was carried out there, some aircraft ground between Moresby and our destination, we located (including mine) continued to operate from Port Moresby Kokoda airstrip. From the air it did not look very inviting and Milne Bay. but with Colonel Owen convincing me of the importance of When the Japanese overran New Britain and New h'® joining his troops, we made a landing firmly believing Ireland on their way to taking Rabaul, a number of **^® chances of being able to take off again were fairly Australian and European plantation owners, patrol officers, remote. etc., were unable to make their escape. Some were We found the airstrip covered with kunai grass some captured but others managed to keep clear of the enemy three feet high, which probably assisted the braking action with the help of friendly natives. A number of these people on landing but would make a take off virtually impossible. had radio equipment and were able to make contact with Luckily a large number of locals were interested Australian authorities. Many kept dodging large forces of spectators of our arrival and, after a good deal of trouble the Japanese for many months and provided much (none of us was very strong on pidgin English) valuable information on enemy movements. For example, we we invariably obtained information on approaching enemy formations of aircraft well before they reached their ^ Lieutenant-Colonel W. T. Owen had assumed command of the 39th Battalion on 7th July.

161 AHSA Aviation Heritage eventually got through to them that we would be highly again in New Guinea with the Hudson "biscuit bombers" delighted if they could clear the kunai from the strip. They engaged in dropping supplies to our ground forces. On went to work with a vengeance and cleared a good section 15th December 1942 he was dropping supplies to down the middle of the strip in an amazingly short time. Australian troops who were dug in at the end of a landing Meanwhile I had stepped out the length of the strip and strip in the Soputa area, south-west of Buna. Unfortunately estimated that by using the full length we had a 50/50 the Japanese were dug in at the other end and shot Pedro chance of making it. With the choice of taking that chance down as he pulled up after making his drop. or joining Colonel Owen and facing the Japanese, the Towards the end of April 1942, I had flown Hudson crew vote for taking the former alternative was unanimous. A16-134, which had been damaged by enemy action such Whether it was their confidence in me or their reluctance that it could not be repaired locally, from Port Moresby to to join the army that made them reach this decision I do Richmond via Cooktown, Townsville, Rockhampton, not know nor did I ask them. Archerfield and Nabiac. The numerous stops were made Again seeking the help of the locals, we manhandled necessary, as fifty per cent of fuel storage space was the aircraft backwards so that its tailplane was as far back unavailable due to the damage sustained. On arrival at into the bush at the end of the airstrip as was safe. With Richmond, a replacement Hudson was supposed to be the natives given instructions to help with the initial part of ready for me to return to Port Moresby immediately. the take off by pushing on any part of the aircraft they However this was not the case and, as it was not expected could get a hand on, I ran the engines up to full power with to be ready for a few days, my crew and I took the the brakes fully on. With natives being bowled over right opportunity to take in the bright lights of Sydney. and left by the slipstream from the airscrews, and, by the Two days later I was sitting alone in the lounge of my way, quite apparently having the time of their lives, I Kings Cross hotel partaking of a little liquid refreshment released the brakes and we were away. We managed to prior to dinner when an old RAAF friend of mine, whom I get airborne before running out of airstrip but did bring had not seen for some time, walked in and joined me. back to Moresby a small section of the top of a palm tree After the usual greetings and a few drinks he informed me stuck in the undercarriage bay. that he was in a bit of a spot. A fellow officer who was In the middle of August I received orders to carry out a supposed to accompany him had at the last moment been mission which promised to be very interesting. On 17th loaded with some special duty. The result was that he, my August I proceeded from Horn Island to Townsville with friend, had two girls on his hands that night to attend a instructions to pick up Lieutenant-General Sir Vernon cocktail party at Point Piper and later the theatre. He Sturdee, Chief of the General Staff, and party, and implored me to help him out but I, being wary of blind transport them to wherever General Sturdee wished to go. dates, refused. After a few more drinks, however, he finally In the next eight days we visited Port Moresby and Milne got my agreement and after a clean-up we set course. Bay in PNG, Horn Island in northern Queensland, Darwin, My blind date turned out to be a very attractive Bachelor, Katherine and Alice Springs in Northern brunette named Sheila Brunty. I do not remember much Territory and Mallala in South Australia. From Malalla we about the cocktail party or what we saw at the theatre, I proceeded to Melbourne where our passengers was much too busy doing my best to make a good disembarked. impression on my partner. For the next few days we were The Hudson was not designed for passenger carrying inseparable, we even made a trip to Newcastle so I could and on this tour we were carrying five passengers in meet her parents. Before I finally left for Port Moresby on addition to a crew of four. We made our guests as 7th May we were engaged. We were married on the 25th comfortable as possible and my crew ensured we had September 1942 in a blackout In St. Mary's Cathedral by thermoses of hot tea or coffee and some small snacks to the light of two candles. My best man was my old friend serve during flight. This must have impressed the General Stuart Hermes. We spent our first night at the Australia as a short time after the flight I received a very fine picnic Hotel and the next day set off to the Craigieburn Hotel at case for crew use with the complements of the CGS. By Bowral for our honeymoon. So commenced a marriage the time I had completed this exercise the squadron had that lasted for 48 years. moved south to Richmond so my first tour of active duty As was the norm in those days I was a bit short of was over. money, so I had carefully arranged that the leave granted One of the passengers on the almost-round-Australia to me to get married included two pay days. I was flight was a Major General Cannon, whose job, I believe, therefore given two pays in advance prior to commencing was ordinance. It quickly became apparent to me that he leave. Most people would say that was a hell of a way to was not in the least bit happy flying in our Hudson. After start a marriage. In those days we could not have cared every landing he would come over to me and shake my less. hand, as if to say, "you made it again". However he stuck A few days after we were married and while still on our to his guns and stayed with the aircraft to the bitter end. honeymoon I had to return Sheila to her parents as my One of the great characters in our squadron, who had father had died in Rochester. My mother and younger an insatiable appetite for striking at the Japanese, was Bill sister (the latter had some years before contracted polio Pedrina, affectionately known as "Pedro". He was always and was confined to a wheelchair) were alone and needed the first to volunteer for any difficult operation and would help. By this time I was again running short of money. The almost sulk if he was not chosen. He was a magnificent squadron by this time had moved to Camden so I went pilot and proved his great ability time and time again. Not there and visited the manager of the local Bank of New very long after the squadron returned south he was back South Wales. I related to him my problem and asked could

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he help me financially. He replied by asking me if I did my occasions, the navigational exercises would entail banking with his bank, and if so where was my account landings at Moruya, King Island and Essendon. Moruya and how much was in it. I replied that, yes, I did have an provided oysters. King Island provided lobsters and account with the NSW at the Townsville Branch and from Essendon was the outlet for alcoholic beverages. Some of memory I believed there was the sum of four shillings and the locals were particularly keen on our supply of good sixpence in the account. The manager with a grin gave me whisky, this being in very short supply outside the a cheque form to make out and handed me twenty pounds services. Our messing officer, however, was an expert at in cash to keep me going. I made my way to Rochester mixing Coho Australian whisky with a shot of dry sherry where I helped the family with the various problems and serving It in used bottles of a well-known brand of resulting from my father's death. While I was away the Scotch. We saved our Scotch and the locals went away friendly bank manager had made arrangements for Sheila happy. and me to move into a comfortable home in a very pleasant part of Camden. We soon settled into a routine On 7th September 1944 I flew Anson MG850 from and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Bairnsdale to Essendon, returning to Bairnsdale the next day. This was to be my last flight in the dependable old On the aerodrome, the Officers Mess was located in Anson, having flown some 660 hours in them all told, an old homestead belonging, I believe, to the MacArthur- because I had been posted to Tocumwal to commence a Onslow family. Amongst other amenities there was a conversion course on to the large, four-engined B-24 billiard room where I was able to practice my old skills for Liberator bomber. A few days later Sheila and I left the first time since I had left Richmond. Bairnsdale for good and made our way back to Sydney We stayed in Camden until March 1943 when I was where Sheila rejoined her family. posted to a training unit, the General Reconnaissance School, that was based at Cressy in Victoria. As It was Liberator Training intended to move GRS from Cressy to Bairnsdale in April, After attending a "hardening course" at No.1 Personnel Sheila and I decided that it would be better to wait until the Depot, Mount Martha, where those attending were put shift was made before she joined me. through a most rigorous course of exercises, drill and forced marches which made them either fit or almost dead, I duly reported to Tocumwal still in one piece. Here I General Reconnaissance School was once again back in school, attending lectures and On the 12th March I flew Hudson A16-124 from learning everything there was to know about the Liberator Camden to Bankstown, carried out two short flights giving engines, airframe, instruments and so on. For those days, dual Instruction to two pilots. Flying Officer Hornsby and the Liberator was a much more complicated piece of Pilot Officer Butler, and then returned to Camden. This machinery than anything we had previously experienced turned out to be the last time that I would fly in command and it was therefore very necessary that we fully of a Hudson aircraft. In all I had logged some 800 hours In understood its capabilities. this very fine aircraft. At Cressy I rejoined my old CO, Wing Commander On 4th October, one day after my 27th birthday, I had Deryck Kingwell, who had also been posted to GRS. He my first dual flight with instructor Flight Lieutenant Wilson was to be CO of the unit and my position was Officer in A72-11. After 6 hours and 30 minutes' dual, I had my Commanding Flying. The flying unit was composed of first flight as pilot in command in A72-7 on 10th October. approximately 40 Avro Ansons, a large number of staff On this flight my second pilot was Flying Officer Clive pilots and a small clerical staff. Harden, who stayed with me for many months until he in turn was given command. The main purpose of GRS was to give advanced training to navigators. They attended classes and carried By the end of November I had learned everything out navigational exercises In the Ansons. A number of there was to know about Liberators and had flown some these exercises Involved landings at various aerodromes 135 hours on them. I was ready for the next phase. While in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. A large I was at Tocumwal, I was allocated my crew who were to amount of the exercises involved over water navigation. stay with me. Clive Harden - Second Pilot, Peter Critchely - Navigator, P. Prance - Flight Engineer, L. Vickers - During the eighteen months I was at Bairnsdale I did Bombardier, A. Nealy, M. Keddie, H. Hamblyn-Harris, J. not fly as much as I probably should have. For some Johnston, N. Franzie and J. Woods - all WOAGS reason or other I seemed to have lost the desire for flying (Wireless Operator Air Gunners). at every opportunity. I can only put this down to perhaps feeling a little let down flying the old Ansons again after so The Liberator was fitted with four gun turrets each enjoying the Hudson. I did pick up my flying towards the firing two 0.5 Inch machine guns: one turret positioned In end of my stay at Bairnsdale and was ready for my next the nose, one in the tail, one on top of the fuselage and posting. one which could be lowered In flight below the fuselage. Two extra machine guns on swivels could be fired from Shortly after the move from Cressy to Bairnsdale, each side of the aircraft from windows in the rear. Ten Sheila joined me. Initially we had to get a room in one of machine guns provided a fairly massive firepower. This the local hotels but before long we were able to find other was greatly multiplied when a number of aircraft were accommodation. flown In formation. The Officers Mess was quite famous for the dinners it The bombsight fitted to the Liberator was the very served, not only for us, but also for a number of the more latest in American technology and gave quite amazingly influential members of the civil population. Prior to such accurate results. However, it still depended upon a good

163 AHSA Aviation Heritage bombardier. In the final bombing run, the bombsight was Nadzab had been developed by the Americans as a connected to the automatic pilot and the bombardier in very large base for their air forces. When I was there, effect actually flew the aircraft as he made the necessary much of the activity had moved northwards but Nadzab adjustments to course to ensure the bombs were released was still being used as a staging point and was therefore a at the right point. fairly busy airport. Whilst at Nadzab, although we were serving in a USAAF unit, we in the RAAF seemed to The automatic pilot was simple to use and was most operate separately, with aircraft allocated to us and having effective. It would maintain a selected course and altitude RAAF ground crew. Close to the main runway were with extreme accuracy, literally for hours on end. This was numerous aircraft of various types which had been of great assistance on long-range flights, as flying an abandoned by the Americans who, at this stage of their aircraft manually for any length of time can be very tiring. campaign, apparently thought it was easier to replace their The living conditions at Tocumwal were not up to the unserviceable aircraft than to repair them. During my time standards of the peacetime stations. The rooms provided there we obtained, with American approval, two Liberators for those training on the Libs, were fitted with bare which our maintenance team very quickly had completely necessities, but worst of all were the messing facilities, serviceable and in the air. The meals provided were basic and uninteresting, quite Early in January 1945 training at Nadzab was sufficient in quantity but very much lacking in quality. As a completed and my crew and I were granted leave prior to result we all took the opportunity, wherever possible, to proceeding to our next unit. I was more than pleased to get to Sydney, as I had seen little of Sheila over the previous three months. We made the most of the short few weeks we had together but all too soon the time to move on arrived.

No.12 Squadron Towards the end of January I proceeded to Cecil Plains, located not far from Dalby in Queensland, where a new squadron was being formed, No.12 Squadron, RAAF. The squadron was to be fitted entirely with Liberators and, when completely formed and operationally ready, was to move to Darwin in the Northern Territory. Squadron Leader John F. Murphy and crew walk front a B-24 Liberator The next few months were of No.12 Squadron at Darwin in 1945. taken up preparing the squadron for the move, getting together all have a meal in the township of Tocumwal. A cafe there the equipment, aircraft spares and the multitude of various served the best steak, eggs and chips we had partaken of things required to maintain a squadron in an operational in many a day. There was always great competition to see state. As the senior Flight Commander and in effect who could consume the greatest number of eggs with their second in command after the Commanding Officer (Wing steak. It was quite common to see someone order one Commander Neville G. Hemsworth), I was kept very busy. dozen eggs. I found when I was really hungry I could There was little time to do very much flying but I did handle six eggs but could not compete with some of the manage to get enough to keep my hand in. A few flights experts. had to be made to Darwin to organize various matters and By the end of November I and my crew had completed I managed to make a couple of these trips. all our training at Tocumwal and were dispatched to an American unit known as the Heavy Bomber Replacement Life at Cecil Plains was fairly basic. We all lived under canvas and, as we were miles from any large towns, had Training Unit (HBRTU), which was located at Nadzab in Papua New Guinea. Here we polished off our training with very little In the way of social activities. Cecil Plains was composed of, as far as I can remember, a general store a number of operational flights including the bombing of and not much else. It did, however, have its own Japanese targets at Wewak and Rabaul. These were two racecourse where one race meeting was held each year. of the targets we attacked in Hudsons two years before when we were outnumbered and outgunned. Now it was A few of us became friendly with an elderly gentleman the complete reverse: the remaining Japanese had been who lived with his spinster daughter in a rambling old by-passed by the American forces in their drive homestead quite close to our airstrip. He entertained us northwards, were lacking in supplies, had no aeroplanes for dinner on several occasions, when his daughter would and offered virtually no resistance to our attacks. Rabaul regale us with magnificient home cooking and he would became virtually a practice bombing range. produce his best wines and liqueurs.

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The annual race meeting was held while we were there this flight. On the 7th, when duty in Melbourne had been and it turned out that our friend was Chairman of the local completed, I took the opportunity to return to Darwin via turf club and, with a couple of brothers, cousins, etc., Mascot so I was able to see my wife and son while they owned most of the horses that would be racing. The night were still in St. Margaret's Hospital in Darlinghurst. before the races he entertained us at dinner where he On 21st June, I left Darwin early in the morning to handed me the names of eight horses, which he carry out one of the standard patrols. About three hours recommended I back in the eight races to be run. After the out, and having passed the eastern tip of Timor, a fire meeting we again assembled in his home where he alarm was suddenly activated in the cockpit. It indicated a apologized to me for giving me bad information. Of the fire in No.2 engine. Sure enough, that was exactly what we eight horses he named to me only seven were winners, had; smoke and flames could be seen pouring back from the eighth ran a close second. the engine. I immediately feathered the airscrew and The squadron finally moved to Darwin late in April. I activated the automatic fire extinguisher that was fitted as flew a Liberator to Darwin via Amberley on 1st May. We standard equipment on our aircraft. Before long the fire were based at the main Darwin aerodrome with our camp was extinguished and we made a normal flight back to approximately one mile away. The aerodrome was Darwin on three engines. Fire damage to the engine and provided with a maze of taxiways, with aircraft dispersal ancillary equipment was found to be quite extensive. A bays well separated from one another. The campsite was new engine was installed and the aircraft was soon back laid amongst trees with a number of open-sided buildings in service. providing the messing facilities for officers, non­ On 31st July, I was officially appointed Commanding commissioned officers and other ranks. All personnel were Officer of the squadron. Prior to this time, most of the under canvas. Much work was done to make the tents Liberators in the squadron were early models, but from comfortable, some finishing up as quite elaborate July we received quite a number of new aircraft in the -300 structures. series. Between 9th June and 3rd August I flew nine As our main duty was to carry out patrols over large operational flights including five bombing missions against areas of the ocean to the north west of Darwin, our aircraft Japanese targets in the Celebes. My last operational flight were fitted with long-range fuel tanks which were installed for the war was on 3rd August, when I led a formation of in the bomb bays. Although this reduced the number of six Liberators on a bombing mission to Badjo. bombs we could carry, it allowed us to remain in the air for By the end of June I had flown nearly 2,000 hours and a great length of time. The average patrol we carried out piloted ten different types of aircraft - Avro Cadet, Wapiti, lasted for anything from ten to twelve hours. This allowed DH Moth, Avro Anson, WIrraway, Moth Minor, Fairey us to patrol as far as Surabaya in Java, Balikpapan In Battle, Ryan Trainer, Lockheed Hudson and B-24 Borneo and the Celebes. My longest flight was in June, Liberator. 1,580 hours were flown on war service, 43 when we were airborne for thirteen hours and thirty operational flights were carried out for a total of just on minutes, during which we dropped a number of bombs on 250 hours. I made landings at 62 different aerodromes a target in the Celebes and strafed a number of Prahus and airstrips in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, (native boats) thought to have Japanese on board. By this South Australia, Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, stage, the war was starting to wind down and the action New Britain and New Ireland. I flew over parts of Western was pretty light on. Australia but this was the one and only state in which I did On the night of the 1st June 1945, I was scheduled to not make a landing. check out two pilots for night flying. After checking out the Between the end of hostilities in August and the end of first one, I sent him off on his own and was waiting near January 1946, the squadron was kept busy, not on warlike the end of the runway for the next pilot to bring his aircraft activities, but on missions of mercy. The Australian from dispersal when one of my officers (by now I was prisoners of war being released from various camps were commanding the squadron) arrived in a jeep waving a being repatriated to Australia. Our aircraft were picking up telegram at me. The telegram was from my father-in-law many of these men from various aerodromes in the north­ and read - "Bicycle arrived safely, complete with pump". I west, as far as Singapore, and flying them to Darwin and, correctly interpreted this to mean that Sheila had given after they were sorted out, taking them on to the various birth to a son. By arriving on this day there was double capital cities. I was kept busy organizing all this activity reason for celebration as 1st June was also Sheila's and was not able to do a great deal of flying myself. birthday. On receiving the news I immediately returned to However I did manage to work in a few flights to Sydney to the Officers Mess where we all celebrated my good news. see my family. As the night was on me I later had to send an urgent appeal to Sheila to forward the necessary funds to settle During the last few months one of the biggest the account. problems was maintaining the morale of all the personnel. When the pilot of the second aircraft whom I was The war was over and they all wanted to get home. The supposed to check could not find me at the agreed pick up squadron at this stage was composed of some 18 aircraft point, he returned the aircraft to dispersal, then with his (a lot more than would normally be allocated to a crew returned to the camp. He soon forgave me for squadron), a total strength of approximately 600 airmen of deserting him when he was given my news and was happy all ranks, including over 200 aircrew. to join In the celebrations. It had come to my notice that two airmen were running On 4th June it was found necessary to send an aircraft a "swy" school at the rear of the camp each evening. As to Essendon for some good reason so I detailed myself for such activity was contrary to Air Force Law I had the Service Police catch them in the act and paraded to me. I

165 AHSA Aviation Heritage read them the riot act but told them I would take no further result was not a very successful salesman. However I did action if they would agree to run an approved swy school have some money coming in, a small retainer and under police supervision, returning a percentage of their commission on sales. take to squadron welfare. They agreed so I provided them As it was quite apparent to me that I could not expect with a marquee in the grounds of our camp, set up to their to have any sort of a future trying to sell space in the Pink specifications complete with electric lights. The school was Pages, I kept looking around for something more to my in operation each night under SP supervision and quickly liking. I had recently joined the Imperial Service Club and became popular, not only with our own squadron on one of my visits there, I ran Into an old friend and personnel, but also with troops from all services in the advised him of my dilemma. He suggested that I should Darwin area. examine the possibility of obtaining some sort of a position With the percentages paid into the squadron welfare with the Department of Civil Aviation, where at least I fund I was able to arrange for stocks of fresh fruit, would surely have some qualifications they may require. vegetables, meat and beer to be brought back in the Not knowing just whom to contact, I started off by Liberators which would have otherwise been empty after introducing myself to the DCA's airport manager at Sydney dropping off their POW passengers at the various capital (Kingsford Smith) Airport. He was most helpful and quickly cities. The squadron personnel virtually lived off the fat of put me on track to the right person to see about the land and because of this were relatively happy to stay employment. The upshot of my trek to Mascot was that on. It helped particularly to be able to give the men, who almost immediately I commenced duty at the airport as a had been rationed to two bottles of beer a week, an 18- very junior Air Traffic Controller. One of the happiest days gallon keg or two in their mess most nights. of my life was when I told my boss at O'Briens that I was On the 7th February 1946, I flew Liberator A72-167 leaving. When I started work at Mascot, my take-home from Darwin to Mascot via Amberley, the flight lasting money was only half what I had been getting previously some 12 hours. This was to be my last flight not only in but I could not have cared less. I was back where I Liberators but also in the Royal Australian Air Force as I realized I wanted to be - getting involved with aircraft. If I was returning to Sydney to be discharged from the could not fly them then the next best thing was to be able service. After nearly ten years It felt very strange to to contribute to their safety, and this was the whole suddenly realize that I was now a civilian. As a married purpose of the Air Traffic Control system. man with a son I had a responsibility to look after them but I now did not have a job. The only thing I knew anything Air Traffic Control about was flying; I had no business experience and I was In 1947 when I first joined DCA, air traffic control was a twenty eight years of age. What was I going to do? That fairly primitive system. Equipment was basic although was the big question. radio communication with aircraft was quite good, having been developed and Improved during the war. Most of the communications with aircraft were handled by operators of Civilian Life a network of "Airadio" stations located at strategic points Shortly before being discharged, I made application to around the countryside. Position reports and other Qantas for a job as pilot. In due course I received a information was fed in to air traffic controllers who then favourable reply and was asked to report to their office for provided a traffic separation service to the aircraft. an interview. Sheila was never very keen about my desire to continue a flying career and, after long discussions, I One of the early controllers who joined ATC before the finally gave in to her wishes and advised Qantas that I was end of the war was Norm Rodoni. Norm designed and now unable to accept their offer. built a special piece of equipment that became known as the Rodoniscope. For some years this was the main tool Having reached a decision that flying was no longer to for air traffic controllers to keep tab on the positions of be considered as my future activity I was now faced with aircraft flying the main air routes and their relative position the problem of finding something that would suit my limited to one another. experience. Using newspaper classified advertisements as a guide, I went searching for a job. Wherever I went I ran Apart from the traffic separators, ATC had a section up against the same old problem. I would be interviewed known as Operational Control. This section dealt with the for a particular job and asked what experience did I have operational safety of aircraft on such matters as weather that would make me suitable to be employed. My answer, conditions, status of aerodromes and their suitability for of course, was that I had no business experience. aircraft operations, aircraft fuel requirements, etc. It was in this section that I specialized and spent most of the early After numerous knock-backs because of my lack of days. experience, finally I lost my temper in one interview and told the interviewer just what he could do with his job. I When I first joined ATC, controllers did not hold pointed out that I had been fighting a war for seven years permanent positions in the Commonwealth Public so that he could have a country in which he could have a Service: the positions were temporary only. However in thriving business and as a result I just did not have the 1950 it was decided to give all controllers permanent time or opportunity to gain the experience he deemed appointments, with the big advantages of continuous necessary. employment, superanuatlon and the opportunity for advancement. Finally I did obtain a position with Edward H. O'Brien Pty Ltd, who produced what was then the Pink Pages of Probably due to my ten years' RAAF experience, I the telephone directory. My job was to sell advertising took to ATC like a duck to water and quickly Improved my space and from the very start I hated the work and as a position. Within approximately two years I was promoted

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to the position of Senior Operations Officer, a position known as Flight Service Officers. In addition to their which made me the senior watch keeping officer when on communication duties they were now responsible for duty. The position involved me in shift work but this did providing a flight information service to aircraft that were not worry me unduly as, although it entailed working three flying outside the confines of the main air routes. These separate shifts, morning, afternoon and night, the time off officers were not permitted to give instructions to aircraft in was quite good and permitted reasonable social activities. flight but simply provided information on the relative positions of aircraft which could conflict, so that pilots in Not very long after I joined ATC, we moved from our command could take appropriate action to ensure their rather cramped quarters in the building which contained own safety. Flight Service also provided operational all DCA workers, to new quarters in a building which had information to aircraft concerning status of aerodromes been the headquarters of the Royal Aero Club Of New and navigational aids, amendments to weather forecasts, South Wales (which by now had moved to Bankstown significant weather reports, etc. Additional to these duties Airport). Our new quarters were a little roomier and they looked after the fixed communications, consisting permitted us to move into a new era of ATC. The traffic mainly of teletype circuits connecting all centres in separators had now done away with the Rodoniscope and Australia and certain international centres. As ATC were handling and displaying aircraft on what was known communications were all on VHF (Very High Frequency) as a Flight Progress Board. This system was adopted which was limited in range to "line of sight". Flight Service after some of our staff had studied methods used in the also provided the communications to all international United States of America - we virtually followed their aircraft flying in the oceanic and trans-continental control system. The control tower at the time of the move was still areas. Position reports and any other messages from the in the old position atop the TAA terminal but before very aircraft would be relayed to ATC for any necessary action long was moved to a new specially-built tower building on their part. located on the aerodrome. It was placed so as to have a full view of the runways and also the approaches to those During the 1950s there were great advances in Air runways. Close by the tower were new quarters for the Traffic Control, and procedures were modernized and Airport Fire Service. brought into line with overseas practices. With the increase in international flights from many different I was now fully employed as a Senior Operations countries and the ever-increasing numbers of aircraft Officer responsible, when on duty, for determining using the Australian domestic air routes, it became more operational requirements to be imposed on aircraft in and more evident that we would have to improve our respect of weather conditions, status of aerodromes, fuel procedures and practices and ensure we had the very requirements and serviceability of navigational aids. best equipment and personnel. Checking and approving flight plans submitted by pilots to ensure they met such operational requirements was also The ATC School In Melbourne was expanded and a part of my duties. drive to recruit suitable people for training was introduced. Up to this time most of the controllers, like myself, came In 1950 it had been decided by our Head Office that all from the Royal Australian Air Force or from men who had Air Traffic Controllers were to be issued with licences to some type of aviation background including those who permit them to operate. Before receiving their licences it was necessary that they attend and successfully complete transferred from Flight Service. Recruiting was a a special course of training at the ATC Training School haphazardous type of exercise and most of the training was done on the job at the various centres. Around this recently formed and sited in Melbourne. I was required to time it was decided that recruiting should come from two attend one of the early courses. The course was main groups, namely young people with no aviation composed of much the same thing I had been through in the RAAF and I had no difficulty in not only passing but experience and those with appropriate aviation also managing to top my course. experience. The first group would carry out a type of cadetship and be trained from scratch, doing periods of On return from Melbourne I resumed my duties at training at the ATC school, periods of practical training at Mascot but shortly afterwards was moved to the position of various ATC centres and carry out some flying on Senior Supervisor ATC, in charge of all ATC at Sydney attachment to the Airline Companies. This training was to Airport. This position was a very responsible one but did be carried out over a period of three years, by which time get me away from shift work, although I still did the it was hoped that the trainees who succeeded in occasional shift to keep my hand in. Although the position completing their training would be ready for ATC duties. carried a higher grade and basic salary than I had been The second group would be trained at the ATC School and receiving, the loss of penalty rates meant I was actually finish up with practical training in the field. Provided taking home less money each fortnight. suitable types were selected, it was considered that they By the mid 1950s, ATC had expanded considerably. should be ready for initial ATC duties in nine months. We now had our first Area Control Centre with specially The training scheme was put into force and was designed consoles incorporating the latest in reasonably successful. It was found, however, that the communication equipment. Consoles were fitted with a ever-increasing demand for more and more trained Flight Progress Board for displaying the movement of controllers was exceeding the output of the ATC School. aircraft, map displays showing the areas of responsibility, Recruiting for the short term courses was not up to direct communication with other control positions and expectations and it was decided to advertise for applicants direct telephones with adjacent control centres. from the United Kingdom. This action resulted in a quite Adjacent to the Area Control Centre was a section large number of "Pommies" joining our ranks in the mid- housing the communications people, who were now 1960s. Although some of them came from ATC in England

167 AHSA Aviation Heritage and most of them had an aviation background, they were prepared covering various ranges of wind components all given the short term training course before they were and temperatures. From these the pilot could select the posted to the field. appropriate one, add his fuel requirements and complete his planning in a few minutes. During this time I was kept busy running what was becoming an ever expanding system. The handling of staff Although I was not at our Head Office for very long I matters, duty rosters and other administrative matters took was able to make a couple of official trips, one to Western up a good deal of my time. I did, however, keep my hand Australia to review Operational Control and Search and in by carrying out irregular shifts as Senior Operations Rescue procedures and practices and a tour of Papua Officer. New Guinea stations for the same purposes. I found that in Western Australia the Operational Control people Airways Operations Branch, Melbourne seemed to think that due to the large area of their state The Airways Operations Branch which was normal standard procedures of Operational Control should responsible for all matters relating to Air Traffic Control, to not apply to them. As a result, they were trying to control Flight Service and to the Airport Fire Services, was located aircraft in areas for which they were not responsible and at the Headquarters of the Department of Civil Aviation in where pilots were responsible for their own control based Melbourne. The Air Traffic Control section was divided into on information fed to them by Flight Service. two parts, one dealing with matters relating to air traffic separation and the other with Operational Control and The trip to Papua New Guinea I found to be very Search and Rescue. The overall boss of the Airways interesting, as 1 had not been there since 1942 when Operations Branch, known as the Director of Airways conditions were rather different. Apart from Port Moresby I Operations, was Reg Gross. Reg was a highly efficient also visited Lae, Goroka, Mount Hagen and several other officer with a terrific capacity for work. Much of the places. Here it was necessary to have some special success attained by ATC and FS was due to his untiring procedures due to the high terrain and the uncertainty efforts. pertaining to weather and weather forecasting. During one of his visits to Sydney, Reg informed me Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that Sheila that he would like me to join the ATC team at Head Office. was very unhappy in Melbourne and the situation was Apparently the position of Assistant Superintendent in starting to affect her health. After another couple of charge of Operational Control and Search and Rescue months, I had to make arrangements for her and my son would be becoming vacant very shortly and if I agreed to to return to Sydney. I could see that I had to decide move he would ensure that I was nominated for the between my family and my career. As far as I was position. He asked me to think it over and let him know concerned the decision was an easy one - nothing was of my decision. more importance than my family. Having made up my My wife was very much against moving to Melbourne, mind, I went to Reg Gross and put the whole position to as was my son. My feelings were that this was my big him. I realized that this was virtually the finish to my chance to make something of my career. I was still in my ambition to get to the top in Air Traffic Control. early forties so I still had approximately twenty years to go Reg Gross and the Department were most co­ before retirement. Reg had intimated that once settled in operative and the necessary arrangements were made for Melbourne I could be groomed for the top job in ATC - the my return to Sydney. Naturally I lost my promotion to Superintendent of Air Traffic Control. I was confident that I Assistant Superintendent and had to accept a grading of could handle anything that was placed before me in ATC Class 5 which was, in effect, the same grading of my Melbourne. I finally talked Sheila into making the break old job of Senior Operations Officer. All the Senior and I let Reg know that I would accept the job in Operations Officer positions were, of course, filled and for Melbourne if it was offered to me. a while I was a man without a job. In due course my promotion to Assistant About this time it was decided to create a position of Superintendent appeared in the Government Gazette, no Civil Military Co-ordinator (CMC). As the name implied, its duties were to co-ordinate the movements of military one appealed and the appointment was duly confirmed. The year was 1960 and I quickly settled into the new job. I aircraft in controlled airspace and similarly to co-ordinate found it quite satisfying, as I had plenty of opportunity to the movement of civil aircraft through military airspace. I implement some of the ideas which I had developed over was duly appointed to this job and, although it was quite a the years to improve procedures and practices in let down for me, I tried to make a fist of my new duties. It Operational Control and Search and Rescue. I received did give the opportunity to deal with a number of my old excellent co-operation from other officers in the Branch Air Force mates and my knowledge of the Air Force and felt that I could really make something of the new job. assisted me greatly in the various problems presented to me. I did manage to push through something that I had been working on for some time, namely a system of Some of the work was quite interesting, particularly standard flight planning for aircraft flying the domestic air when the RAAF wanted to carry out warlike manoeuvres routes. The old system of pilots preparing flight plans over and around Sydney, much of it in controlled airspace. based on forecast winds and weather was rather laborious Making the necessary arrangements to permit the RAAF and time-consuming. With the advent of turbine-engined to operate freely and at the same time permit the flow of aircraft and their much higher speeds, the need for civil traffic created some interesting problems which did detailed flight plans became unnecessary, particularly now give a certain amount of satisfaction when they were resolved to the satisfaction of both RAAF and Civil. Whilst that a large majority of the flights were monitored by radar. in the CMC job I was able to put into force a number of For various aircraft, a number of flight plans were

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procedures which did much to iron out past problems of plotting would be of sufficient accuracy. This was proved joint military/civil use of airspace. to be correct. With a trained draughtsman plotting all my calculations The New ATC Centre with extreme accuracy on the large plot and then reducing The next few years were probably the busiest ones of them in size, the maps were a great success. These maps my whole working life. It had been decided that, due to the ever-increasing numbers of aircraft flying the domestic air were used for many years and although a means of routes, and the large number of international aircraft using plotting by computer was devised, I do not believe any Sydney Airport, the facilities for ATC had to be expanded significant improvement in accuracy was obtained. My and improved. The first new equipment to be provided was maps were still in use when I retired. long range ground-based radar. This was followed by Provision of this surveillance radar resulted in quite approach control radar, new ATC Centres and Aerodrome Control Towers. major changes to ATC procedures and separation standards. Many more controllers were required to man Over a period of several years, new centres were built the extra control positions involved in the new system. The at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane, with training and checking of controllers became a major improved lesser facilities at Canberra, Hobart, Townsville problem. A new section was developed known as and Darwin. New Aerodrome Control Towers were Standardization and Licencing, composed of a Supervisor provided at all capital city airports and at a number of and a number of experienced controllers whose job it was other airports throughout Australia. Whilst the new Area to check controllers on the job and ensure a standardized Approach Control Centre and Tower were being planned approach was applied by all. This section was also and built on the shores of Botany Bay at Kyeemagh, I had, responsible for preparing special proficiency assessments in effect, to carry out two jobs: keeping the old centre on all controllers, discussing these with the controllers working efficiently and at the same time generally concerned with a view to improving overall efficiency. This supervising the provision of facilities at the new centre. took a lot of pressure off me and allowed for more time to We started to move into the new centre in the middle of generally supervise the ATC centre as a whole. As the 1970 and it became operational progressively over the senior officer, however, I was still held responsible for next twelve months. ensuring the ATC centre operated at a high level of Surveillance radar with a range of 150 miles had been efficiency. provided at Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This provided quite good coverage of the controlled airspace When people run any system, mistakes are certain to between these cities, with the exception of approximately be made - when dealing with the safety of aircraft and the 100 miles at the mid point of the two routes. It did, thousands of people flying in those aircraft we had to however, provide cover for the most critical parts of the ensure that mistakes were kept to an absolute minimum. I flights, namely the climb and descent phases. Together believe we were quite successful in this regard. A few with the radar, new control consoles were provided, Incidents were considered to be as a result of controller carefully designed and manufactured to provide the very errors but these were mainly a breakdown of separation latest means of communication with aircraft, other standards although not to the extent of placing the aircraft controllers and centres. concerned in real danger. Provision of this radar at Sydney presented me with an Probably one of the most serious incidents to occur interesting problem. Special maps had to be prepared for affecting ATC was prior to the commissioning of the new superimposing on the radar screens. These had to show tower but after the extended runway 16/34 was put into the positions of various navigational aids and airports, and use. On 29th January 1971, TAA Boeing 727 VH-TJA the various routes that aircraft were to fly. The final map clipped the tail of Canadian Pacific Airlines DC-8 CF-CPQ had to be circular and eight inches in diameter. as it was taking off. The Canadian aircraft had landed into the south on runway 16 and towards the end of his landing To get the high degree of accuracy required in the run was Instructed by the tower to "take next taxiway maps, I felt that simply copying existing maps would not right". Once clear of the runway it would then take another be good enough. In conjunction with the drafting office of right turn and taxi via the parallel taxiway to the terminal. our Airports Branch we devised a scheme of drawing The tower saw the aircraft make a right turn and assumed special maps 24 Inches in diameter and then it was vacating the runway as instructed. When the tower photographically reducing them in size to the required controller saw the aircraft on a reciprocal heading he eight inches. cleared the TAA aircraft for take off on runway 16. To ensure accuracy I obtained the precise surveyed The Canadian aircraft, however, had not cleared the position of the radar aerial site and similarly the positions runway but had made a 180 degree turn and was taxiing of all those airports and navigational aids required to be back along the runway. The departing aircraft did not see shown. These positions were shown in degrees, minutes the aircraft on the runway until It was too late to abort his and seconds of latitude and longitude. I then made literally take off. He almost managed to clear the DC-8 but just hundreds of separate mathematical calculations working clipped Its tallplane. Mainly due to luck and the ability of out the rhumb line track and distance between the radar the Australian domestic pilot a major disaster was averted. site to ail these various points, cross-checking accuracy The domestic aircraft returned and landed safely. Whilst by calculating, as well, bearing and distance between the aircraft sustained some damage, no one was Injured. different aids and airports. Although radar signals follow a great circle track it was considered, due to the relatively ATC were held partly responsible for this incident, as short distances involved, that the use of rhumb lines in our one of the main responsibilities of a tower controller is to ensure a runway is clear of all obstructions before a

169 AHSA Aviation Heritage clearance for take off on that runway is given. The work was starting to get me down I found great relief if I Canadian pilot was not blameless. He was given a took my little Cessna up and just flew around Sydney for standard clearance which he should have understood and an hour. It also gave me the opportunity to brush up my followed. His excuse was that he thought the controller procedures for flying in controlled airspace and to monitor had said "clear to back track". How he read this from "take my controllers' procedures. Of course they always knew taxiway right" we could never understand. However this when I was flying, as, like everyone else, I had to submit a resulted in a black mark for ATC and we redoubled our flight plan, and no doubt they ensured that they did efforts in ensuring that such mistakes were not repeated. everything according to the book. I must admit that I never once had cause to criticize them. Although they looked Shortly after moving to the new centre, radar was after me very well I did note that the tower seemed quite installed at Canberra. This equipment not only afforded a pleased when they delayed me in order to, quite rightfully, facility for Canberra ATC to provide better control in their give priority to an RPT aircraft. area of responsibility but it also provided a coverage of the gap between the Sydney and Melbourne radars. Whilst on temporary duty at our Regional Additionally a radar was installed inland from Coffs Headquarters I would take the opportunity to get in some Harbour, at Point Lookout, to cover the gap between flying by hiring an aircraft, at Departmental expense, and Sydney and Brisbane. We now had complete radar flying myself to Canberra and Wagga Wagga to inspect coverage of all aircraft flying the control area routes the ATC units. By taking along a couple of officers from between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. other sections who could also carry out their inspections at these units, the cost to the Department was less than if Private Flying we had travelled on regular public transport flights. Being During my sojourn in Head Office, it came to my able to select our own departure times, rather than being knowledge that the Flying Operations Branch were restricted to the aviation companies' timetables, made for planning to send one of their aircraft through the centre of more efficient use of our time. On these flights I usually Australia to Darwin. I suggested to Reg Gross that, hired a Cessna 182, which provided seating for four provided they agreed to take me, this would be a great people including the pilot, and which had a fairly good opportunity for me to inspect facilities, etc., at Darwin. performance. With the agreement of both Directors I duly joined the flight. Luckily I knew the pilot in command very well and he Retirement was very happy to have me along. 1 retired on 10th October 1977, exactly one week after The aircraft was a light twin, an Aero Commander, my sixtieth birthday. I had been in the work force for some with excellent performance. I had never flown this aircraft forty-two years and felt that surely this was enough for one but my friendly pilot allowed me to have a go at the lifetime. controls. We flew from Melbourne to Adelaide and then Looking back over my thirty years with Air Traffic up through the centre to Alice Springs, where we Control, I was satisfied that I had contributed quite a large overnighted, then on to Darwin via Batchelor and amount to the success of the organization. Apparently the Katherine. I was permitted to do a large amount of the Department thought the same way, as not long after I flying including some take offs and landings. As I was not retired I was presented with the British Empire Medal licensed to fly I could not make mention of my (Civil) for my services to Air Traffic Control. The Governor experiences when I returned to Melbourne for fear I might of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler VC, presented the get the Flying Operations pilot into trouble. medal to me at a ceremony at Government House. This experience whetted my old appetite for flying and In 1989, my wife's health declined to the extent that I when I returned to Sydney and had attained my old felt I could no longer carry on looking after her at home. position of Senior Supervisor, I made arrangements with Much against my will, I made the necessary arrangements the flying people in the local Operations Branch to give for her to be admitted to a nursing home, where at least me a check with a view to obtaining a Private Pilot's there would be trained personnel to look after her. For the licence. After a couple of dual training flights I was given next two years I visited her regularly and saw her slowly the all clear to solo in a single-engined Cessna 172.1 then deteriorate. While I was visiting her on New Year's Day applied for and was granted my licence, which I retained 1991, she passed away. We had then been married for until I retired from ATC. over forty-eight years, and her passing left a void in my After obtaining my licence 1 was not able to do as life. much flying as I would have liked, as the Department did I greatly enjoyed all my flying, but I take particular pride not allow me to fly at their expense except for a very few in the actions of Nos.24 and 32 Squadrons at the time hours per year. The cost of hiring an aircraft, even one as when the Japanese threat was gravest. And although I small as a Cessna was beyond my financial situation. I did not continue my flying after the war, my work in Air was able to obtain a few hours flying per favour of some Traffic Control gave me a great deal of satisfaction, -f of my contacts in the general aviation business. When finances permitted I was able to hire a Cessna from a Mascot-based company. When the pressure of

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