THREE KILLED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 87, 22 January 1938, Page 5

THREE KILLED

COLLISION IN MID-AIR.

TWO NEW ZEALANDERS INVOLVED.

FIRE AFTER THE CRASH.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, January 21.

Three were killed in a collision between, Royal Air Force and civil aeroplanes in Hertfordshire. The civil ’plane was a training craft belonging to the Royal Air Force Reserve School at Hatfield, in which the instructor, Mr T. Smith, a New was taking up a pupil, B. W. Grieves, also a New Zealander, who arrived in England last Monday and began flying lessons the following day. Smith had bben at Hatfield about a year.

The planes were flying at 2000 feet near the Royal 'Air Force ’plane ‘when the wing-tips appeared to touch. Both crashed on gravel works at St. Albans and caught fire. Workmen rushed to the rescue, but the heat was too intense.

tiiGH COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGES

OFFICIAL REPORT TO BE MADE

(Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 21.

The High Commissioner for New Zealand (Mr W. J. Jordan) has cabled messages of sympathy to the relatives of Messrs Smith and Grieves. •

Hs is making an official report on the crash to the New Zealand Government.

ONE MAN AN AUCKLANDER.

CPer Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day

Brian . ‘William Grieves, who was killed in the ’plane collision in England, was a son of Mr Lawrence Grieves ,of Carlton Gore Hoad, Auckland, . and his age. was 22. He was educated at the Auckland Grammar School and left Auckland on December 1 to take a commission in the Ricyal Air Force. His brother, Mr Lex Grieves, is the well-known motoring writer of the New Zealand • “Observer. '* While at school Grieves took a keen interest in the Cadet Corps, holding the rank of battery-sergeant-major. On leaving sc'hool he joined the Royal New Zealand Artillery, with which he spent three and a half years. Shortly before he .left New Zealand he was transferred to the Air Force.