AIR VICTIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 224, 21 September 1932, Page 7

AIR VICTIMS.

SYDNEY'S TRIBUTE.

Impressive Funerals of Noted Flyers. A TRAGIC RECOLLECTION. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY, September, 20. The funerals took place to-day of Captain Leslie Holden and Dr. G. R. Hamilton, two of the victims of the Hying tragedy near Bangalow on Monday. They were most impressive.

A memorial service was held in the Sydney Church of England Grammar School, of which the two victims named were old boys. Many carloads of beautiful wreaths were sent, which later were transferred to the city Cenotaph.

There was an enormous crowd of spectators. Eighteen aeroplanes flew in formation over Rookwood Cemetery, where the cremation was carried out. The pilots of the machines were former close friends eff the dead airmen and tliey all dipped in salute.

The officiating clergyman, Canon Howard Lea, in paying a tribute to the deceased, said: "These two men had beautiful modesty. Captain Holden, in particular, was a very gallant man who had made a wonderful conquest of the air."

Canon Lea said he remembered Dr. Hamilton once saying: "Yes, aviation is dangerous, but there is no progress without danger."

The third victim, Mr. Ralph Virtue, was buried yesterday at Lismore, his home town.

The funerals tragically recalled the fact that of the crew of four (Captain Holden, Dr. Hamilton and Messrs. Mitchell and Stannage) of the air liner Canberra who found the Kingsford Smith-Ulm party in north-west Australia in April, 1929, only one is now alive, namely, the radio operator, Mr. Stannage, who resides at Adelaide.

Mr. Mitchell was killed on June 16 in an experimental flight in a monoplane specially built for crossing the Tasman to New Zealand.

HURT IN LANDING. FAMOUS AIR SPEED PILOT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 20. Flight-Lieutenant G. H. Stainforth, famous Schneider Cup pilot and holder of the world's air speed record of 407.5 m.p.h., was injured in a flying mishap while his aeroplane was landing in a field at the Lizard, Cornwall, where he is the guest of the well-known airman, tbo Master of Sempill. A passenger also received injuries.