FATAL CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 252, 24 October 1934, Page 7

FATAL CRASH.

GILMAN AND BAINES. Machine Swept Over by High Wind on Landing. VILLAGERS' LAST RESPECTS. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11 a.m.) ROME, October 23. A message from Palazzo San Gervasio states that it is clear that the airmen, Messrs. Gilman and Baines, were killed instantly before the machine caught fire. One of the victims suffered head injuries and the other a fractured spine. Tlie watchman in charge of the field, seeing the machine making for tlie landing ground, signalled indications as to tho best method of landing. A wind was blowing hard from the nortli-east, and it was raining. When the 'plane was 60 yards from the ground the pilot looked out to observe the weather vane. The machine was swept sideways when 90 yards off the ground, then sideslipped and crashed. The watehman and others rushed to the 'plane, but the ground was so swampy that they sank up to the knees. It was impossible to move the bodies until 4 p.m. though the crash occurred at 8 a.m. Thousands of villagers assembled at the local church to-day to pay their last respects to the dead airmen. Masses of flowers from the village gardens, and wild flowers picked by the children, were placed on the coffins, over which flew the Italian flag. In yesterday's "Star" it was erroneously stated that the Gilman family had been dogged by misfortune in that another brother had been killed some time ago when cleaning a rifle. This referred to the family of Mr. Gilman's co-pilot, Mr. Baines, and the inadvertence is regretted. ROYAL SYMPATHY. CONDOLENCE WITH RELATIVES (Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 23. Tho King and Queen, through the New Zealand High Commissioner, has consoled with the relatives of Messrs. Gilman and Baines. TRIBUTE TO COURAGE. ILL-FATED NEW ZEALANDERS. LONDON, October 23. The realisation that in spite of the glamour attendant upon tlie courageous achievements in tho Centenary ah - race, tho risk of sudden tragedy is never absent, spread throughout Britain with the news of the disaster to the aeroplane piloted by Flying-Officer Gilman and Mr. Baines. They were 13th in the field at the time of the occurrence, tlie site of which is known locally as the "field of fortune." A message from Potenza, Italy, where the airmen crashed, states that FlyingOfficer Gilman's body lias been identified by two Irish sweepstake tickets bearing liis name. His watch stopped at eight o'clock, thus establishing the exact time of the disaster. , , .