WAR BIRDS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 170, 20 July 1936, Page 8

WAR BIRDS."

AIRMEN'S REUNION. EXPERIENCES RECALLED. I I j WREATH LAID AT CENOTAPH. 1 War time airmen who had served , cither the old Royal Flying Corps, the . Royal Naval Air Service, or the Royal ! Air Force held their annual Auckland l reunion in the Officers' Club on Satur- ' day evening. The chairman was Squadron Leader J. Seabrook, A.F.C. (R.F.C.), and about 40 "war birds" attended. The proceedings started with the "rendezvous" at 0 o'clock, when an issue 'of hot rum was served. A large number of the airmen | present had not met for many years, and j some considerable time was' spent in ] recalling wartime experiences. j The Royal Navy was represented by Paymaster-Commander' C. H. Law, of 11.M.5. Philomel, and the New Zealand Staff Corps by Colonel J. E. Duigan. In welcoming the representatives of these services, Squadron Leader Seabrook referred to the work of the Navy, the Army, and the Royal Air Force. He thought that such reunions were well worth while. "If the camaraderie of | wartime could only be recaptured in j civilian life, a big step could be made i toward the solution of present day ! difficulties," he said. j The roll was then called, each airman | rising to announce his name, rank, his | old squadron and attachments. Squadron j Leader L. M. Isitt, R.N.Z.A.F., Officer : Commanding the Hobsonville Air Base, and Flight Lieutenants S. Wallingford and M. W. Buckley, represented the New Zealand Air Force. A lengthy list of toasts was honoured. The "war birds'" president, Wing-Com-mander K. L. Caldwell, M.C., D.F.C. (R.F.C.), in proposing the toast of "Absent Frier ds," referred to the death of Squadron Leader -M. C. McGregor, D.F.C. and bar, who had such a wonderful war record, and an equally fine record in commercial aviation. "Poor old Mac put up a wonderful show in the Centenary Air Race," said Wing-Commander Caldwell. "We know what was against him and what he got through in that race. He died as he always wanted to." The reunion decided to support a suggestion that the annual New Zealand reunion of "war birds" should be held-next year in Christchurcli. WingCommander Caldwell, Squadron Leader Seabrook, Squadron Leader Isitt, Captain H. C. Leese, and Captain Broadhurst were elected a committee to make arrangements for the next Auckland reunion. Representatives of the "war birds" laid a wreath at the Cenotaph yesterday morning, in memory of fallen comrades, and later a visit was paid to the air base at Hobsonville, where a number of airmen were the guests of Squadron Leader L. M. Isitt.

The success .of Saturday's reunion was largely due to the efforts of Squadron Leader Seabrook, Squadron Leader A. J. Butler, Captain J. A. Carr, D.S.C. (R.N.A.S.), Lieutenant T. R. Bloomfield (R.F.C.), and tlie secretary and treasurer, Lieutenant V. J. Parkinson (Australia! Flying Corps).