TRAGIC CRASH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 102, 3 May 1939, Page 11

TRAGIC CRASH.

AUSTRALIAN BOMBER. Three Killed In 17th Air Force Fatality. HEAVY LOSS OF ANSON 'PLANES United Press Association.—Copyright. MELBOURNE, May 2. A pilot, an observer, and a mechanic were killed when a Royal Australian Air Force Avro Anson bomber crashed in Port Phillip Bay. The victims were:—Pilot Officer R. J. I. Davis, aged 24, of Hedlands, Wot Australia: Corporal Cordon Peakt. observer, aged 2S, of Newport. New South Wales; Aircraftsman J. W. Qiiinn, aged 20, of Newcastle, New South Wales. Corporal Peake's body was found in the wreckage, while it was on the surface, and Aircraftsman QuiiiuV body was recovered by a diver in the afternoon. Pilot Officer Davis" body is missing. The aeroplane was one of two carrying* out formation wireless cxercise>, which left Lavcrton air base at 0 a.m. The aeroplanes became separated in a fog. which was densest, according to weather officials, at between ->00 and 1000 feet, but was relatively light WU>-* 400 feet. Engines Running Perfectly. Residents of St. Kilda saw tne bomber which later crashed flying over the foreshore shortly before 10 a.m. It was flying at a height of about 100 feet, and the engines were then running; perfectly, but the aeroplane was moviuft slowly. Mr. Joseph Maxwell, who was in charge of a fishing launch in the bay at the time of the crash, said he and members -of his party were watching; the aeroplane, which appeared to make a half-turn to the right at about 100 feet, and then it dived with an appalling? crash into the water. An explosion followed. The launch sped to the spot and found wreckage and the fuselage afloat. The body of Corporal Peake was taken from the wreckage and placed aboard another launch. Mr. Maxwell's crew fastened the tail of the machine to the launch to. keep it above the water, while the rest of the aeroplane sank. Air Force salvage crews and a diver raised the machine later, and found Aircraftsman Quinu's body. Last Rites Administered. A priest arrived during the afternoon and administered the last rites as the two bodies lay on the launches.

Aircraftsman Quinn was a well-known Rugby player. He was captain of the Air Force team and had represented Victoria several times. At 0.30 p.m. the search for Pilot Officer Davis was abandoned on account of the darkness. It will be resumed at 7.30 a.m. to-morrow. The Air Board made no comment as to the cause gf the crash, but the unofficial theory is that the machine stalled. The crash makes the toll of Air Force dead ill Australia 22 in 12 months, and of 17 crashes nine were Anson bombers. In five of these 15 men have been killed. PACIFIC BASES. Movements Of Pan-American Construction Crews. NOUMEA AND CANTON ISLAND. Indepen-lent Cable Service. HONOLULU, May 2. A Pan-American Airways construction party of six men, who are to establish, an airways base at Noumea, New Caledonia, departed to-day by the Mariposa for Sydney, where they will transfer to a steamer for Noumea. The leader of the party. Mr. A. L. Lewis, formerly Pan-American Airways airport manager at Auckland, statqd that he had not been informed when experimental flights would take place. Mr. Lewis said he understood the American route would be HonoluluCanton Island - Noumea - Auckland. He was positive that the company would not directly enter Australia. Another Pan-American construction crew will leave here within a week to establish a base at Canton Island, but Government experts declare survey flights will not be made for six months at the earliest. "It is too early yet to make a definite statement." said Mr. H. Gatty, representative of Pan-American Airways in New Zealand, when the message from Honolulu was referred to him. "Too much notice should not be taken of reports jjivinp the time of resumption of the service, tsurvey flights or anything eke.'' The company's meteorologist, who was in Auckland last year. Mr. E. B. Buxton. is also a partfenijer by the bound for Auckland. AIRMAN FOUND. FORCED LANDING HADE. (Received 1 p.m.) CALCUTTA. May 2. The French airman. M. Oilbert Denis, made a forced landing :s•"> miles, northwest of Midnapitre after beinjr missing 24 hours. H.> left Karachi at 4.">0 a.m. yesterday for Calcutta in continuation <>f an attempt to lower the record for the flight from Le Bourget. France, to Saigon. Indo-China.

R.A.F. SCHEME. PILOTS TRAIN IN CANADA. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, May 2. The Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kinpsley Wood, in a written reply in the House of Commons, said an agreement had been reached with C.tuadn on a scheme under which Roya! Air Force pilots would be sent to Canada for intermediate and advanced rlyinj training under the auspices of the Canadian Department of National Defence. The duration of the scheme would be three years and the number of pil< ts to be trained would not exceed '>0 mi any one year. The cost of their training would be borne by the Government. The existing arrangements ;\;r the entry of Canadian candidates for commissions in the Royal Air Force would continue. The Minuter said he wished to take the opportunity of expressing , to the Canadian Government his appreciation of its helpful co-operation.