ROYAL AIR FORCE ACCIDENT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22478, 12 August 1938, Page 11

ROYAL AIR FORCE ACCIDENT

♦ NEW ZEALAND ‘ PILOT KILLED MACHINE CRASHES AFTER DIVE LONDON, August 10. Acting-Pilot Officer R. A. Robertson, son of Mrs A. G. Robertson, of Stratford, New Zealand, was killed when an Air Force machine in which he was participating in torpedo dropping exercises, crashed into the Solent.

Robertson was flying solo in formation with two other machines from the Royal Air Force station at Gosport. The three dived in formation and two pulled out, Robertson s machine crashing after the release of a torpedo. The body has been recovered.

SON OF OKAIAWA RESIDENT

LEARNED TO FLY. AT NEW PLYMOUTH ITREfIS ASSOCIATION T*l.B€rßAK*) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 11. Acting-Pilot Officer R. A. Robertson. whose death was announced by cablegram from London this morning, is a son of Mrs A. G. Robertson. of Okaiawa, not Stratford as stated in the message. Mrs Robertson is at present resident in New Plymouth with her daughter. Early this year Mrs Robertson suffered a severe shock through the death of her husband, formerly a well-known garage proprietor and contractor at Okaiawa. Pilot Officer Robertson was about 25 years of age. He received his early training in aviation at New Plymouth and went to England two years ago to join the Royal Air Force He received his education at the Okaiawa primary school and Hawera Technical High School. He took a keen interest in sport and was a member of Te Ngutu Golf Club and the Okaiawa Tennis Club.