CHRISTCHURCH PILOTS KILLED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23110, 28 August 1940, Page 10

CHRISTCHURCH PILOTS KILLED

ACCIDENTS IN BRITAIN Two Christchurch pilots in the Royal Air Force in England are reported killed in accidents. They are:— Pilot Officer Ronald Stanley Magee, aged 25, son of Mrs C. M. Magee, of 34 Gracefield avenue, and Sergeant-Pilot Robert Henry Clifford, aged 24, eldest son of Mr and Mrs H. H. Clifford, of 52 Worcester street. Educated at the Reefton District High School and St. Bede’s College, Pilot Officer Magee took an early interest in flying. He was a member of the Canterbury Aero Club and the Rongotai Aero Club. After leaving St. Bede’s in 1932, he was engaged in surveying.. Later, he joined the artillery, and after receiving his training at Trentham, he was stationed at Fort Dorset for two years. It was while in Wellington that he obtained his flying licences, and when he joined the Air Force he had over *IOO hours’ flying to his credit. Pilot Officer Magee left Fort Dorset to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force in June last year, and he spent three months at Taieri, after which he was transferred to Wigram. He passed out from Wigram on January 15 of this year. He was married to Miss Shirley Buchanan, of Macmillan avenue, Cashmere Hills, a fortnight before he left for Britain. He was a good all-round athlete, being prominent in hurdling, tennis, and golf. Official advice from England stated that Pilot Officer Magee was reported as having lost his life as a result of an aircraft accident on August 26. Sergeant Clifford was the son of Mr H. H. Clifford, of Christchurch. He was a member of the choir of the Christchurch Cathedral, and was educated at the Cathedral Grammar School and at the Timaru Boys’ High School. At the Cathedral Grammar School he was a prefect and a sergeant in the school cadet corps. He took a great interest in sport, and was a member of the first 15 and holder of the bantam-weight boxing championship. He was also a keen tennis player. After leaving the Timaru Boys’ High School he assisted his father in a photography business in Christchurch, later joining the legal firm of A. H. Cavell and Leitch. At the same time he was taking the law course at Canterbury College. . He received his flying training at Wigram and passed out on May 27. According to official advice "from Wellington Sergeant Clifford died from injuries suffered when he was accidently struck by a lorry.