INTERNATIONAL AIR RACE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27073, 23 June 1953, Page 8

INTERNATIONAL AIR RACE

ENGLISH JOURNALIST TO FLY IN HASTINGS

Mr William Courtenay, 0.8. E., M.M., a well-known English aviation writer and war correspondent for the Kemsley group of newspapers, will travel with the Royal New Zealand Air Force Hastings transport in the Lon-don-Christchurch air race in October. He will report the air race for “The Aeroplane.” the English aviation magazine, and for newspapers in Australia, Malta, and Japan, as well as those of his own group. He will also syndicate material to newspapers in various countries including New Zealand.

At present in Korea as a war correspondent for the Kemsley newspapers, Mr Courtenay will return soon to England to prepare for the race. He will travel in the Hastings at his own expense. He is a qualified pilot, and has owned an aircraft since 1932. He has been a writer on aviation matters since 1919 and is also known for his radio and television talks with the 8.8. C. In 1934 he broadcast the start of ’ the England-Australia air race. Mr Courtenay has been associated with New Zealand troops in three wars. In World War I he served in Gallipoli and Palestine, and in World War II he went to the Pacific theatre as a war correspondent. He continued as a war correspondent in the Korean war and again met New Zealanders.