Death Of Mr L. E. Clark, Pioneer Airman

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30634, 28 December 1964, Page 12

Death Of Mr L. E. Clark, Pioneer Airman

One of New Zealand’s pioneer aviators died at his home at Kirwee yesterday. He was Leonard Ernie Clark, a North Canterbury farmer, who captured the country’s imagination in 1936 when he announced in England that he would fly home to be “in time for the shearing in midNovember.” Mr Clark was 57. Aged 29 in 1936, he had had only 130 hours’ flying experience, and became the second person—after Jean Batten—to make an uninterrupted flight from England to New Zealand. He left London on October 26, 1936, and flew through Cyprus, Bagdad, Karachi, Singapore, and Batavia to reach Darwin 10 days later. His aircraft was a Percival Gull with a single 130 h.p. Gypsy Major engine and a cruising speed of 133 miles an hour. From Sydney, Mr Clark took off in darkness to make the nineteenth Tasman crossing. After 12 hours 51

minutes he landed at Blenheim to learn that a crowd of from 20,000 to 30,000 was anxiously awaiting his arrival at Christchurch.

Still wearing his frayed carpet slippers, and carrying the hacksaw and tomahawk that were to be used to cut out the engine if he had been forced down at sea, he flew to Wigram to complete his 14-hour flight from Sydney. He landed in the light of flares and car head-lights, and was given a tumultuous welcome when his red-and-silver aircraft taxied across the field.

Mr Clark, known as “the flying farmer,” bought a farm called “Iffley” at Waikari, but sold it just before the war, and was in England when the war broke out. He joined the Royal Air Force Transport Command, and was stationed at Bermuda and Gander, Newfoundland, early in the war. He married Miss Celia Reese, eldest daughter of the late Mr Daniel Reese and Mrs Reese, of Cashmere Hills, in Montreal during the war. As an acting flight lieutenant he was awarded the D.F.C in 1941, and later in the war did much aerial reconnaissance work.

Mr Clark was appointed New Zealand agent for the Percival Aircraft Company after the war, and later had an aerial photography business at Harewood. For the last three years he farmed at Kirwee.

Mr Clark was born in Christchurch. He was educated at the Waihi School, South Canterbury, then at Wanganui Collegiate School and Oxford University. The Canterbury Aero Club taught him to fly. He is survived by his wife, three sons, and a daughter. MR D. T. QUEALY "The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, Dec. 27. Mr William Thomas Quealy, a prominent Auckland trade union secretary, has died, aged 62. Mr Quealy was secretary of the Theatrical and Places of Amusement Employees’ Union for more than 20 years. He was also secretary of the Plasterers and Bricklayers’ Union, the Cleaners and Caretakers’ Union, the Paint and Varnish Workers’ Union, and the Watchmakers and Jewellers’ Union. For a time he was a member of the Auckland Trades Council.

Mr Quealy, a justice of the peace, came to New Zealand from Australia 42 years ago. He is survived by his wife and six children.