ANOTHER AIR RACE TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 70, 16 December 1919, Page 9

ANOTHER AIR RACE TRAGEDY

CAPTAIN HOWELL MISSING MARTINSYDE MACHINE WRECKED NO HOPE FOR SURVIVORS By Toleitraph—Presß Association—Copyrieht London, December li. Corfu reports that Captain Howell's aeroplane was wrecked off St. George's Bay, Corfu, on the tenth. There is no hope of tho survivors. ' The log was wushed ashore, proving the identity of the machine.—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn. | Captain Cedric Ernest Howell left Hounslow on December 1 on his Mght to Australia. He was reported at Pisf\ on the 6th. Ho was flying a Martinsyde machine. He formerly lived in 'Middle Park and Heidelberg, Victoria, (lnd was educated at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. He held a commission .in the Citizen Forces, but as he was under 21, he had to onlist as a private. He left Australia with the 10th Reinforcement? of tho 14th Battalion, and, serving in Egypt, volunteered for servicc in France, and left with the '16th Bnttajiou. Ho took pari in some heavy fighting, and, after having been appointed sniper, ho was one oi 200 men picked for training in the R.F.C. He passed through Durham and Oxford successfully, and secured a first and excellent certificate at Hendon as a pilot. After passing through vari--0115 courses, of training in England, lie left as n scout, and served some timo in France. Later, -ho was drafted to Italy, where He won all hi? distinctions. Captain Howell brought down thirty enemy machines, and olio _oT his planes, credited with twenty victims, is preserved by tho Air authorities. In addition to having been awarded tho D.5.0., M.C., and D.S.C., Captain Howell was also mentioned in dispatches for fcia work oh tho Italian front. The first victim of the great flight was. Captain Douglas, who was killed at Surbjton last ruonth, when starting out on his flight. His companion, Lieutenant Ross, was also killed.]

ROSS-SMITH'S FLIGHT ACROSS AUSTRALIA FORCED LANDING IN THE BUSH. Darwin, Vtecember H. Owing to engine trouble Captain Ross-Sn-ith was forced to land in tho 1/u.sh, and spend the night, shortly after leaving Darwin. He proceeded south next day.—Press Assn.' <

A CALL AT SYDNEY. (Rjc. December 15, 8.40 p.m.) Sydney, December 15. Captain Ross-Smith now intends to visit Svonoy en route to Melbourne. The Roval Historical Society ■ suggests the erection of a column marking the landinc nlace at Darwin—Press Assn. ' NEWS OF POULET DETER JUNES,!QN ANOTHER TRY... Allahabad, December 14.'

It is reported from Moulmein ■' that' Poujet has decided to make a final attempt to continue his flight. He will leave Xtoulmein for Bangkok on Monday if the weather is suitable—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. -.- -• ■ . , • [A message from Allahabad, dated De-, comber 12, 'stated that ; Poulet, owing to the breaking: of a piston of his-en-gine, had abandoned the flight,,and..was returning ;to France by Bteam»r from Moiilmeji.j STILL AT RANGOON.. Paris, December 13. Poulet is still at Rangoon—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A£sn... ■ -. . HIS STRANGE ADVENTURES EN ■ ROUTE.Paris, December 12. Poulet's adventures mako strange reading. us .published in "The Matin." The ■frenchman regarded his troubles as normal, until between Valona and Salonika he nearly ran into a peak 7500 f cet high, near Deaeagatch. A sudden storm beat him towards the earth, and he flow dangerouslv at 150 feet from tho ground. He suffered severely from tho boat in Mesopotamia, and was forced to land in the middle of the desert of Chabar, where Baluchis, armed to tho teeth, surround--ed and threatened him. "After a great deal of to do, the Sultan extended his protection over us," writes Toulet, though we did not understand ft word, cither of lis said. I did not like the surroundings, and we kept an eye open throughout the night, Wo only got 11 handful,of rice and some water, which a Parisian would not have drunk, for a hundred thousand francs." Poulet found Karachi excited, owing to a report that he had- fallen into the sea. The British authorities sent posthaste, and. found a whale stranded by tho tide—"The Times."

THE BLACKBURN KANGAROO BAD LANDING IN CRETE. (Rec. December 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 18. It is reported that the Blackburn Kangaroo made a bad binding at Suda Bay (Crete), but no one was injured. A fresh start may be considerably delayed. —Aus.-N.Z.' Cable Assn. BRITISH AIR FTO ORGANISATION DISTRIBUTION OF SQUADRONS. (Rec. December 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 13. General-Trenchard, Chief of the Air Staff, has issued a iinomorandum in which he' outlines the future organisation of the Royal Air Force; Mr. Winston Churchill (Minister for War) states that Cabinet has approved of the proposals in principle. The expenditure on the- Force in the next few years is provisionally fixed at fifteen millions a vear. The scheme divides the Force into' feree fcctions—an Independent Force, a Naval Force, and n. Military Force. Eventually the Force will consist of twentyeight squadrons—eight in India, three in Mesopotamia, seven in Egypt, and four on home service, and seven with tlio Fleet. An Air Force Reserve will be created on a Territorial basis. Tho airship fleet for the present, will not exceed one rigid and two non-rigid air-ships—Aus.-N.Z. Cnbio Assn. FLYING NOT POPULAR IN WINTER, ,(Rec. December 16, 1.5 a.m.) London, December 11. The Avro Company has decided to suspend passenger Hying during the winter, owing to the insufficient demand.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.