BREMEN’S FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 172, 21 April 1928, Page 11

BREMEN’S FLIGHT

TO BE CONTINUED TO NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON FUEL AND SPARE PARTS BEING TAKEN TO GREENLY VON HUHENFELD’S LIFE SAVED BY FITZMAURICE Fuel and spare parts for the damaged Bremen are being sent to Greenly Island, and it is expected that the aeroplane will be made fit to continue the flight to New York and Washington, where great preparations are being made for the reception of the airmen. United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

'{Australian Press Assn. —United Service.)

Montreal, April 19. Fraulein Junkers stated definitely that she hoped that the Germans and Major Fitzmaurice would be able to leave Greenly Island in the* Bremen by Sunday. She herself has now abandoned the idea of proceeding to Greenly, but Major Fitzmaurice announced that he would leave Murray Bay as soon as possible in a Ford ’plane, which is now on its way from Detroit, and is due to-night about the time that the benzol and spare parts for the Bremen are expected to reach Murray Bay by train. So Fitzmaurice is expected to leave on Friday to join his comrades. Fraulein Junkers stated that more than one ’plane would be necessary to take to Greenly all the things needed for the Bremen, but it is unknown yet what other ’planes are likely to join the expedition besides that sent by the Ford Company, although the Canadian airman Schiller is most likely again to make the trip. .. L , „ Bennett and Balcnen, pilots for tiie Byrd Polar Expedition, will command the Ford ’plane, but, according to reports from Detroit, they may be delayed a day longer than expected. In the meantime, Edsel Ford has invited the Bremen’s crew to be his guests at Dearborrj. The ’plane he is sending is of the all-metal tri-motor type. He has also placed a fleet of automobiles at the flyers’ disposal. Fraulein Junkers, in a telephone meseage to the Junkers Company at New York, confirmed the statement that the Bremen may leave Greenly on Sundav. She stated 'that her conversation with Major Fitzmaurice convinced her that the Bremen could be put in shape with the equipment now on the way. She herself is planning to return to New York to take part in the welcome to the flyers.

WONDERFUL RECEPTION BEING

PREPARED. In the meantime a reception seldom paralleled awaits the flyers when they reach Washington, which may be possible by April 26. President Coolidge will receive them at the’ White House shortly after arrival, and the ’plane will be met on the way from New ,York by a squadron of army aeroplanes. They will be received at the field by Mr. F. B. Kellogg, Secretary of State, Mr. D. F. Davis, Secretary of War the German Ambassador, and the Irish Minister. ’ They will be given a luncheon at the White House on the following day, while the remainder of their stay will be taken up with a continuous programme of entertainment now being arranged by the German Embassy and the Irish Legation, at both of which places they will dine. They will also visit the tomb of the ■Unknown Soldier and both Houses of Congress. They are expected to leave on April 28 for Chicago.

APPRECIATION OF PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE.

Messages of appreciation from Presiden von Hindenburg and Mr. McNeill, Irish Governor-General, thanking President Coolidge for his congratulations on the success of the flight, have been made public. President von Hindenburg said: “In my own name and in the name of the German people I present my sincere thanks to you and the 'American people for your very cordial congratulations on the successful ocean flight of the Bremen.” Mr. McNeill said: “I appreciate your kind message of congratulation to the Irish people of the splendid achievement of Commandant Fitzmaurice and his German comrades. May their heroism prove of lasting service to humanity, and by completing the aerial conquest of the Atlantic lead to even closer relations between our countries.” FITZMAURICE RESCUES HUHENFELD WHEN THROWN INTO WATER TLANE LANDS ON THIN ICE (Rec. April 20, 7.15 p.m.) New York, April 19. It is revealed that Fitzmaurice saved Von Huhenfeld from drowning after the Bremen landed at Greenly. The machine, coming down with great force upon a thin cover of ice on a small pond used as a reservoir, broke through. Thaws for several days previous to last Friday had produced pools of water several feet deep under the ice. Huhen- .. feld, making his wav from the machine in an exhausted condition, fell head-

tong into the water, and Fitzmaurice, despite the fact that he was partially stunned bv the force of the landing, nevertheless leaped to the rescue. The intense cold was already freezing Huhenfeld’s clothing, and he was helpless. Koehl and Fitzmaurice dragged the Baron to the lighthouse, where he was able to drv out. Fitzmaurice said to-dav at Murray Bay: “We know now we should have landed, not on the reservoir, but on the ice in the bay. That was five feet thick and presented smooth stertches, long enough for landing purposes. Had we come down there, the damage to the Bremen would not have occurred, and we could have learned out position and taken off again.” EXPECTED IN NEW YORK ON TUESDAY (Rec. April 20, 7.15 p.mj New York, April 19. The North German Lloyd representative has received a message from Baron Von Huhenfeld stating that lie expects to arrive in New York on Tuesday, the day on which the Mayor’s, reception committee have announced that they will officially open their programme to greet the flyers. FRENCH TRANSATLANTIC ENTRANT (Rec. April 20, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, April 19. The latest transatlantic entrant is Louis Bleriot, son of the Chancellor, whose plans are well advanced for an attempt this summer. ' ANOTHER SOLO FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA BY OFFICER OF AIR FORCE (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, April 19. Wing Commander Manning, of the Royal Air Force, will attempt in a few days a solo flight from England to his birthplace, . Sydney, Australia. It will be ’ a private venture, and Manning, who has been released on halfpay at his own request, will use a Westland Widgeon light monoplane, which is his own property, and which has a 30-horse-power Cirrus engine of the same type as used by Hinkler in the latter.’s recent England-Australia flight. Manning has no desire to compete with Hinkler’s effort, although he hopes to arrive in Australia in less time than a boat passage would take. His route will be across the Mediterranean from Marseilles to Tunis, via Sardinia, along the North African coast to Egypt, and thence to Iraq and along the ’Persian Gulf to India and the Dutch East Indies. Manning was a medical student at the outbreak of the war, but joined the cavalrv and learned flying privately in 1916, when home with a wound, afterwards transferring to the Air Force, in which lie received decorations for conspicuous gallantry. SPANISH AIR LINER CRASHES Madrid, April 20. An air liner during a voyage from Madrid to. Barcelona crashed near Saragossa. Eleven passengers were injured, eight gravely.