LAST RESPECTS PAID

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 10

LAST RESPECTS PAID

Parachutist’s Funeral

LIEUT. HAAKON QVILLER

Dominion Special Service.

Christchurch, May 7. Several hundred persons attended the funeral of Lieutenant Haakon Qviller, the Norwegian parachutist, who was killed at Oamaru on Saturday. Besides those connected with aviation in Christchurch and other South Island centres, there was a large crowd of the general public in the procession which followed the cortege from Cashel Street to the Bromley Cemetery. At the graveside, the service was conducted by the Rev. C.'A. Fra er.

Draped in black, the aeroplane from which Lieutenant Qviller had made his last leap, passed over the grave, jiiloted by Flight-Lieutenant T./W. White, who had also piloted it on the fatal flight. From it a laurel wreath was dropped, from Flight-Lieutenant White, and Mr. H. M. Mackay, of New Zealand Airways, and as the concluding words of the Anglican burial service were read, the machine flew from above the cemetery.

The pall-bearers were:—Squadron-Lea-der J. L. Findlay (Air Force), Mr. P. R. Climie and Flight-Lieutenant J. C. Mercer (Canterbury Aero Club), Mr. H. M. Mackay (N.Z. Airways, Ltd.)', Mr. E. J. Hope (Otago Aero Cltrb), and Squad-ron-Leader Noel Chandler (Marlborough Aero Club). There were many wreaths, and one was jncribed as follows: “With sorrow. Alison Street, Redcliffs.” This was from a little girl who had shaken hands with Lieut. Qviller at the Wigram Aerodrome. The others were from Squadron-Leader N. E. and Mrs. Chandler, the officers and staff of the Wigram Aerodrome, the Marlborough Aero Club, the citizens of Oamaru, Haakon’s family, the Otago Aero Club, Sir Henry Wigram, the Canterbury Aero Club, the Oamaru Aero Club, and “Stavenholm,” bearing the inscription: “With appreciation of the success we witnessed and other successes achieved.”