14 MEN MISSING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 280, 23 August 1944, Page 4

14 MEN MISSING

Flight From Fiji To New Zealand

TWO HUDSON BOMBERS Extensive Search Proves Unsuccessful Fourteen members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force are reported missing on a transit flight on Sunday by two Lockheed Hudson bomber reconnaissance aircraft from Fiji to New Zealand. In itnnouncing the details yesterday, the Minister- of Defence, Mr. Jones, said that a wide search had been carried out by air in difficult weather conditions, but so far no trace of the missing flyers had been found. The men are:

F/Lt. Wilbur Lange (Mrs. T. Lange, 3 Highwick Av.. Epsom. Auckland, wife). P/O Kenneth Alexander Ross (Mrs. L. Ross. 46 Brougham St.. Wellington, Sydney Philip Aldridge (Mrs. S. Aldridge, 4 Somerset Rd., Mt. Roskill, Auckland, wife). . F/O. Jack Andrew Olsen (Mr. A. Olsen, 4 Haig Av., Dominion Rd., Auckland, father). P/O. Kenneth Brian Marshall (M. W. G. Marshall, 29 Camberwell Rd., Hawera, father). F/O. David Oliphant Stewart (Mr. H. H. Stewart. 24 Matai Rd., Green Lane, Auckland, father). • Sgt. George Arthur Bryant (Mrs. M. E. Bryant. 9 Ngaio St., Orakei. Auckland, mother). . F/O Norman Kitchener Baird (Mrs. N. K. Baird, 75 Pomona St.. Invercargill, wife). . Sgt. Robert Bruce Gillespie (Mr. R. Gillespie. 22 St/ Paul’s St.. Auckland, father). W/O. Arthur Francis Dunstan (Mrs. L. F. Dunstan. 3 Ruskin St.', Parnell, Auckland, wife). , Sgt. Thomas Bryton Carey (Mr. J. F. Carey. 24 Jessel St., Grey Lynn, Auckland. father). ~r n P/O. Ivan Russell Johnson (Mrs. O. B. Johnson. 12 Dryden St.. Auckland, mother). F/Sgt. Thomas Hartley Ward (Mesdames I. and E. Partridge, 15 Tuhimata Rd.. St. Heliers. Auckland, friends). F/O. John Thomson Waugh (Mrs. E. Waugh, Murrayfield, 42 Tinakori Road, Wellington, wife). The two aircraft were part of a formation of seven Hudsons which left Nausori, Fiji, at approximately 6.10 a.m. on Sunday. They flew in formation for half the route, when they ran into very thick weather, and in accordance with the standard procedure in such conditions they broke formation and continued individually. „ , , Five aircraft arrived in New Zealand, landing between 1.30 and 1.52 p.m. As far as is known at present no distress signals were sent out from the missing aircraft. They had a maximum fuel capacity sufficient for flying until about 4.30 on Sunday afternoon, and when they failed to arrive at that time arrangements were made for an extensive search to be carried out at first light on Monday morning. Aircraft were placed in readiness and 12 long-range aircraft were dispatched on Monday morning. They carried out parallel searches along the likely route of tfie missing aircraft, fanning out in the area in which it was assumed the nirerft might have come down, but without success. The searches were continued yesterday without success and will continue today.

In addition to the five Hudson aircraft which landed safely, two R.N.Z.A.F. Catnlina flying-boats left Fiji and arrived in New Zealand on Sunday.

Flying Officer Waugh is a well-known and popular member of the corps of private secretaries to Ministers of the Grown. He was with the Minister of Works, Mr. Semple, when he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Before going to the Pacifie he was attached to the staff nt Air Headquarters in Wellington. He joined the .Public Service as a eadet. and after a short time in the office of the Public Service Commissioner he became a member of the staff of the late Sir‘.Tames Allen when he was Minister of Defence in the war of 1014-18. -After the war, he was aptioint»d a private secretary to the late Sir Maui Pomare. That was his first secretarial appointment and in subsequent years he was private secretary to a number of other Ministers, including the present Prime Minister. Mr. Fraser, when he was Minister of Health. He was with Mr. Fraser for four years, and accompanied him to Great Britain in 1030. Flying Officer Waugh is 44 years of age.