MASCOT RETURNED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 10

MASCOT RETURNED

AIRMAN'S GRATITUDE (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post,") CIIRISTCHURCH, This Day. When tho crowd rushed about the crow of the Southern Cross after the landing at Wigram Aerodrome, Squad-ron-Leader Kingsford Smith's helmet went missing. Ho did not mind the loss of tho helmet, but pinned on it was a little black and silver "Felix" cat, which had been his mascot for seven years. "Smithy" offered a reward of £10 for the return of Felix. The same evening, though, a young woman appeared bringing with her tho helmet complete with the mascot. She had found it, and kept it as a souvenir, but as soon as she realised that the flyer valued it she returned it, asking no reward. "Smithy" was so pleased that ho promised to use the helmet when flying back to Sydney, and then to autograph it and post it back. "I wouldn't lose Felix for worlds," ho said. "Never before have I had a souvenir returned to nic, and I think it speaks wonders for tho honesty of New Zealand people that I did get it back." "Smithy didn't give full expression to his feelings when he lost that mascot of his at the aerodrome on Tuesday morning," said Mr. W. E. Leadley at tho smoke concert given by the Christchurch branch of the R.S.A. to the flyers. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith : "It's all right; I've got it back." "New Zealanders and Aussics, especially Aussies, had-a great reputation for souvenir-hunting at the war, but I don't think it was a digger that got hold of it," said Mr. Leadley. "I thought it must havo been an Aussie," commented Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith, to ihe accompaniment of laughter.