GUEST OF HONOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 2, 2 July 1938, Page 18

GUEST OF HONOUR

(By Jean Batten: Copyright.)

The flight from Australia to England in October, 1937, was the last adventure covered in Jean Batten's "Life," of which the following is the concluding chapter. .' CHAPTER 21. For many weeks after 1 landed the most wonderful hospitality was showered on me: banquets, luncheons, and receptions were arranged, and I was entertained by many clubs and societies. One evening a banquet was given in my honour by the Royal Aero Club. When I rose to make my speech f felt that it was indeed a difficult task — not merely because I was the only woman present, but the distinguished gathering included many oi the pioneers of flying and some of the most brilliant men in aviation. Among the guests was the Marquess of Londonderry, at whose lovely home I had been entertained several times and experienced the lavish hospitality for .which the Marchioness of Londonderry is famous. After my flight back from Australia, in 1935 I-had been invited to the Air Ministry and congratulated by Lord'Londonderry,-who was then Minister for Air. He had demonstrated his faith in aviation in a most practical manner by becoming a pilot and flying his own aeroplane, extensively. At the Aero Club banquet speeches were made by the Marquess of Londonderry; Lord Gorell, a former Secretary of State for Air; Mr. Lindsay Everard, chairman of the Aero Club; Mr. Handley Page; Commander Perrin; and Captain Percival. On the table in front of me I was delighted to see the lovely silver Britannia Trophy, which had ; been awarded to me, by the Royal Aero Club for two years in succesi sion for my South American and New j Zealand flights. It was announced by Mr. Lindsay Everard that the coveted gold medal of the Royal Aero Club was to be presented to me for my flights. The evening was a most memorable one, and I felt, deeply honoured. Another function which I greatly en- ! joyed was a dinner given for. me by the Forum, one of the most exclusive women's clubs in London. Once before -I had attended a dinner at the Forum Club to commemorate the proposed Atlantic air service, and several famous Atlantic flyers had been present. On this occasion my toast was very ably proposed by Miss Amy Johnson, the famous airwoman. Not long afterwards I was made an honorary member of the Forum Club, a gesture which I greatly appreciated. SOME DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE. One of the most interesting of the dinners at which I was guest of honour was that of the Women's Automobile and Sports Association. Some years previously honorary membership of this club had been extended to me, and I had often experienced the charming hospitality of the president, Viscountess Elibank. At this dinner I had the ! unique experience of having my toast | proposed by Lord Sempill, and sup- ! ported by i>ir Malcolni Campbell. I had i already met Lord Sempill on several ! occasions. He had once gallantly descended from the sky in Australia when I had made a forced landing and was ! struggling to mend a leaking petrolI union. This incident occurred when I i wag on my way to attend the inaugural I ceremony of the Australia-England air | mail at Brisbane. After helping con- ! siderably Lord Sempill had resumed I his journey, and when the trouble was j rectified I had flown on to Brisbane. i I had looked forward to meeting Sir Malcolm Campbell at the Royal Yacht Club dinner, where I had been asked |to present the trophies, but he was unable to attend on that occasion. There were many distinguished people present, including Colonel Moore-Braba-zon, the first Englishman to gain a pilot's licence. When he and Claude Grahame-White, whom I met at another dinner, used to fly way back in 1908 or thereabouts aviation was a real adventure. In those days it was often necessary to lie on the aerodrome to see if the aeroplane actually left the ground even for a few inches, in which case it was called a flight. It was expected that Captain Eyston, who had just lowered the land-speed record by attaining 312 m.p.h., would be present. He had not returned from America in time, however, but I had the pleasure of meeting him at a private luncheon shortly afterwards at the Countess of Gainsborough's home. At the same time I met Admiral Evans, "Evans 6f the Broke," who among his many achievements accompanied Captain Scott to the South Pole on his epic journey. TELEVISED BY THE 8.8.C. At the various functions I met many people famous in different walks of life. At the Savoy one night at a charity dinner I had the pleasure of proposing the toast of Miss Gracie Fields, whose personality seemed just as strong and her humour equally infectious off the stage as on. Shortly after my arrival at Croydon I had given two broadcasts, one to the Empire and the other on the famous "In Town Tonight" programme, on which I had also broadcast after my flight back from Australia in 1935. A new experience for me was to be invited by the 8.8.C. to take part in the television programme. When I visited the studios at Alexandra Palace I was able to watch the film of my landing at Croydon being retransmitted. Hearing that pastel shades are most suitable for television, I decided to wear my fiying-coat, and before I went into the studio my face was made up with a special preparation to eliminate all shadows. Some time later I had the pleasure of being televised a second time. One day I received an invitation from the Lord Mayor of London and Lady Twyford to tea at the Mansion House. Viscount Wakefield escorted me, and the afternoon proved to be a most enjoyable one. Among the first telegrams of congratulation which I had received on the completion of my flight was one from Viscount Swinton, Minister for Air. Shortly after my arrival I was' invited to lunch at his home, where I had on previous occasions enjoyed the charming hospitality of Viscountess Swinton. A luncheon, which I greatly enjoyed, was given in my honour by the British Sportsmen's Club at the Savoy. Lord Decies, whom I had met at several other functions, presided, and many people famous in the sporting world i were present. At a luncheon given by the Holborn I Chamber of Commerce I had the pleasure of renewing the acquaintance of Sir Alan Cobham, whom I had met several years previously, and on this occasion he proposed my toast.

In the beautiful and ancient hall o£ the Merchant Taylors a luncheon was given for me by the City Livery Club. It was not only a very great personal honour to be entertained by the Livery Club, representative of all the historic companies, but I considered it a wonderful gesture to my own

THE AIRWOMAN'S REWARD

RECEPTIONS AND DECORATIONS

country, New Zealand. The president, Sir John Laurie, I had met at the Guildhall banquet, and sitting at table near me were the High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Stanley Bruce and Mr. Jordan.

One of the most interesting of all the functions was a reception given by the Parliamentary Air Committee in the House of Commons. This was a wonderful gesture, for it can surely fall to the lot of few women to have a reception given in their honour amid such 'historic surroundings. At this reception I was received by Admiral Sueter, and the same evening I was presented with the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club by Mr. Lindsay Everard, M.P. I was invited by Air Vice-Marshal Baldwin to visit the Royal Air Force College at Cranwell and address the cadets. I looked forward to this visit and drove my car to Cranwell, and was deeply impressed by the general air of efficiency. The lecture which I gave was received with enthusiasm by the cadets, who crowded the great hall where I spoke. ON EXHIBITION. My aeroplane, now veteran of three great flights, was exhibited in London and also in Liverpool. Arrangements were made for me to visit many towns in England and give short lectures on my various flights. I visited the majority of the large towns, and the tour proved most enjoyable and a great success. At each place I was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm, and so warmhearted was each'welcome that it was almost like a homecoming. Great was my delight when after my flight back to England in October, 1937, I was asked by the directors oi Madame Tussaud's to sit for a portrait model which they intended to place in the exhibition. I received quite a shock when the model, dressed in my flying-kit, was placed in position. It looked so lifelike, waving from amid a most distinguished gathering, including M. Bleriot, Sir John Alcock, and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown, Colonel Lindbergh, Squadron-Leader Hinkler, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Mollison, Miss Amelia Earhart, Sir Henry Segrave, and Sir Malcolm Campbell. ROYAL RECEPTIONS. At this time, Leopold, King. of the Belgians, was paying a State visit to London. The day before he returned I received word that he wished to meet me, and was commanded to Buckingham Palace that afternoon. After a reception given in my honour by the New Zealand Society I drove to the palace. I found that King Leopold was very much interested in aviation, and I was extremely surprised that he knew so much about my various flights and the countries over which I had flown. This was explained by the fact that he is himself a great traveller and deeply interested in aviation. While I was at the palace I was overjoyed to receive an invitation to visit her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in her private apartment. The Queen was wonderfully charming, and with her sweet smile and gracious manner immediately put me at my ease when I was presented to her. During the happy time I spent in her presence I met little Princess Elizabeth. She has a charm of her own. and with a delightful gesture she brought her pet terrier into the room to show me. As the door opened the Queen, who was sitting alongside me on the blue brocade settee, rose, and the next moment I was being presented to his Majesty King George. VI. The King said that he had heard I was at the palace and wished to meet me. I was deeply impressed by his extensive knowledge of aviation and the interest he showed in my flights and the equip- ' ment used. Both the King and the Queen spoke with pleasure of their visit to New Zealand in 1926, when, as the Duke and Duchess of York, they endeared themselves to all New Zealanders during their tour of the Dominion. A COVETED DECORATION. In January, 1938, I learned with great pleasure that the coveted Gold Medal of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale had been awarded to me. This medal is perhaps the highest international award in the aviation world. I felt deeply honoured, especially so in view of the fact that representatives of twenty-two different nations had participated in the voting. Only ten other aviators have received this gold medal. They are: Sir Alan Cobham, Colonel Lindbergh, Squadron-Leader Hinkler, M. Dieudonne Costes, General Balbo, Dr. Eckener, Senor Juan de la Cierva, Mr. Wiley Post, Mr. C. W. A. Scott, and M. Jean Mermoz. This was the first time, therefore, that it had ever been awarded to an airwoman. Shortly afterwards I received a letter from the British Council conveying an invitation for me to visit Stockholm and address a combined meeting of the Swedish-British Society and the Royal Aero Club of Sweden. The British Council was to make all arrangements for the visit, which was extended to enable me to visit Gothenburg and Copenhagen as well. IN SCANDINAVIA. My visit proved a tremendous sue- | cess, and I was accorded a wonder-: ful welcome by the warm-hearted j Scandinavian people. H.R.H. Prince! Gustav Adolf presided at my lecture in Stockholm, which was held in the large concert hall and received with great enthusiasm. At the conclusion I had the great honour of receiving from Prince Gustav Adolf the gold medal of the Royal Swedish Aero Club. Many functions were arranged in my honour, and a reception was held by the British Minister, Sir Edmund Monson. j The people proved to be wonderfully warm-hearted, and I experienced the most lavish hospitality. It was deeply gratifying to find that my lectures were so keenly appreciated, and that nearly everyone I met spoke excellent English. A new experience for me was ice yachting, and one which I thoroughly enjoyed as the wind filled the sail and the yacht, balanced on skids, speeded across the frozen lake at great pace. My lecture in Copenhagen was attended by H.R.H. Prince Axel, himself a keen airman, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at several other functions eirranged in my honour, and also by Sir Patrick Ramsay, the British Minister. The Royal Danish Aeronautical Society presented me with its gold medal at the conclusion of my lecture. Sightseeing tours were arranged m each place, and while in Denmark I was taken to Elsinore to see the castle where Hamlet is reputed to have lived, and on another occasion to see the lovely bronze statue of Hans Andersen's little mermaid. A photograph reproduced in the Press at the timebore the title of "The Airmaid and the Mermaid." I Was very sorry that time did not permit me to visit Norway, but I decided to fly to Oslo at a

later date, when I would also be able to pay a return visit to Sweden and j Denmark. | A BACKWARD GLANCE. During my various flights I have visited many different countries, and have had a unique opportunity of meeting peoples of a great many nationalities. My flights have taken me from the calm serenity of the English countryside over the pasturelands of France, the mountains of Italy, the great snow-covered ranges of Greece, the length of the Mediterranean, over the mighty Lebanon Mountains and the Holy Land, the burning deserts of Syria and Iraq, the barren rocky mountains of Persia,! the deserts and rice-fields of India, the dense jungles of Bengal, Burma, and Siam, the great rubber plantations of Malay, and along the island chain of the Dutch East Indies to Australia, and on across the big cattle stations of that vast continent, and still further south across the icy wastes of the Tasman Sea, 1300 miles, to my own country, New Zealand. They have also taken me over sunny Spain and Morocco, the deserts of Mauretania and Senegal, to the scorching heat of West. Africa, and across the immensity of the South Atlantic Ocean to the orchid-scented jungles of Brazil, and on again to the vast rolling plains of Uruguay and Argentina. There have been times when vital decisions have had to be made in the fraction of a second —decisions that meant life or death, and that depended on a clear brain, working in perfect co-ordination with a steady hand. There have been other times when the loneliness has been so intense that I have longed for the sound of a human voice or the sight of a ship, or even a tiny native village, to dispel the feeling of complete isolation that one feels when flying alone over the sparsely inhabited tracts that comprise such a great area of the earth's surface.

Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands is a potential explorer; in his or her breast burns the same fire that urged the adventurers of old to set forth in their sailingships for foreign lands. Riding through the air on silver wings instead of sailing the seas with white wings, he must steer his own course, for the air is uncharted, and there are no visible signs to show that another aviator has preceded him. He must therefore explore for himself the strange eddies and currents of the ever-changing sky in its many moods. THE END.