CANBERRA AIR TRAGEDY
THREE FEDERAL MINISTERS
TWO HIGH ARMY OFFICERS
(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) CANBERRA, August 13. As tKe result of an appalling air disaster near Canberra today Australia lost three Federal Ministers, two high Army officers, including the Chief of the General Staff, and five others. Eye-witnesses' accounts indicate that an explosion occurred after the plane, which was arriving from Melbourne, had made a forced landing. The ten occupants were burnt to death, the flames being so fierce that rescuers were unable to approach the plane. The victims were: Brigadier G. A. Street, Minister of the Army and Eepatriation. Mr. J. V. Fairbairn, Minister of Air and Civil Aviation. Sir Henry Gullett, Vice-President of the Executive Council. Lieutenant-General Sir Brudenell White, Chief of the General Staff. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, of Army Headquarters. Mr. R. E. Elford, private secretary to Mr. Fairbairn Flight Lieutenant R. Hitchcock. Pilot Officer R. Wiesner. Corporal J. Palmer, wireless operator. Aircraftman C. Crosdale.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400814.2.64.1
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 10
Word Count
157CANBERRA AIR TRAGEDY Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 10
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