MISSING AT SEA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 45, 22 August 1944, Page 6

MISSING AT SEA

TWO N.Z. AIRCRAFT

FOURTEEN MEN ABOARD

Two Lockheed Hudson bomber reconnaissance aircraft, with fourteen members of the R.N.Z.A.F., are reported missing on a transit flight from Fiji to New Zealand. This announcement was made today by the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones), who said that a wide search has been carried out by air in difficult weather conditions, but so far no trace of the missing flyers has been found. The men are: — - Flight Lieutenant Wilbur Lange (Mrs. T. Lange, 3 Highwick Avenue, Epsom, Auckland, wife). Pilot Officer Kenneth Alexander Ross (Mrs. L. Ross, 46 Brougham Street,. Wellington, mother). Flying Officer Sydney Philip Aldridge (Mrs. S. Aldridge, 4 Somerset Road, Mount Roskill,- Auckland, wife). Flying Officer Jack Andrew Olsen (Mr. A. Olsen, 4 Haig Avenue, Dominion Road Auckland, father). • Pilot Officer Kenneth Brian Marshall (Mr. W. G. Marshall, 29 Camber well Road, Hawera, father). Flying Officer David Oliphant Stewart (Mr. H. H. Stewart, 24 Matai Road, Green Lane, Auckland, father): Sergeant George Arthur Bryant (Mrs. M. E. Bryant, 9 Ngaio Street, Orakei, Auckland, mother). Flying Officer Norman Kitchener Baird (Mrs. N. K. Baird, 75 Pomona Street, Invercargill, wife)'. Sergeant Robert Bruce Gillespie (Mr. R. Gillespie, 22 St. Paul's Street, Auckland, father). Warrant Officer Arthur Francis Dunstan (Mrs. L. F. Dunstan, 3 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland, wife). Sergeant Thomas Brytpn Carey (Mr. J. F. Carey, 24 Jessel Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, father). Pilot Officer Ivan Russell Johnson (Mrs. O. B. Johnson, 12 Dryden Street, Auckland, mother). Flight Sergeant Thomas' Hartley Ward (Mesdames I. and E. Partridge, 15 Tuhimata Road, St. Heliers, Aucka Flying Officer John Thomson Waugh (Mrs. E. Waugh, "Murrayfield, U Tinakori Road, Wellington, wife). The two aircraft were part ot a formation of seven Hudsons which lett Nausori, Fiji, at approximately b.iu 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. EXTENSIVE SEARCH. 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 twelve long-range aircraft were dispatched yesterday morning. They carried out parallel searches along the likely route of the' missing aircraft, fanning out in the area in which it was assumed the aircraft might have come down, but without success. The searches are continuing today. In addition to the five Hudson aircraft which landed safely two R.N.Z.A.F. Catalina 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 Crown. He was with the Hon. R. Semple when he joined the Royal-New Zealand Air Force. Prior to going to the Pacific he was attached to the staff at Air Headquarters in Wellington. His service as a private secretary was rather unique, in that he was first attached to a Minister's office when he was still in his teens. He joined the Public Service as a cadet, and after a short time in the office of the Public Service Commissioner he became a member of the staff of the late Sir James Allen when he was Minister of Defence in the war of 1914-18. After the war, he was appointed 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 1939. Flying Officer Waugh is 44 years of age.