AIRMEN’S AWFUL FATE

Evening Star, Issue 19546, 3 May 1927, Page 10

AIRMEN’S AWFUL FATE

THE MELBOURNE TRAGEDY DEATH OF FOUR AVIATORS The worst flying accident that has ever occurred in Australia marred the people’s welcome to the Duke and Duchess of York in Melbourne. With tragic suddenness • two military aeroplanes, in an escorting formation, collided, and in full view of thousands of people in St. Kilda road, in the vcinity of Federal Government House, hurtled broken to the ground. The pilot and observer in each machine were killed instantly. .The disaster occurred when a formation of DH9 aeroplanes, which had been escorting the Royal visitors during their progress toward the city, had just completed the last salute of the day, the car containing the Duke and Duchess having at that moment turned into the drive of Federal Go. vernment House.

The occasion being of such importance, the Royal Air Force had entered into the spirit of the welcome, and had put forth a special effort to make a good showing. P’rom early morning aeroplanes had been over Melbourne, and a number of formations were flying backwards and forwards and around about during _ tho progress from St. Kilda to the city. Each formation, -on passing over the procession, had “zoomed” or dipped, in accordance with air force practice and in token of salute.

There were many witnesses of the tragedy. Just as the crowds had turned away after , tho Royal car had passed, a formation of five machines, in charge of Flight-lieutenant Jones, flew over from the direction of Alexandria avenue. Their average height above the ground was approximately 300 ft. The formation “ zoomed ” and rose. Suddenly there was a shriek, followed by terrified cries from a number of women;

Quo of tlie planes of the northern wing of the formation was seen to be flying close above the machine which had, a moment before, been leading it. Without warning the machine below, apparently with the object of flying clear of the formation, rose in a slight climbing turn. To the watchers below the uppermost machine seemed to drop slightly. ■ At the same moment there was a swift ripping crash as the nose of the lower machine came in contact with the port wing of the other. For an instant the two ’planes clung together, and crumpling up the wing of one and the tail of the other seemed to fall away. The screams of the hundreds of women witnesses attracted others who had not seen the mishap. The two machines then fell apart. One was spinning rapidly as it fell, but the other dropped like a bomb. When they had nearly reached the earth there was a burst of black smoke from one machine, and a loud report was followed by a burst of flame. This- machine had plunged through the galvanised iron roof of the garage of the Postmaster-General’s Department in Sturt street, and had burst into flames the instant it touched the roof.

The other machine fell straight into the. middle of Dodds street, a small thoroughfare running between Sturt street and St. Hilda road. There can bo little doubt that the occupants of both machines were killed instantly. Indeed, it is considered highly probable that one or more of the men was killed by the collision in the air. Those in the ’plane which fell in Dodds street could net have survived an instant after the impact with the roadway, while the men in the machine which crashed into the iron roof of the garage could not, have lived long enough to become award of the fire which broke out as the ’plane .struck. The accident cast a pall over Government House. The Air Force guard of honor had just presented arms, and the Governor-General, Lord Stonehaven, was stepping down from Government House steps to welcome the Duke and Duchess when Lady Stonehaven agitatedly clutched the Governor-General by the arm and pointed to the sky. As she did so a crack like a pistol shot rang out clearly in the air, apd all eyes were turned in the direction of Lady Stonehaven’s finger, to see the two ’planes falling in a trail of smoke.

The Duke saw the accident, aud hurriedly despatched Lieutenant-com-mander Buist and Flight-lieutenant Davidson to the scene. In the meantime, although showing signs of anxiety, he inspected the guard of honor, but immediately that ceremony was concluded asked for details of the crash.

Fortunately, the Duchess was one of the few at Government House who did not observe the fatality, and she inspected the guard of honor of Girl Guides. When she was told what had happened, she was visibly affected.