“MAC'S MEMOIRS”

Evening Star, Issue 22682, 23 June 1937, Page 2

“MAC'S MEMOIRS”

TRIBUTE TO HEW ZEALAND ACE FLViHG LIFE OF SQUADtUiIHEADF.iI M’GREGGR Tiio most brilliant air pilot Which New Zealand has produced is undoubtedly Squadron-leader M. C. M‘Gregor, D.f’.C. In a country from which has come, in spite of its limited area and unfavourable Hying conditions, a number oi pilots who have achieved fame, ho surpassed the feats of all others, and proved himself deserving of the titlC “ ace.” Well known throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion as a skilful pilot and the pioneer of commercial Hying in New Zealand, “ Mac,” as lie was familiarly known, had a host of friends, and tho story of his Hying life which has recently been published under the title of ‘ Mao’s Memoirs ’ will bo read with interest. i3r G. H. Cunningham has written the book with tho object of placing on permanent record the achievement of his friend, Squadron-leader M'Gregor. Tho writer was aided to a considerable extent in that lie was one of the few to whom tho subject of the book confided his Hying, and particularly his war-time experiences. In addition, tho author received Hying instruction from him, and thus acquired tho necessary technical knowledge. It is a simple story of an outstanding man, and the author has “eschewed sentiment, avoided over-statements, and adhered strictly to tho historical record.” A short note by tho publishers, Messrs A. H. and A. W. Reed, announces that any profits accruing from tho sale of tho book will be used to supplement the memorial fund for tho maintenance of Squadron-leader M'Gregor’s wife and children. “ So recent is man’s conquest of the air that in his flying career Squadronleader M'Gregor practically traversed aviation development. Ho learned to fly on aeroplanes differing little from those used by the pioneers, participated in the war period of rapid development in machines and flying technique, pioneered aviation in Now Zealand, and made operative tho largest aviation company in tho Dominion,” remarks the author in his preface. ‘ Mac’s Memoirs ’ is divided into four sections, dealing with his experiences as a war pilot, pioneer Hying in New Zealand, his participation in the Centenary Air Race, and finally his activities in connection with commercial aviation. For tho chapters dealing with tho war-timo period tho biographer relies to a largo extent on letters written homo and supplemented by records from such of his comb,at reports as still exist, for “ like many another silent man ho overflowed in tho form of letters.”

After traversing the periods of training in New Zealand and England and his transfer to France as a member of 44 Squadron, the author has provided several thrilling chapters describing life and death fights thousands of feet above the earth, whore life was synonymous with skill at tho controls and a quick linger at tho gun. These aro told with a restraint that is typical of the man, as tho following extract from a combat report will show:— . .1 got separated. Attacked by live machines, sent down two out of control. All firing from a few yards range, and only got away b]y outmanoeuvring them.” It was at this period of his lifo that M'Gregor was awarded the Distinguished Flying Dross “ for great gallantry and skill in an engagement between six of our scouts and a similar number of tho enemy.” Tho armistice found “ Mac ” with 15 enemy aeroplanes and one and a-half balloons to his credit. A modest score certainly, but it was one which placed him in the first two score of British fighter pilots.' He returned to _ New Zealand, and it is recorded he foiind it most difficult to satiate his craving for speed and excitement. He interested himself in motor cycle racing for a time, and then followed a period of farming. Finally, in 1921, lie took up flying again when - ho tested, for a Hamilton man, a recently-imported Austin Whippet machine. His first .commercial venture was Hamilton Airways, which was maintained with Moth aeroplanes. An engagement with Messrs Cadbury, Fry, Hudson as pilot of the well-known Chocolate Plane followed. As the pioneer of air mail flying in New Zealand, several experimental flights were made in 1931 and 1932, and ho was then appointed pilot-instructor to the Manawatu Aero Club. It was in that capacity that he new in tho Centenary Air Race. The book contains an account of tho facts leading up to the entry, and a day-by-day record of the race, in which Mac, accompanied bv " Johnnie ” Walker, flew 12,323 miles in 118 flying hours to finish fourth in the most gruelling air race the world has known. Tho powers of endurance which enable men to hurtle halfway round the world at over 100 miles an “hour cannot be over-esti-mated, more especially when it is remembered that “ Mac ” was ono of the three oldest men in tho race and had but 12 months previously _ recovered from a serious crash, in. -which he sustained a broken had?. The final section in tho booff deals with the organisation and inauguration of Union Airways of New Zealand Ltd., for which “ Mac ’ was responsible. After briefly referring to tho other commercial aviation enterprises in tho Dominion at the time, the author gives a mass of detail which exemplifies the ability and foresight of M'Gregor. The section concludes with a graphic description of a flight over the route' from Palmerston North to Dunedin and back.

The tragic death of this unassuming airman left the Dominion the poorer. On February 18, 1930, he was bringing a light aeroplane in to the Wellington aerodrome. Visibility was bad o,r ac count of heavy rain, and he did not see the' anemometer mast, which struck the starboard wing, wrenching it off. The machine crashed, and “ Man ” was so seriously injured that ho died in hospital the same evening. And so passed a highly respected airman, a firm believer in the future of air transport, and a thorough gentleman.