MOIR’S NARRATIVE

Feilding Star, Volume 7, Issue 2219, 28 May 1929, Page 5

MOIR’S NARRATIVE

OF FLIGHT TO DARWIN ENGINE STARTS TO MISS DANGERS OF LANDING By Telegraph-Press! Assft-Copyrigbt (Aust. and N.Z. Cable) (Received May 28, 9.25 a.rn.) Sydney, May 28. In a message from Kyogle, Captain Moir briefly tells the story of tbo flight from BTmii, to Capo Don. All went well until they wefo about 160 miles from Poll Darwin,, when,a slight roughness in the engine became evident. Later it started to miss badly. “\Ye Fad lifebelts on and as we were losing our height badly were prepared for tbo worst and ready to chop the tank si adrift. Tin mediately we hit the water Owen had the axe and tools ready to make a raft. We ‘thought wo could at least survive for several days, as we had plenty of rations, Tho engine was running spasmodically 'nbd just gave enough, power for us to keep in the air for an hour. Struggling in this manner we sighted Cape Don. As it was ini-, possible to last; much longer wo headed for tho lighthouse. Owen fired ..some Ve rev lights and the staff at the lighthouse realised our predicament, replying by lighting several fires. These cheered us, as we knew tho men would come to our assistance if we did alight on the water. Little did we know that they did not even have a canoe and the waters were infested with, sharks and crocodiles. With the aid of fires we picked out a. small clearing, shut off the petrol and pancaked the machine, into the clearing. We were both thrown clear of the machine into a. crop,' of small mangrove stumps. Owen wa.s hurt internally and. was unable to move, 'Phe lighthouse people rendered every assistance possible. The fact that wo did not reach Darwin was a terrible disappointment to us.” The Kyogle is expected at Port Darwin early in the morning. Captain Brain is standing by In cn&o urgent assistance is needed. He will fly Moir and Owen to Brisbane, if required.