AIRMEN DROWNED

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1942, Page 4

AIRMEN DROWNED

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST NELSON, October 22. An inquest was held to-day into the deaths of two members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Pilot Officer Dean Rainsford Horrocks, aged 20, and Sergeant Vincent Charles Hill, aged 23, in an aircraft accident. The Coroner found Chat both were drowned at sea after a period of shock and exposure. The Coroner said that he wondered why launches were not sent out earlier, but it was not for him to make comments on some aspects of the case. No doubt they would be inquired into by the Air Force, and such action as might be necessary would be taken. Flight Lieutenant William Allison said that the aeroplane left the aerodrome on exercises, piloted by Pilot Officer Horrocks. The crew consisted of Warrant Officer Colway, Sergeants

Chappell, Stevens, Bryson, and Hill, and Aircraftman Davis. He heard of the accident at 4.5 p.m., and immediately organised an aerial search. Twenty-five minutes later the first aeroplane sent out reported people struggling in the water. A pensioner, Benjamin O Brien, told J how he was watching the aircraft flying low over the water. He heard the engines give an unusual roar. He could quite plainly see the aeroplane afterwards on the water. It floated for about half a minute and then disappeared. It appeared to glide in the water and not to nose in. Gordon Douglas Rowling, a farmer, who saw the aeroplane disappear into the sea, gave evidence that with a Mr Fauchelle he rowed a dinghy out to the scene, several miles off shore. After they had been rowing for some time an aeroplane came over and commenced to circle the actual spot, whore they later came across three men in the water. All three were pulled into the dinghy, one dying shortly afterwards. Ernest George Dudley, a fisherman, described going to the scene in his launch at 5 p.m. The witness agreed that had he been sent out at 4 p.m. he could have reached the scene half-an-hour ahead of Rowling. He knew of no reason for the delay. His launch was not one of the launches included in the sea rescue service of the Air Force. Warrant Officer James A. Colway explained that he was a member of the crew of the aeroplane, which was out on exercises. Everything went well ana they had completed the exercises and were preparing to return to the aerodrome. He heard a loud bang about 3.45 p.m., while he was in the nose. They were flying about 40 feet above the water. From previous experience in England he knew that a propeller had struck the water. Immediately the aeroplane began to vibrate and at the same time the engine revolutions increased. He knew then that the pilot was trying to gain altitude. He then went back to the pilot and heard him say: “Prepare to abandon aircraft.” He was then still at the controls. The aeroplane climbed to about 200 feet. Next time he looked out the aeroplane was losing height and going toward the sea. The pilot was wearing a lifejacket. When he saw them in the water he knew that at least five o'f the crew had life-jackets. He himself was not wearing one, and he was the last to leave the aeroplane. He tried to release the dinghy that was carried on the aeroplane, but he was unable to do so as the aeroplane was sinking. The aeroplane floated for about 90 seconds. When he got free all the others were floating about in the water. They were talking to one another, and about 10 minutes later he heard the pilot say that one was missing. He decided to try to swim for the shore, as he had no life-jacket. He was accompanied by Sergeant Hill and another sergeant whom he did not know. About 4.15 p.m. an aeroplane came over and dropped a lifejacket, which witness swam to. Later the aeroplane dropped a rubber dinghy, but he was unable to reach it because of the wind and the tide. He was later picked up by a dinghy. He had then been in the water about two hours. If it had been possible to have got the dinghy from the aeroplane it could easily have supported all the crew. There was sufficient time after the aeroplane struck the water to launch the dinghy if it had been attempted immediately. He thought they were five miles out when the accident happened. As far as he knew no one was hurt when the aeroplane hit the water.