OFFER REFUSED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20164, 6 February 1940, Page 8

OFFER REFUSED

CHANGE OF PLANE; DEAD PILOT’S DECISION BOMBER CRASH INQUEST j FELLOW OFFICER’S STORY I “IT WAS A BAD SHOW” (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. How Flight-Lieutenant A. D. Poulton, pilot of the ill-fated Baffin bomber could have changed machines when he returned to Wigram air station after an earlier flight yesterday, was told at the inquest which was opened before the coroner, Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M., this morning. Flight-Lieutenant A. C. Parson identified Flight-Lieutenant Poulton and Aircraftsman (first class) W. J. R. Strachan, whose bodies were recovered from the wreckage last night. The inquest was adjourned sine die. Flight-Lieutenant Parson told the coi oner he was present when both bodies were brought ashore. The coroner asked witness if there .was any question of physical defect which might have led Flight-Lieuten-ant Poulton to crash. Appeared All Right Flight-Lieutenant Parson said h<_ was not in a position to say. He had authorised tiro (lights. He was in command of one flight and FlightLieutenant Poulton commanded the other. They were working in close liaison. Witness had drawn up the flying schedule. He spoke to Flight-Lieutenant Poultbn the first thing yesterday morning and lie then appeared to be quite all light. “He would have said lie was off colour if lie felt so,’’ Flight-Lieutenant Parson continued. “He said nothing to me. We worked the flying schedule out between us. We are instructed to report if we feel off colour. Colleague’s Offer "Flight-Lieutenant Poulton made two (lights during the morning. He lirsi v/ent up in machine No. N.Z. 152 and after completing his flight: he landed at, Wigram. 1 was going up in No. 161 and offered this machine to him. He refused and said he would go up again in. 152.’’ No. 152 was the Baffin which crashed in the surf and killed FlightLieutenant Poulton and his two companions. “It was a bad show,” concluded Flight-Lieutenant Parson. The victims were: Flight-Lieutenant Arthur Darvall Poulton. Air Gunner William James Reynold Strachan. Aircraftsman (first class) Douglas Haig Birbeck. Flight-Lieutenant Poulton was a married man, aged 40. He was formerly a farmer at Wes'S Eyreton and had been a member of the air force since the end of the Great War. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Poulton, Christchurch. Air Gunner Strachan was a son of Mr. G. Strachan, Roxburgh. Aircraftsman Birbeck, whose father was killed in the Great War, was the eldest son of Mrs. A. Odium, Christchurch.