GROUND PARTIES RETURN: ARDUOUS TASK COMPLETED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22819, 14 December 1948, Page 6

GROUND PARTIES RETURN: ARDUOUS TASK COMPLETED

CRASH IN RUAHINES

(P.A.) PALMERSTON N, Dec. 14,

The bodies of the three airmen who lost their lives in the Oxford crash on Park’s Peak, in the Rualiines, were brought out of the rugged gorges to Stewart’s mill behind Apiti yesterday afternoon.

The party of airmen, policemen, bushmen and trampers who performed the task spoke of long, weary hours struggling through ravines and through the Oroua River in a 20-mile trek to and from the scene of the crash.

Their faces bore adequate testimony of the arduous nature of the operations which took them three days to perform. Their ripped clothing was evidence of their fight to and from their objective. The party took almost two days on the return journey, which consisted of 10 miles of the roughest country any of the men had attempted. Return to Base Camp

At Jensen's Bush, three miles from the mill, trucks, station wagons and cars met the 24 men and carried them back to the mill where the coroner, Mr. C. L. Mowlem, was awaiting them and their burdens. Soon alter the arrival of the bodies at the camp an inquest was held and adjourned sine die after evidence of identification had been given.

The party from Rangiwahia arrived at the spot where the bodies lay on the edge of a ravine at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday and camped there for the night. The organisers of the party were Mr. Frank Heise and Guide A. Woods. In charge of the party were Constables J. G. Gunn and J. Anderson.

They were joined by another party which left Stewart’s mill at 5.45 a.m. on Saturday led by Mr. C. Bucknian and included Messrs. B. Miller, P. Purchase, J. J. Curreen and S. Watkins. Carrying poles were prepared and on Sunday morning the difficult struggle back began. Four men carried each body and four others stood by for relief.

Confronted by Waterfalls

Three sheer waterfalls confronted the party on the return journey but a long wire rope was slung over the top and the bodies were conveyed down this. The third waterfall was about 120 feet high. Slipping, plunging and falling through the heavy undergrowth tore clothing and flesh and urgent calls were sent out to base at Stewart's mill for extra clothing and boots. A cross was marked on the ground and an aircraft swung low over the ravine to make a successful drop of the canisters. It was necessary for the aircraft to bank sharply at 90 degrees, straighten for about two seconds, drop the canisters in this time and then bank sharply at a 90 degree angle again so as to avoid striking the sheer bluffs and crags which rose starkly on either side. Pilot Congratulated

So accurate was the canister droppings that one pilot landed his cargo within two feet of the cross. He had gone well below the level of the surrounding ground to do so. Lieutenant T. R. Vickerman, of Trentham, who worked and carried the “walkie talkie” radio set on the journey, called up the pilot and congratulated him on his accuracy and was told: “Roger, good luck.”

At 5 p.m. on Sunday night it was a weary party which bedded down by the forks of the Oroua and the tributary up which the bodies had been found. The weather was co-operative and the party spent a’ cold but dry night under the trees. They were on their way again by 6.30 a.m. yesterday. They had been making their way carefully down the river for 20 minutes when they met a relief party which left Stewart’s mill at dawn. With its help the travelling speed became faster but it was not until 2.40 p.m. that the party again sighted the mill.