THE SAD TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 280, 24 October 1934, Page 7

THE SAD TRAGEDY.

ACCOUNT OF MISHAP. BOTH KILLED INSTANTLY. Received October 24, 10.25 a.m. PALAZZO (San Gervasio), Oct. 23. It is clear that the New Zealand entrants, Gilman and Baines, were killed instantly before their machine caught fire. One was killed as the result of terrible head injuries and the other from a fractured spine. The watchman in charge of the field, seeing them making for the landing ground, signalled indications regarding the best method of landing. The wind was blowing hard from tlie north-east and it was raining. When the ’plane was sixty yards from the the ground the pilot looked out to observe the weather vane.

The machine swept sideways to 90 yards off the ground, when it side-slip-ped and crashed. The watchman and others rushed to the ’plane, but the ground was so swampy that they sank up to their knees. It was impossible to move the bodies until 4 p.m., though the crash occurred at 8 a.m.

Gilman’s body was identified by two Irish Sweep tickets bearing his name. His watch stopped at 8 a.m. and establishing the exact time of the disaster. Citizens of Foggia state that the engine was missing badly when the ’plane passed over there. It w r as rapidly losing height-, but seemed to recover as it passed on. TRIBUTES OF FLOWERS. Thousands of villagers assembled at the local church to-day to pay their last respects to the dead airmen. Masses of flowers from village gardens and wild flowers picked by children were placed on the coffins, over which flies an Italian flag.