KING’S 10,000 MILES FLIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 5

KING’S 10,000 MILES FLIGHT

WILD LIFE FROM THE AIR A Royal 10,(11)0 mile flight in Hie gren I flyin<;-linn I s and air lineix of I mperia I Aiiwiyn from Europe 1.0 the In-11 ri of AfiTra iUi'l back lias just born completed by flic King ol tin* Belgians. During (lie flight, King Albert travelled as an ordinary passenger, occupying seals in I lie saloons ol Hie Great .Imperial air-liners and flying-boats in company wit 1 1 I lie passengers booked on l In- ordinary scheduled services. The speed of loug-distalice air* t.ransriorl was v.’idl dins! rill ed bv I lie (line table of the Kings’ trip. lie did not wish his absence from Belgium to last longer than a month, and. at the same time, desired to spend as lone as possible in the Belgian Congo. By utilising the Mediterranean and transAfrican section of the Imperial Airways' London-Capctuwn route. His Majesty reiluced his actual transit Lime to n week in each direction, and even after spending as long as a fortnight on his tour of the Bare Nat innate Albert, —one of the world's finest game reserves and the Kilo Alining District, was able to complete the round trip, Brussels-! lie Congo-Brnssels—in approximately the time which would liaviy been oeupied on the single journey by ordinary surface transport. During his (light from Cairo to Uganda, along the section which stretches from Wadi Haifa to Alalakal, the King obtained some magnificent bird's eye views of wild life. From the. window of his aerial saloon he saw at least four herds of elephants which must have numbered nearly 1,000 animals, besides large groups of buffalo, girall'e and other game. The pilot of the air-liner steered his machine so as to pass low over the elephants, thus affording the King the clearest view of them, and on this occasion the animals did not, stampede or lake fright, being apparently ipiite undisturbed by the passage of the aircraft overhead. "It is understood that King Albert thoroughly enjoyed his unique experience. and at the conclusions of his 10,0(10 miles’ aerial journey, the following telegram was received by Sir Erie f.'cddes. Chairman of Imperial Airways, from Major Van Cniiborgh, the equerry who aeompanied the King. ‘•f am happy to convey to you in the name of His Majesty appreciation of the way in which the long journey was made pleasant thanks to the organisation and attention of Imperial Airwavs.”

On his return flight, llis Majesty was joined at Athens by the Queen of the Belgians who accompanied him on (he final siages of his journey. King Albert is a frequent, traveller hv Imperial Airways, using not only the European services hut also the Oonniany s Empire services to accelerate his journeys. Nearly a dozen Imperial Airways’ pilots have now had the honour of piloting air-liners and (lyinghoal's in which llis Majesty has been a passenger. 1