LANDS IN THE STRAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 January 1941, Page 5

LANDS IN THE STRAND

AFTER 25,00 FEET PARACHUTE DESCENT HOW N.2. AIRMAN “DROPPED IN” | U P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) LONDON, 9th January. Surprised glances were directed by several people in the Strand, London, recently, at an airman who entered New Zealand House, wearing his heavy leather flying kit. They would have been still more surprised had it been known that the airman, Flying Officer P. W. Rabone, Wellington, had drifted 25,000 ft down to earth by parachute only an hour or two before. His fighter aircraft had met with an accident. Though he left his aeroplane when it was well away from London, Flying Officer Rabone landed within easy distance of New Zealand House, so he “dropped in” on his way back to his aerodrome. He had “found there was too much wind up at that height to remain in the aeroplane with any hope of landing safely,” so that he was forced to jump. Flying Officer Rabone is the eldest son of Flight Lieutenant Clarence Rabone and Mrs Rabone, Christchurch, where Flight Lieutenant Rabone has an appointment with the R.N.Z.A.F. at Harewood.